CRISPR-Cas9 screening identified novel subtypes of cutaneous melanoma based on essential cancer genes.

Our primary objective was to identify genes critical for cutaneous melanoma (CM) and related typing, based on essential genes, to generate novel insights for clinical management and immunotherapy of patients with CM. We analyzed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx), and sequencing data of 29 CM cell line from Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) databases. Combined with DepMap database, 406 CM essential cancer genes were finally obtained.

The effects of glucocorticoid plus intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) vs IVIG alone on platelet activation in children with Kawasaki disease.

Background: Even though intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is a current treatment for Kawasaki disease (KD), 10-20% of patients require additional therapy. This study seeks to investigate the therapeutic effects of glucocorticoids plus IVIG on KD and to ascertain the subsequent effect on platelet activation during the acute phase.

Methods: A total of 32 children with KD were randomly classified into two groups: the experimental group (16 cases) and the control group (16 cases).

Development of Henoch-Schoenlein purpura in a child with idiopathic hypereosinophilia syndrome with multiple thrombotic onset: A case report.

Background: The incidence of pulmonary embolism (PE) in children is low, but its mortality is high. Hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is a group of diseases caused by an abnormal increase in eosinophilic granulocytes resulting in multiple-organ dysfunction. The urgent event of thromboembolism in the pulmonary region provoked by eosinophils in idiopathic HES (IHES) is relatively unusual.

Impact of partial bile duct ligation with or without repeated magnetic resonance imaging examinations in mice.

Partial bile duct ligation (pBDL) is considered a well-tolerated cholestatic model. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most widely used tools in noninvasive imaging. However, no systematic studies have reported the possible effects of repeated MRI assessments in the pBDL model.

Evidence for Dopamine Abnormalities Following Acute Methamphetamine Exposure Assessed by Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Background: Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) is a newly developed MRI technique that provides a non-invasive way to indirectly measure of dopamine (DA) function. This study aimed to determine NM concentrations in brain regions following acute methamphetamine (MA) administration using NM-MRI and to explore whether NM-MRI can be used as a biomarker of DA function in non-neurodegenerative diseases.

Methods: Baseline NM-MRI, T1-weighted and T2-weighted images were acquired from 27 rats before drug/placebo injection.

Effects of Chinese gallnut tannic acid on growth performance, blood parameters, antioxidative status, intestinal histomorphology, and cecal microbial shedding in broilers challenged with aflatoxin B1.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of tannic acid (TA) on growth performance, blood parameters, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal health in broilers challenged with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). A total of 480 broilers aged 1 d were randomly allotted into four treatments: 1) CON, control diet; 2) AF, CON + 60 μg/kg AFB1 of feed during days 1 to 21, CON + 120 μg/kg AFB1 of feed during days 22 to 42; 3) TA1, AF + 250 mg/kg TA; and 4) TA2, AF + 500 mg/kg TA. Average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) were increased in the TA1 during days 1 to 21, days 22 to 42, and days 1 to 42 compared with CON and AF treatments (P < 0.

Dynamic alteration in myocardium creatine during acute infarction using MR CEST imaging.

Creatine (Cr) is an essential metabolite in the creatine kinase reaction, which plays a critical role in maintaining normal cardiac function. Chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI offers a novel way to map myocardium Cr. This study aims to investigate the dynamic alteration in myocardium Cr during acute infarction using CEST MRI, which may facilitate understanding of the heart remodeling mechanism at the molecular level.

Percutaneous biliary stent combined with brachytherapy using I seeds for treatment of unresectable malignant obstructive jaundice: A meta-analysis.

Background: Malignant obstructive jaundice (MOJ) is a common pathologic manifestation of malignant biliary obstruction. Recently, several clinical trials have explored the clinical effectiveness of intraluminal I seed-based brachytherapy for MOJ patients, and various outcomes have been reported.

Aim: To assess the efficacy and safety of percutaneous biliary stents with I seeds compared to conventional metal stents in patients with unresectable MOJ.

Betulinic acid-nucleoside hybrid prevents acute alcohol -induced liver damage by promoting anti-oxidative stress and autophagy.

Alcoholic abuse is one of the most serious causes of liver diseases worldwide. Although detailed molecular pathogenesis of alcohol-induced liver damages remains elusive with intensive debates, it has been widely recognized that hepatic damage caused by free radicals generated from alcohol metabolism is one of the most critical factors for alcohol-induced liver diseases. Betulinic acid is a potent antioxidant with additional known pharmacological safety characteristics and minimal toxicity.

Characterizing Fibrosis and Inflammation in a Partial Bile Duct Ligation Mouse Model by Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Background: Partial bile duct ligation (PBDL) model is a reliable cholestatic fibrosis experimental model that showed complex histopathological changes. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of PBDL have not been well characterized.

Purpose: To investigate the potential of MRI parameters in assessing fibrosis in PBDL and explore the relationships between MRI and pathological features.

Single-breath-hold T2WI liver MRI with deep learning-based reconstruction: A clinical feasibility study in comparison to conventional multi-breath-hold T2WI liver MRI.

Objective: To investigate the clinical feasibility of single-breath-hold (SBH) T2-weighted (T2WI) liver MRI with deep learning-based reconstruction in the evaluation of image quality and lesion delineation, compared with conventional multi-breath-hold (MBH) T2WI.

Methods: One hundred and fifty-two adult patients with suspected liver disease were prospectively enrolled. Two independent readers reviewed images acquired with conventional MBH-T2WI and SBH-T2WI at 3.

The efficacy and safety of erlotinib compared with chemotherapy in previously treated NSCLC: A meta-analysis.

An increasing number of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have a poor prognosis and develop progressive disease after receiving conventional treatments. In recent years, several novel therapies have been approved for later lines of therapy of previously treated NSCLC. Erlotinib, an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, was recommended as the second-line therapy for pre-treated patients.

The identification of a common different gene expression signature in patients with colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies, giving rise to serious financial burden globally. This study was designed to explore the potential mechanisms implicated with CRC and identify some key biomarkers. CRC-associated gene expression dataset (GSE32323) was downloaded from GEO database.

Novel mutations in Chinese Han patients with tuberous sclerosis complex: Case series and review of the published work.

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant genetic disease characterized by hamartomas in multiple organ systems. This study was performed in one familial and two sporadic cases with TSC. Two novel mutations (c.

Prediction of tacrolimus metabolism and dosage requirements based on CYP3A4 phenotype and CYP3A5(*)3 genotype in Chinese renal transplant recipients.

Aim: To examine how the endogenous CYP3A4 phenotype and CYP3A5(*)3 genotype of Chinese renal transplant recipients influenced the dose-corrected trough concentration (C0/D) and weight-corrected daily dose (D/W) of tacrolimus.

Methods: A total of 101 medically stable kidney transplant recipients were enrolled, and their blood and urine samples were gathered. The endogenous CYP3A4 phenotype was assessed by the ratio of 6β-hydroxycortisol and 6β-hydroxycortisone to cortisol and cortisone in urine.

C6 ceramide dramatically enhances docetaxel-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in cultured breast cancer cells: a mechanism study.

Here we reported that co-administration of docetaxel and a cell-permeable short-chain ceramide (C6) resulted in a striking increase in growth inhibition and apoptosis in primary and transformed breast cells (MCF-7 and MDA-231), which were associated with mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening, a significant reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the pro-apoptotic AMP-Protein Kinase (AMPK) as well as c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) activations. Contrarily, the mPTP blocker sanglifehrin A (SfA) or the ROS scavenger N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) largely inhibited co-administration-induced cytotoxicity. Further, cyclosporin A (CsA), the inhibitor of cyclophilin-D (Cyp-D, the key mPTP component), as well as Cyp-D RNA silencing also suppressed breast cancer cell death by the co-treatment, while cells overexpressing Cyp-D showed hypersensitivity to docetaxel.

Pharmacodynamic analysis of intravenous recombinant urate oxidase using an indirect pharmacological response model in healthy subjects.

Aim: Pharmacodynamic analysis of intravenous recombinant urate oxidase produced by Escherichia coli was performed in healthy subjects using a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model.

Methods: A randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled study was performed in 40 healthy Chinese subjects (4 groups of 10 subjects each, placebo 4:1 ratio) who received infusions of uricase (single doses of 0.1, 0.

Suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid, an inhibitor of histone deacetylase, suppresses vasculogenic mimicry and proliferation of highly aggressive pancreatic cancer PaTu8988 cells.

Background: Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive human malignancies with a extremely low 5-year survival rate. Hence, the search for more effective anti-pancreatic cancer agents is urgent.

Methods: PaTu8988 pancreatic cancer cells were treated with different concentrations of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), cell survival, proliferation, migration and vasculogenic mimicry (VM) were analyzed.

Anti-hepatitis B virus activity of α-DDB-DU, a novel nucleoside analogue, in vitro and in vivo.

α-DDB-DU, 2'-deoxy-3'-(4,4'-dimethoxy-2'-methoxycarbonyl-5,6,5',6'-bis(methylenedioxy)-1,1'-biphenyl-2-carboxyl)uridine, is a novel nucleoside analogue accomplished by linking α-DDB (α-dimenthoxy dicarboxylate biphenyl) and DU (2'-deoxyuridine) via an ester bond. In the current study, the anti-HBV activity and hepatoprotective effect of this compound were investigated both in vitro and in vivo. In the human HBV-transfected liver cell line HepG2.

In vitro activity of cepharanthine hydrochloride against clinical wild-type and lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B virus isolates.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection causes major public health problems worldwide. The clinical limitation of current antiviral drugs for HBV, such as lamivudine, is the emergence of drug-resistant viral strains during prolonged antiviral therapy. Cepharanthine hydrochloride (CH), a natural alkaloid-derived compound, has been reported to possess potent activity against various viruses.

[Methylation and expression of RUNX3 gene promoter in papillary thyroid carcinoma].

Objective: To study the relationship between status of methylation of human runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) gene promoter in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

Methods: Methylation-specific PCR and immunohistochemical SP technique were used to detect the methylation of RUNX3 gene promoter and expression of its protein in 56 cases of PTC and their matched adjacent non-carcinous epithelium (NCE).

Results: In NCE, there was no methylation of RUNX3 gene promoter, while in PTC the methylation rate was 35.

[Correlation of mRNA and protein expressions of Runx3 gene in papillary thyroid carcinoma].

Objective: To explore the mRNA and protein expressions of Runx3 gene in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

Methods: Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot were used to detect the Runx3 mRNA and protein levels in 67 human PTC specimens and their matched adjacent non-cancerous epithelium (NCE).

Results: The relative expression value of Runx3 mRNA was 0.

[Expression of Piwil2 and its relationship with tumor invasion and metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma].

Objective: To study the expressions of Piwil2 protein and mRNA in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and the relationship between Piwil2 and the invasion and metastasis of PTC.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization were used to detect the expression of Piwil2 protein and mRNA in 60 cases of PTC with the matched adjacent non-cancerous epithelium (NCE).

Results: The positive rates of Piwil2 protein expression in PTC and NCE were 88.