Efficient detection and post-surgical monitoring of colon cancer with a multi-marker DNA methylation liquid biopsy.

Multiplex assays, involving the simultaneous use of multiple circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) markers, can improve the performance of liquid biopsies so that they are highly predictive of cancer recurrence. We have developed a single-tube methylation-specific quantitative PCR assay (mqMSP) that uses 10 different methylation markers and is capable of quantitative analysis of plasma samples with as little as 0.05% tumor DNA.

Detailed investigation of the iterative analysis for inertial confinement fusion target characterization.

The iterative algorithm based on optical path difference and ray deflection (IAORD) is investigated in detail, and an advanced version (AIAORD) is proposed to obtain the refractive indices of the shell and the ice layer of the inertial confinement fusion (ICF) target simultaneously. The concept of the fixed-point iteration is introduced in the advanced algorithm, and it is found that the right choice of the combination of the input values and the characteristic curves is the key to ensure convergence in the iteration. The test uncertainties of the index measurement are analyzed by simulations, and they show that the uncertainties of the refractive indices of the shell and ice layer are 9.

Highly multiplexed quantifications of 299 somatic mutations in colorectal cancer patients by automated MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

Background: Detection of somatic mutations in tumor tissues helps to understand tumor biology and guide treatment selection. Methods such as quantitative PCR can analyze a few mutations with high efficiency, while next generation sequencing (NGS) based methods can analyze hundreds to thousands of mutations. However, there is a lack of cost-effective method for quantitatively analyzing tens to a few hundred mutations of potential biological and clinical significance.

Prediction of overall survival time in patients with colon adenocarcinoma using DNA methylation profiling of long non-coding RNAs.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a subgroup of RNAs able to regulate gene expression at the epigenetic level, and are therefore central to the regulation of numerous biological processes and the progression of multiple cancer types. However, lncRNAs have not been identified to considerably influence overall survival (OS) outcome in numerous different types of cancer. The majority of studies investigating the association between lncRNAs and epigenetic regulation have focused on their altered expression levels in cancerous cells, and few studies have focused on determining the correlation between lncRNAs and OS time.

Deubiquitinase inhibitor degrasyn suppresses metastasis by targeting USP5-WT1-E-cadherin signalling pathway in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Wilm's tumour-1 (WT1) is overexpressed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and enhances metastasis. Deubiquitination stabilizes target proteins, and inhibiting deubiquitination facilitates the degradation of target proteins. However, whether inhibiting deubiquitination of WT1 facilitates its degradation and presents anti-cancer ability in PDAC is unknown.

Inhibition of UBE2N-dependent CDK6 protein degradation by miR-934 promotes human bladder cancer cell growth.

Because bladder cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignant cancers of the urinary system, identification of BC cell growth-associated effectors is of great significance. Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)6 is a member of the CDK family of cell cycle-related proteins and plays an important role in cancer cell growth. This is borne out by the fact that a CDK6 inhibitor had been approved to treat several types of cancers.

MicroRNA-3648 Is Upregulated to Suppress TCF21, Resulting in Promotion of Invasion and Metastasis of Human Bladder Cancer.

Although microRNAs (miRNAs) are well-known for their potential in cancer, the function and mechanisms of miR-3648 have barely been explored in any type of cancer. We show here that miR-3648 is upregulated in human BC tissues in comparison with adjacent non-tumor tissues. Functional studies showed that inhibition of miR-3648 expression in the human invasive BC UMUC3 and T24T cell lines decreased migration and invasion in vitro and suppressed lung metastasis in vivo, whereas miR-3648 overexpression promoted BC cell migration and invasion.

miR-3687 Overexpression Promotes Bladder Cancer Cell Growth by Inhibiting the Negative Effect of FOXP1 on Cyclin E2 Transcription.

Cyclin E2, a member of the cyclin family, is a key cell cycle-related protein. This protein plays essential roles in cancer progression, and, as such, an inhibitor of cyclin E2 has been approved to treat several types of cancers. Even so, mechanisms underlying how to regulate cyclin E2 expression in cancer remain largely unknown.

Clinical features and potential relevant factors of renal involvement in primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Objective: To investigate distinct features of renal involvement in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) and to identify potential factors associated with renal involvement.

Methods: Four hundred and thrity-four pSS patients from the Rheumatology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from 2013 to 2017 were included in a cross-sectional study. Patients with renal involvement were compared with their age- and gender-matched controls (pSS without renal involvement).

Simple instruments facilitating achievement of transanal total mesorectal excision in male patients.

Aim: To assess the efficacy of a modified approach with transanal total mesorectal excision (taTME) using simple customized instruments in male patients with low rectal cancer.

Methods: A total of 115 male patients with low rectal cancer from December 2006 to August 2015 were retrospectively studied. All patients had a bulky tumor (tumor diameter ≥ 40 mm).

Impact of platelet to lymphocyte ratio and metabolic syndrome on the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of both platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 1,163 CRC patients. Preoperative values of PLR were stratified into three groups according to cut-off values of 120 and 220.

Overexpression of salusin-β is associated with poor prognosis in ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer is recognized as one of the worst gynecologic malignancies associated with rapid metastasis and poor overall survival rate. The identified valuable molecular biomarkers criticize importance of timely diagnosis for ovarian cancer. Salusin-β levels are dramatically increased in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Pathologically decreased expression of miR-193a contributes to metastasis by targeting WT1-E-cadherin axis in non-small cell lung cancers.

Background: The metastatic cascade is a complex and multistep process with many potential barriers. Recently, miR-193a has been reported to be a suppressive miRNA in multiple types of cancers, but its underlying anti-oncogenic activity in non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) is not fully elucidated.

Methods: The expressions of miR-193a (miR-193a-5p) in human lung cancer tissues and cell lines were detected by real-time PCR.

Tumor M2 pyruvate kinase in diagnosis of nonsmall cell lung cancer: A meta-analysis based on Chinese population.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of tumor M2 pyruvate kinase (tumor M2-PK) in the diagnosis of nonsmall cell lung cancer.

Methods: The diagnosis clinical studies of tumor M2-PK in the diagnosis of nonsmall cell lung cancer were electronic researched in the Medline, EMBASE, WANFANG, and CNIK databases. The data of true positive, false positive, false negative, and true negative were extracted from each of the individual studies.

β3-tubulin is a good predictor of sensitivity to taxane-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in primary breast cancer.

The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between β3-tubulin expression and sensitivity to taxane-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in primary breast cancer patients. A total of 48 local advanced breast cancer patients that received taxane-containing neoadjuvant chemotherapy were studied. The levels of β3-tubulin expression were tested by immunohistochemistry before chemotherapy and at the end of cycles 2, 4 and 6.

mTOR activation in immature cells of primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma and anti-tumor effect of rapamycin in vitro and in vivo.

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling is a key pathway in the progression of different cancers and in the homeostasis of stem cells. Here, we investigated the link between mTOR signaling and cancer stem cells (CSCs) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). We found that human primary NPC expressed embryonic stem cell (ESC) markers: CD133, SOX2 and OCT4 as well as pmTOR and pS6.

Non-suture technique for rabbit oviduct anastomosis with 2-octyl cyanoacrylate: a histopathologic and biomechanical analysis.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate histological and biomechanical properties of oviduct anastomosis with 2-octyl cyanoacrylate (OCA) in the rabbit.

Material And Methods: Sixty female rabbits were randomly divided equally into three groups: A (control), B (traditional catgut suture), and C (non-suture technique using OCA). After suture or OCA anastomosis, gross examination (adhesion formation) and histopathology (hematoxylin-eosin), ultrastructure (transmission electron microscopy), and biomechanics (bursting pressure) on para-anastomotic site were investigated on oviduct taken at 1 (A1, B1, C1) and 4 (A2, B2, C2) weeks, respectively.

Inhibition of trauma-associated inflammatory liver damage by blocking NF-κB activity.

Background/aims: NF-κB protein family members act as transcription facts and play a key role in regulating the immune response to infection and inflammatory signals. We proposed to determine the role of NF-κB in the development of trauma-associated liver damage and inflammation.

Methodology: NF-κB DNA-binding activity was inhibited using double-stranded oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN).

[Expression of survivin, bcl-2 in cervical carcinoma and its association with HPV16/18 infection].

Objective: To investigate the expression and the correlation of surviving, bcl-2 and HPV16/18 in cervical carcinoma.

Methods: Hybridization in situ was used to detect the expression of survivin mRNA and HPV16/18 DNA in 74 cases of CIN and 81 cases of cervical carcinoma and 20 cases of normal cervical tissues. And immunohistochemical analysis was used to detect the expression of bcl-2 protein.

Notch1 signaling is activated in cells expressing embryonic stem cell proteins in human primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Objective: To explore the expression of Notch1 signaling pathway in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Methods: We performed immunocytochemistry on surgically resected NPC using antibodies against embryonic stem (ES) cell proteins and against Notch1 signaling components.

Results: We found that ES cell protein markers SOX2 and OCT4 were expressed in a subpopulation of cells for all three subtypes of NPC but barely in the normal control.

Coexpression of VEGF-C and COX-2 and its association with lymphangiogenesis in human breast cancer.

Background: Lymphangiogenesis has become a new research frontier in tumor metastasis since the discovery of reliable lymphatic markers that have allowed observation and isolation of lymphatic endothelium. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) has been reported to be involved in the critical steps in carcinogenesis. However, possible role of COX-2 in lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis is still poorly understood.