Stratifying ICIs-responsive tumor microenvironment in HCC: from parsing out immune-hypoxic crosstalk to clinically applicable MRI-radiomics models.

Background: We aimed to redefine Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs)-responsive "hot" TME and develop a corresponding stratification model to maximize ICIs-efficacy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Hypoxic scores were designed, and the relevance to immunotherapy responses were validated in pan-cancers through single cell analysis. Multi-omics analysis using the hypoxic scores and immune infiltrate abundance was performed to redefine the ICIs-responsive TME subtype in HCC patients from TCGA (n = 363) and HCCDB database (n = 228).

Mapping Chinese annual gross primary productivity with eddy covariance measurements and machine learning.

Annual gross primary productivity (AGPP) is the basis for grain production and terrestrial carbon sequestration. Mapping regional AGPP from site measurements provides methodological support for analysing AGPP spatiotemporal variations thereby ensures regional food security and mitigates climate change. Based on 641 site-year eddy covariance measuring AGPP from China, we built an AGPP mapping scheme based on its formation and selected the optimal mapping way, which was conducted through analysing the predicting performances of divergent mapping tools, variable combinations, and mapping approaches in predicting observed AGPP variations.

LncRNA USP2-AS1 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Growth by Enhancing YBX1-Mediated HIF1α Protein Translation Under Hypoxia.

Recently, the role of lncRNAs in tumorigenesis and development has received increasing attention, but the mechanism underlying lncRNAs-mediated tumor growth in the hypoxic microenvironment of solid tumors remains obscure. Using RNA sequencing, 25 hypoxia-related lncRNAs were found to be upregulated in HCC, of which lncRNA USP2-AS1 were significantly increased under hypoxia. We further confirmed that USP2-AS1 was significantly upregulated in liver cancer using FISH assay and that USP2-AS1 was associated with advanced liver cancer and increased tumor size.

MTDH antisense oligonucleotides reshape the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment to sensitize Hepatocellular Carcinoma to immune checkpoint blockade therapy.

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy is an important treatment option for individuals with cancer, but it has certain limitations. Identifying a better target that can overcome tumor immune escape and stimulate T cell activity is critical. This research aimed to delve into the molecular mechanism underlying the immunoregulatory function of metadherin (MTDH), which is a novel and potential therapeutic target in hepatocellular cancer (HCC).

Targeting HNRNPM Inhibits Cancer Stemness and Enhances Antitumor Immunity in Wnt-activated Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background & Aims: Cancer stemness and immune evasion are closely associated and play critical roles in tumor development and resistance to immunotherapy. However, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms that coordinate this association.

Methods: The expressions of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein M (HNRNPM) in 240 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) samples, public databases, and liver development databases were analyzed.

Detection of the : c.393T>G Mutation in Two Patients with Hypochromic Microcytic Anemia.

A novel mutation, : c.393T>G on the gene, was detected in two hypochromic microcytic anemia patients from Yulin, in the Guangxi Province of the People's Republic of China (PRC), by next-generation sequencing (NGS). It is a nonsense mutation causing a stop codon at amino acid 131 in exon 3 of the gene.

Splicing factor SRSF1 promotes breast cancer progression via oncogenic splice switching of PTPMT1.

Background: Intensive evidence has highlighted the effect of aberrant alternative splicing (AS) events on cancer progression when triggered by dysregulation of the SR protein family. Nonetheless, the underlying mechanism in breast cancer (BRCA) remains elusive. Here we sought to explore the molecular function of SRSF1 and identify the key AS events regulated by SRSF1 in BRCA.

Ratiometric fluorescence detection of sulfide ions based on lanthanide coordination polymer using guanosine diphosphate as ligand.

The efficiency of energy transfer from guanine nucleotide to terbium ion (Tb) is affected by the phosphate group significantly. Compared with the biomolecules 5'-GMP (guanosine monophosphate), guanosine diphosphate (GDP) exhibits better sensitize ability to Tb ions luminescence. Assisted with the carboxycoumarin ligand, we synthesized a more stable optical Coumarin@GDP-Tb polymer with the characteristic emission peaks located on 440 nm and 545 nm in this work.

The efficacy and safety of the combination of axitinib and pembrolizumab-activated autologous DC-CIK cell immunotherapy for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma: a phase 2 study.

Objectives: Although axitinib has achieved a preferable response rate for advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), patient survival remains unsatisfactory. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of a combination treatment of axitinib and a low dose of pembrolizumab-activated autologous dendritic cells-co-cultured cytokine-induced killer cells in patients with advanced RCC.

Methods: All adult patients, including treatment-naive or pretreated with VEGF-targeted agents, were enrolled from May 2016 to March 2019.

Efficacy of adjuvant cytokine-induced killer cell immunotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer after radical resection.

Adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery is the standard treatment modality for stage III and part of stage II or stage IV colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. However, the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate remains unsatisfactory. Thus, developing combination therapies is essential to improve the prognosis of patients with CRC.

Retrospective analysis of the efficacy of cytokine-induced killer cell immunotherapy combined with first-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Objectives: Fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy regimens are the current first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC); however, the outcome is often unsatisfactory. The present study aimed to determine the effect of combined cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell immunotherapy and first-line chemotherapy in patients with mCRC.

Methods: This retrospective study included 252 patients with mCRC treated with first-line chemotherapy.

CIK cell cytotoxicity is a predictive biomarker for CIK cell immunotherapy in postoperative patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Adjuvant cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell immunotherapy has shown potential in improving the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients after curative resection. However, whether an individual could obtain survival benefit from CIK cell treatment remains unknown. In the present study, we focused on the characteristics of CIK cells and aimed to identify the best predictive biomarker for adjuvant CIK cell treatment in patients with HCC after surgery.

The Energy Density and Treatment Times Are the Main Factors That Affect the Efficacy of Long-Pulsed 1,064-nm Nd:YAG Laser Treatment for Onychomycosis Caused by Trichophyton rubrum.

Background: No optimal regimen exists for the LPNYL (long-pulsed 1,064-nm neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser) for treating onychomycosis.

Objective: To establish an optimal LPNYL treatment regimen for onychomycosis caused by Trichophyton rubrum (OCTr).

Patients And Methods: First, 511 infected nails of 177 patients were treated using LPNYL with orthogonally designed regimens according to various energy densities, spot sizes, pulse widths, and treatment times.

Activation of AMPK/MnSOD signaling mediates anti-apoptotic effect of hepatitis B virus in hepatoma cells.

Aim: To investigate the anti-apoptotic capability of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the HepG2 hepatoma cell line and the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: Cell viability and apoptosis were measured by MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Targeted knockdown of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) genes as well as AMPK agonist AICAR and antagonist compound C were employed to determine the correlations of expression of these genes.

Infrared-active quadruple contrast FePt nanoparticles for multiple scale molecular imaging.

A single nanomaterial with multiple imaging contrasts and functions is highly desired for multiscale theragnosis. Herein, we demonstrate single 1-1.9 μm infrared-active FePt alloy nanoparticles (FePt NPs) offering unprecedented four-contrast-in-one molecular imaging - computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), photoacoustic (PA) imaging, and high-order multiphoton luminescence (HOMPL) microscopy.

Adjuvant cellular immunotherapy in patients with resected primary non-small cell lung cancer.

Postoperative non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients require adjuvant therapy to improve their prognosis. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of a sequential combination of autologous cellular immunotherapy (CIT) and chemotherapy for postoperative NSCLC. This retrospective study included 120 postoperative NSCLC patients: 60 cases received only chemotherapy; 33 cases received chemotherapy and sequential CIT with cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells; and 27 cases received chemotherapy and sequential CIT with alternate CIK and natural killer (NK) cells.

Phase I trial of adoptively transferred tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte immunotherapy following concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) for cancers using autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) can induce immune responses and antitumor activity in metastatic melanoma patients. Here, we aimed to assess the safety and antitumor activity of ACT using expanded TILs following concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Twenty-three newly diagnosed, locoregionally advanced NPC patients were enrolled, of whom 20 received a single-dose of TIL infusion following CCRT.

A nomogram for predicting the benefit of adjuvant cytokine-induced killer cell immunotherapy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

The benefits of adjuvant cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain mixed among patients. Here, we constructed a prognostic nomogram to enable individualized predictions of survival benefit of adjuvant CIK cell treatment for HCC patients. Survival analysis showed that the median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) for patients in the hepatectomy/CIK combination group were 41 and 16 months, respectively, compared to 28 and 12 months for patients in the hepatectomy alone group (control).

A multicenter, randomized clinical trial comparing the three-weekly docetaxel regimen plus prednisone versus mitoxantone plus prednisone for Chinese patients with metastatic castration refractory prostate cancer.

Purpose: To explore the feasibility and efficacy of docetaxel plus prednisone for Chinese population with metastatic castration refractory prostate cancer (mCRPC).

Patients And Methods: A total of 228 patients recruited from 15 centers were randomized to receive 10 cycles of D3P arm (docetaxel: 75 mg/m2, intravenous infusion, every three weeks; Prednisone 10mg orally given daily) or M3P arm (mitoxantrone: 12 mg/m2, intravenous infusion, every three weeks; Prednisone 10mg orally given daily). Primary end point was overall survival, and secondary end points were events progression-free survival (PFS), response rate, response duration.

Increased HIF-1alpha expression in tumor cells and lymphocytes of tumor microenvironments predicts unfavorable survival in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients.

The expression of hypoxia-induced factor (HIF)-1α is up-regulated in tumor microenvironments under hypoxia condition. However, the prognostic significance of HIF-1α in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is still elusive. We measured the HIF-1α expression by immunochemistry in tumor specimens from 136 resected ESCC; in the current study, the HIF-1α expression in tumor cells was significantly associated with tumor stage (P = 0.

Synergistic delivery of gold nanorods using multifunctional microbubbles for enhanced plasmonic photothermal therapy.

Plasmonic photothermal therapy (PPTT) using plasmonic nanoparticles as efficient photoabsorbing agents has been proposed previously. One critical step in PPTT is to effectively deliver gold nanoparticles into the cells. This study demonstrates that the delivery of gold nanorods (AuNRs) can be greatly enhanced by combining the following three mechanisms: AuNRs encapsulated in protein-shell microbubbles (AuMBs), molecular targeting, and sonoporation employing acoustic cavitation of microbubbles (MBs).

Clinical activity of adjuvant cytokine-induced killer cell immunotherapy in patients with post-mastectomy triple-negative breast cancer.

Purpose: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a high risk form of this disease, even after surgery, due to the absence of targets for hormone treatment and anti-Her-2 therapy. Chemotherapy is the main therapeutic strategy for such patients with breast cancer, although the outcome is often unsatisfactory. Thus, the development of combination adjuvant therapies is essential for improved prognosis in patients with TNBC.

[Prevalence and molecular analysis of β-thalassemia in children of Han ethnicity in Chongqing city].

Objective: To investigate the incidence and the gene mutation frequencies and patterns of β-thalassemia (β-Thal) in ethnic Han children in Chongqing city.

Method: A total of 1726 children were screened by using automatic hemocytic analyzer, cellulose acetate electrophoresis and fetal hemoglobin alkali denaturation test. Samples with mean corpuscular volume (MCV) < 80 fl, cell hemoglobin content (MCH) < 27 pg and hemoglobin A2 (HbA2) levels >3.