Identification and validation of novel prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for non-small cell lung cancer.

Despite the significant survival benefits of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains one of the most common tumors and major causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify new therapeutic targets for this refractory disease. In this study, microarray datasets GSE27262, GSE75037, GSE102287, and GSE21933 were integrated by Venn diagram.

Sex-related differences in the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in malignancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Although disease susceptibility is known to differ between men and women, it is controversial whether the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors for malignancies also differs between the sexes. We conducted a meta-analysis to explore the impact of sex on immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment outcomes. We searched PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library databases from inception to October 1, 2020 for randomized controlled trials of immune checkpoint inhibitors with hazard ratios (HRs) stratified by sex.

Development and Validation of a Novel Nomogram for Predicting Tumor-Distant-Metastasis in Patients with Early T1-2 Stage Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Background: Distant metastasis in early T1-2 (diameter≤5 cm) stage lung adenocarcinoma (ET-LUAD) patients largely affect treatment strategies in clinical practice. However, the associated mechanism remains unclear and related studies is less. This study aimed to establish and validate a novel nomogram to predict the risk of distant metastasis in ET-LUAD.

High-Throughput Survey of Ordering Configurations in MXene Alloys Across Compositions and Temperatures.

2D transition metal carbides and nitrides known as MXenes are gaining increasing attention. About 20 of them have been synthesized (more predicted) and their applications in fields ranging from energy storage and electromagnetic shielding to medicine are being explored. To facilitate the search for double-transition-metal MXenes, we explore the structure-stability relationship for 8 MXene alloy systems, namely, (VMo)C, (NbMo)C, (TaMo)C, (TiMo)C, (TiNb)C, (TiTa)C, (TiV)C, and (NbV)C with 0 ≤ x ≤ 1, using high-throughput computations.

Recent progress in HER2 associated breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide among women and the second most common cancer. Approximately 15-23% of breast cancers over-express human epidermal growth factor receptor2 (HER2), a 185-kDa transmembrane tyrosine kinase, which is mainly found at the cell surface of tumor cells. HER2-positive breast cancer, featuring amplification of HER2/neu and negative expression of ER and PR, has the three following characteristics: rapid tumor growth, lower survival rate, and better response to adjuvant therapies.

Effects of Rad51 on survival of A549 cells.

Rad51, a key factor in the homologous recombination pathway for the DNA double-strand break repair, plays a vital role in genesis of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In recent years, more and more studies indicate that high expression of Rad51 is of great relevance to resistance of NSCLC to chemotherapeutic agents and ionizing radiation. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood.

Bilateral Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Auditory Hallucinations in Patients with Schizophrenia: A Randomized Controlled, Cross-over Study.

Objective: A randomized double-blind cross-over trial was conducted in patients with persistent auditory hallucinations (AHs) to investigate whether bilateral repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) at the temporoparietal area or Broca's area is more effective at high- or low-frequencies compared to a sham condition.

Methods: Twenty three patients with persistent AHs who remained stable on the same medication for 2 months were enrolled. They were randomized to one of four conditions: low-frequency (1 Hz)-rTMS to the temporoparietal area (L-TP), high-frequency (20 Hz)-rTMS to the temporoparietal area (H-TP), high-frequency (20 Hz)-rTMS to Broca's area (H-B), or sham.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase signal transduction in solid tumors.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is an important signaling pathway in living beings in response to extracellular stimuli. There are 5 main subgroups manipulating by a set of sequential actions: ERK(ERK1/ ERK2), c-Jun N(JNK/SAPK), p38 MAPK(p38α, p38β, p38γ and p38δ), and ERK3/ ERK4/ ERK5. When stimulated, factors of upstream or downstream change, and by interacting with each other, these groups have long been recognized to be related to multiple biologic processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation, death, migration, invasion and inflammation.

[Diagnostic implications of atypical squamous cells of unknown significance with abnormal DNA ploidy for early cervical lesions].

Objective: To investigate the clinical significance of atypical squamous cells of unknown significance (ASCUS) with abnormal DNA ploidy in the early diagnosis of cervical lesions.

Methods: Eight thousand four hundred and forty-eight patients were included in this study and all had DNA quantitative analysis and cervical liquid-based cytology. Among 1041 cases with DNA aneuploidy and/or abnormal cervical liquid-based cytology and additional cervical biopsy, histological review was performed in 247 ASCUS cases with abnormal DNA ploidy.

Effects of chronic social defeat stress on behavior and choline acetyltransferase, 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein, and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) homologous protein in adult mice.

Rationale: Social defeat stress induces physiological and behavioral symptoms, including anxiety, anhedonia, immune deficits, and altered expression of key brain genes.

Objectives: The present study investigated the effects of social defeat stress on the behaviors and expressions of Chat, Grp78, and chop in the brains of adult mice.

Methods: Adult mice were divided into susceptible and unsusceptible groups after 10 days of social defeat stress.

Effects of chronic social defeat stress on behaviour, endoplasmic reticulum proteins and choline acetyltransferase in adolescent mice.

The present study investigated the effects of social defeat stress on the behaviours and expressions of 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein (Grp78), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) homologous protein (CHOP) and choline acetyltransferase (Chat) in the brains of adolescent mice. Adolescent male C57BL/6J mice were divided into two groups (susceptible and unsusceptible) after 10 d social defeat stress. In expt 1, behavioural tests were conducted and brains were processed for Western blotting on day 21 after stress.

Involvement of neuropathy target esterase in tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate-induced testicular spermatogenesis failure and growth inhibition of spermatogonial stem cells in mice.

Tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate (TOCP) has been widely used in industry and reported to induce delayed neurotoxicity in humans and animals. In addition, it is known to have a deleterious effect on the male reproductive system in animals, but the precise mechanism is yet to be elucidated. The present study shows that TOCP could disrupt the seminiferous epithelium in the mouse testis and decrease the sperm density in the epididymis in a dose-dependent manner.

Anti-fatigue properties of tartary buckwheat extracts in mice.

Anti-fatigue properties of tartary buckwheat extracts (TBE) was investigated in male Kunming mice. The animals were divided into four groups. The first group, designated as the control group (control), was administered with distilled water by gavage every day for 28 days.

Down-regulated miRNA-214 induces a cell cycle G1 arrest in gastric cancer cells by up-regulating the PTEN protein.

To detect the expression of miRNA-214 in human gastric cancer cell lines of BGC823, MKN45 and SGC7901, and to identify the effect of miRNA-214 on cell cycle and apoptosis of these cells. Expression of miRNA-214 in human normal gastric mucosal cell line GES-1 and human gastric cancer cell lines was detected by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Antisense-miRNA-214 oligonucleotides were transfected transiently into gastric cancer cell lines to down-regulate the expression of miRNA-214.

[Spectral classification based on Bayes decision].

The rapid development of astronomical observation has led to many large sky surveys such as SDSS (Sloan digital sky survey) and LAMOST (large sky area multi-object spectroscopic telescope). Since these surveys have produced very large numbers of spectra, automated spectral analysis becomes desirable and necessary. The present paper studies the spectral classification method based on Bayes decision theory, which divides spectra into three types: star, galaxy and quasar.

[Expression of HER2/neu in meningiomas: an immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization study].

Objective: To investigate the expression of HER2/neu, Ki-67 and TK1 protein in meningiomas in correlation with tumor grades and recurrence.

Methods: Twenty cases of each of the following types of meningiomas were selected for the study, namely: the benign non-recurrent, recurrent benign, atypical and malignant, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) histological classification of nervous system, 2007. Immunohistochemistry study for HER2/neu, Ki-67 and TK1 protein was performed.

Double-bar application decreases postoperative pain after the Nuss procedure.

Objective: This biomechanical study aims to elucidate whether additional bar application increases postoperative pain after the Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum.

Methods: Clinical evaluation: The intensity of postoperative pain was compared between patients for whom a single-bar was used (single-bar group: n = 14) and those for whom double bars (double-bar group: n = 10) were used to correct the thoracic deformity. The evaluation was performed by referring to the frequency with which local anesthetics were self-injected in a patient-controlled anesthetic system and how many days were needed for the patients to resume ambulation.

Integration of on-line protein digestion, peptide separation, and protein identification using pepsin-coated photopolymerized sol-gel columns and capillary electrophoresis/mass spectrometry.

A miniaturized pepsin reactor was prepared inside a fused-silica capillary (i.d. 75 microm) by coating a pepsin-containing gel on a photopolymerized porous silica monolith.

Determination of glutamine and serine in rat cerebrospinal fluid using capillary electrochromatography with a modified photopolymerized sol-gel monolithic column.

Capillary electrochromatographic separations of amino acid mixtures were studied using two modified porous photopolymerized sol-gel monolithic columns. One was modified with dimethyloctadecylchlorosilane (DMOS), and the other was modified with DMOS, followed by chlorotrimethylsilane to end-cap residual silanol groups. Prior to separation, amino acids were derivatized with 4-fluoro-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole using as a mobile phase 50 mM phosphate (pH 2.