Different classes of antibiotics exhibit disparate negative impacts on the therapeutic efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients.

It has been reported that antibiotics (ATBs) have adverse effect on the efficacy of treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in cancer patients. Since different classes of ATBs have different antibacterial spectrum, we aimed to study whether all ATBs had similar or different negative effects on the clinical outcomes of ICIs in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients with advanced NSCLC who received ICIs were included in this retrospective study and grouped by the class of ATBs they had used around the ICIs treatment time.

Cranial irradiation induces cognitive decline associated with altered dendritic spine morphology in the young rat hippocampus.

Objective: Therapeutic irradiation is commonly used to treat brain cancers but can induce cognitive dysfunction, especially in children. The mechanism is unknown but likely involves alterations in dendritic spine number and structure.

Methods: To explore the impact of radiation exposure on the alteration of dendritic spine morphology in the hippocampus of young brains, 21-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats received cranial irradiation (10 Gy), and changes in spine density and morphology in dentate gyrus (DG) granules and CA1 pyramidal neurons were detected 1 and 3 months later by using Golgi staining.

Investigation of echocardiographic characteristics and predictors for persistent defects of patent foramen ovale or patent ductus arteriosus in Chinese newborns.

Background: Persistent patent foramen ovale (PFO) and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) increase the adult risk of cryptogenic embolic stroke and chronic pulmonary hypertension. To understand the characteristics of PFO and PDA in newborns, we investigated the spontaneous closure rate and derived the determinants for residual defects.

Methods: We utilized the database of congenital heart disease (CHD) in Xiamen ChangGung Memorial Hospital from 2015 to 2017 and allocated 2523 eligible newborns into four groups according to PDA, PFO, both or neither at birth.

New insights of extrachromosomal DNA in tumorigenesis and therapeutic resistance of cancer.

In the past few decades, the studies of extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA), which existed independently of chromosomes, were tepid. However, recent studies on ecDNA rekindled the enthusiasm of oncologists for further studying ecDNA. In this review, we summarized the recent advances of ecDNA in oncogenesis and oncotherapy.

Delivery of Doxorubicin from Hyaluronic Acid-Modified Glutathione-Responsive Ferrocene Micelles for Combination Cancer Therapy.

A combination of different chemotherapy approaches can obtain the best response for many cancers. However, the greatest challenge is the development of a nanoparticle formulation that can encapsulate different chemotherapeutic agents to achieve the proper synergetic chemotherapy for the tumor. Here, amphiphilic ferrocenium-tetradecyl (Fe-C) was constructed to form cationic micelles in an aqueous solution via self-assembly.

Nano-based delivery of RNAi in cancer therapy.

Background: RNA interference (RNAi), a newly developed method in which RNA molecules inhibit gene expression, has recently received considerable research attention. In the development of RNAi-based therapies, nanoparticles, which have distinctive size effects along with facile modification strategies and are capable of mediating effective RNAi with targeting potential, are attracting extensive interest.

Objective: This review presents an overview of the mechanisms of RNAi molecules in gene therapy and the different nanoparticles used to deliver RNAi molecules; briefly describes the current uses of RNAi in cancer therapy along with the nano-based delivery of RNA molecules in previous studies; and highlights some other carriers that have been applied in clinical settings.

Demethoxycurcumin in combination with ultraviolet radiation B induces apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway and caspase activation in A431 and HaCaT cells.

Photodynamic therapy is widely used in the clinical treatment of tumors, especially skin cancers. It has been reported that the photosensitizer curcumin, in combination with ultraviolet radiation B, induces HaCaT cell apoptosis, and this effect may be due to the activation of caspase pathways. In this study, we examined the photodynamic effects of demethoxycurcumin, a more stable analogue of curcumin, to determine whether it could induce apoptosis in skin cancer cells.

Effects of lapatinib or trastuzumab, alone and in combination, in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

This meta-analysis compared the efficiency and safety of lapatinib and trastuzumab, alone or in combination, administered with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer. For dichotomous variables, the relative risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to investigate outcome measures: pathological complete response (pCR), neutropenia, diarrhea, dermatologic toxicity, and congestive heart failure (CHF). Eight randomized controlled trials of 2350 participants (837 receiving lapatinib, 913 trastuzumab, and 555 combination therapy) were selected to compare the efficiency and safety of lapatinib to trastuzumab.

Attenuated LKB1-SIK1 signaling promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition and radioresistance of non-small cell lung cancer cells.

Background: Radiotherapy is one of the main therapeutic approaches for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, radioresistant cancer cells can eventually cause tumor relapse and even fatal metastasis. It is thought that radioresistance and metastasis could be potentially linked by epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).

Nanoscale drug delivery for targeted chemotherapy.

Despite significant improvements in diagnostic methods and innovations in therapies for specific cancers, effective treatments for neoplastic diseases still represent major challenges. Nanotechnology as an emerging technology has been widely used in many fields and also provides a new opportunity for the targeted delivery of cancer drugs. Nanoscale delivery of chemotherapy drugs to the tumor site is highly desirable.

Meta-Analysis of the Safety and Efficacy of Interferon Combined With Dacarbazine Versus Dacarbazine Alone in Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma.

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of interferon (IFN) combined with dacarbazine (DTIC) (experimental group) versus DTIC alone (control group) in cutaneous malignant melanoma. After searching all available databases, eligible articles were identified and subjected to quality assessment. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.

[Assessment of resource situation of Collichthys lucidus in coastal waters of the Yangtze estuary].

In order to assess the resource status of Collichthys lucidus in coastal waters of Yangtze estuary, the growth and population parameters were studied by the length frequency distribution method based on the bottom trawl investigation data from 2012 to 2013. Von Bertalanffy growth parameters were calculated by using the ELEFAN module in FiSAT II software while the natural mortality rate (M) was estimated via Pauly's empirical equation. Besides, the Beverton-Holt dynamic model was developed to predict the variation trend of C.

[Preliminary assessment of habitat of juvenile Collichthys lucidus in the Yangtze estuary].

To evaluate the choice preference of fish habitat in the Yangtze estuary, juvenile Collichthys lucidus which is the dominant species in spring was selected. The 4 indicator factors, including abundance of Pseudograpsus albus, salinity, substrate type and water depth, were selected from 19 environmental factors. Then, the indices of the habitat suitability curves of the 4 indicator factors were established, and the HSI of juvenile C.

Low‑dose radiation‑induced apoptosis in human leukemia K562 cells through mitochondrial pathways.

High‑dose total body irradiation (TBI) has an established role as preparative regimen for bone‑marrow transplantation in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), but this regimen still has a relatively high rate of acute and late toxicity. Low‑dose radiation (LDR) induces apoptosis of tumor cells and has numerous beneficial effects on normal tissues, including radiation homeostasis and adaptive response. Based on the previous evidence, in the present study, K562 cells were exposed to LDR, high‑dose radiation (HDR), and LDR in combination with HDR to investigate the possible mechanism of the apoptotic effect and hypersensitivity induced by LDR.

Rap2B promotes migration and invasion of human suprarenal epithelioma.

The aim of our study was to elucidate the role of Rap2B in the development of human suprarenal epithelioma and to investigate the effect of Rap2B on suprarenal epithelioma cells migration and invasion. We use tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry to evaluate Rap2B staining in 75 suprarenal epithelioma tissues and 75 tumor-adjacent normal renal tissues. And the expression of Rap2B protein in human suprarenal epithelioma cells and tissues was detected by western blot simultaneously.

Dosimetric verification for primary focal hypermetabolism of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients treated with dynamic intensity-modulated radiation therapy.

Objective: To make sure the feasibility with (18F)FDG PET/CT to guided dynamic intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients, by dosimetric verification before treatment.

Methods: Chose 11 patients in III~IVA nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with functional image-guided IMRT and absolute and relative dosimetric verification by Varian 23EX LA, ionization chamber, 2DICA of I'mRT Matrixx and IBA detachable phantom. Drawing outline and making treatment plan were by different imaging techniques (CT and (18F)FDG PET/CT).

[Preliminary establishment of transplanted human chronic myeloid leukemia model in nude mice].

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a malignant clonal disease derived from hematopoietic stem cells. CML stem cells were thought to be the root which could lead disease development and ultimately rapid change. However, a stable animal model for studying the characteristics of CML stem cells is currently lacking.

[Impacts of ultraviolet irradiation on the sperm motility and longevity of Acipenser baerii].

This paper studied the impacts of different dose ultraviolet irradiation (254 nm, UVC) on the sperm motility and longevity of Acipenser baerii. Ultraviolet irradiation had significant impacts on the sperm motility, its fast motion time, and longevity. With the increasing dose of ultraviolet irradiation, the sperm motility decreased rapidly first, increased rapidly then, and decreased rapidly again.

[In vitro effects of anti-CD44 monoclonal antibody on the adhesion and migration of chronic myeloid leukemia stem cells].

Objective: To explore the effects of anti-CD44 monoclonal antibody-IM7 on the in vitro adhesion and migration of chronic myeloid leukemia stem cell (CML-LSC) and its mechanism.

Methods: CD34(+)CD38(-)CD123(+) leukemic stem cells (LSC) from 20 newly-diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients BM cells and CD34(+)CD38(-) hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) from 20 full-term newborn cord blood cells were isolated with EasySep(TM) magnet beads. The CD44 expression of the LSC and HSC was detected by flow cytometry (FCM), and the adhesion and migration ability of the LSC and HSC pre- and post-incubated with IM7 in vitro by MTT assay and transendothelial migration assay, respectively.

[Apoptosis of chronic myeloid leukemia stem/progenitor cells induced by anti-CD44 monoclonal antibody IM7 in vitro].

The aim of this study was to investigate the apoptosis-inducing effect of anti-CD44 monoclonal antibody IM7 on chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) stem/progenitor cells in vitro and to explore its possible mechanism. Leukemic stem/progenitor cells (LSPCs) expressing CD34(+), CD38(-) and CD123(+) were isolated from bone marrow (BM) cells of 20 patients with newly-diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia by using EasySep(TM) magnetic beads. The percentage of apoptotic CML-LSPCs was assayed by Annexin-V/PI staining; the expression changes of c-myc and NF-kappaB mRNA were detected by real-time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR) and RT-PCR; the NF-kappaB activity was detected by NF-kappaB Activation Nuclear Translocation Assay Kit; the BCL-2 protein expression was determined in the Western blot method.

[Lead accumulation and elimination in juvenile Acipenser sinensis tissues].

A semi-static test of Pb exposure (0, 0.2, 0.8, and 1.

[Effects of storage medium and temperature on short-term storage of Acipenser baerii eggs].

This paper studied the effects of different storage medium (coelomic fluid, Hepes solution, and modified Ringer's solution), temperature (4 degrees C and 16 degrees C), and duration (4 h, 8 h, 16 h, and 24 h) on the short-term storage of Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) eggs. The results showed that storage medium, temperature, and duration all had significant effects on the fertilization rate, hatching success, and malformation of newly hatched larvae (P < 0.05).

[Modality and structure of Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) during spermiogenesis].

The special process and special structure which bring organelle during the spermiogenesis of Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica were observed by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. The process which spermatoblast became sperm including four special stages, the early stage, the middle stage, the later stage and the spermic stage, then came into being a normal mature sperm. In the early stage, cell nucleus became long form gradually by the oval form.