Chicoric Acid Alleviates Colitis via Targeting the Gut Microbiota Accompanied by Maintaining Intestinal Barrier Integrity and Inhibiting Inflammatory Responses

Polyphenols have shown great potential to prevent ulcerative colitis. As a natural plant polyphenol, chicoric acid (CA) has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study explored the intervention effects and potential mechanism of CA on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis mice. The results showed that CA alleviated the symptoms of colitis and maintained the intestinal barrier integrity. CA significantly downregulated the mRNA expression levels of inflammatory factors including IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, IFN-γ, COX-2, and iNOS. In addition, CA modulated the gut microbiota by improving the microbial diversity, reducing the abundance of Gammaproteobacteriaand Clostridium_XI and increasing the abundance ofBarnesiellaandLachnospiraceae. Further fecal microbiota transplantation experiments showed that FM from CA donor mice significantly alleviated the symptoms of colitis, verifying the key role of gut microbiota. These results indicate that CA effectively relieves DSS-induced colitis via targeting gut microbiota along with preserving intestinal barrier function and suppressing inflammatory responses.

Association of meat consumption with the risk of gastrointestinal cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The association between gastrointestinal cancer and types of meat consumption, including red meat, processed meat, or a combination of both, remains disputable. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies to estimate the association between meat consumption and gastrointestinal cancer risk.

METHODS

PubMed, EmBase, and the Cochrane library databases were searched systematically for eligible studies that investigated the relation between meat consumption and the risk of developing gastrointestinal cancers, including esophageal cancer (EC), gastric cancer (GC), colorectal cancer (CRC), colon cancer (CC), rectal cancer (RC), pancreatic cancer (PC), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) throughout February, 2023. The pooled relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was assigned as an effect estimate and calculated using a random-effects model with inverse variance weighting.

RESULTS

Forty cohorts comprising 3,780,590 individuals were selected for the final quantitative analysis. The summary results indicated that a higher red meat consumption was associated with an increased risk of CRC (RR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.02-1.16; P = 0.007) and CC (RR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.03-1.25; P = 0.011). Moreover, a higher processed meat consumption was associated with an increased risk of CRC (RR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.13-1.26; P < 0.001), CC (RR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.13-1.26; P < 0.001), and RC (RR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.08-1.42; P = 0.002). Furthermore, a higher total consumption of red and processed meat was associated with an increased risk of CRC (RR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.06-1.20; P < 0.001), CC (RR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.04-1.33; P = 0.012), and RC (RR: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.04-1.39; P = 0.016). Finally, the strength of higher consumption of total red and processed meat with the risk of GC, and higher consumption of red meat with the risk of RC in subgroup of high adjusted level was lower than subgroup of moderate adjusted level, while the strength of higher consumption of processed meat with the risk of RC and HCC in subgroup of follow-up ≥ 10.0 years was higher than subgroup of follow-up < 10.0 years.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found that meat consumption was associated with an increased risk of CRC, CC, and RC, and dietary intervention could be considered an effective strategy in preventing CRC.

En-bloc transurethral resection vs. conventional transurethral resection for primary non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: A meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of en-bloc transurethral resection vs. conventional transurethral resection for primary non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

METHODS

A systematic literature search up to January 2022 was done and 28 studies included 3714 primary non-muscle invasive bladder cancer subjects at the start of the study; 1870 of them were en-bloc transurethral resection, and 1844 were conventional transurethral resection for primary non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. We calculated the odds-ratio (OR) and mean-difference (MD) with 95% confidence-intervals (CIs) to evaluate the effect of en-bloc transurethral resection compared with conventional transurethral resection for primary non-muscle invasive bladder cancer by the dichotomous or continuous methods with random or fixed-effects models.

RESULTS

En-bloc transurethral resection had significantly lower twenty-four-month recurrence (OR: 0.63; 95%CI: 0.50-0.78; p < 0.001), catheterization-time (MD: -0.66; 95%CI: -1.02-[-0.29]; p < 0.001), length of hospital stay (MD: -0.95; 95%CI: -1.55-[-0.34]; p = 0.002), postoperative bladder irrigation duration (MD: -6.06; 95%CI: -9.45-[-2.67]; p < 0.001), obturator nerve reflex (OR: 0.08; 95%CI: 0.02-0.34; p = 0.03), and bladder perforation (OR: 0.14; 95%CI: 0.06-0.36: p < 0.001) and no significant difference in the 12-month-recurrence (OR: 0.79; 95%CI: 0.61-1.04; p = 0.09), the operation time (MD: 0.67; 95%CI: -1.92 to 3.25; p = 0.61), and urethral stricture (OR: 0.46; 95%CI: 0.14-1.47; p = 0.0.19) compared with conventional transurethral resection for primary non-muscle invasive bladder cancer subjects.

CONCLUSIONS

En-bloc transurethral resection had a significantly lower twenty-four-month recurrence, catheterization time, length of hospital stay, postoperative bladder irrigation duration, obturator nerve reflex, bladder perforation, and no significant difference in the twelve-month recurrence, operation time, and urethral stricture compared with conventional transurethral resection for primary non-muscle invasive bladder cancer subjects. Further studies are required.

Marker density and statistical model designs to increase accuracy of genomic selection for wool traits in Angora rabbits

The Angora rabbit, a well-known breed for fiber production, has been undergoing traditional breeding programs relying mainly on phenotypes. Genomic selection (GS) uses genomic information and promises to accelerate genetic gain. Practically, to implement GS in Angora rabbit breeding, it is necessary to evaluate different marker densities and GS models to develop suitable strategies for an optimized breeding pipeline. Considering a lack in microarray, low-coverage sequencing combined with genotype imputation was used to boost the number of SNPs across the rabbit genome. Here, in a population of 629 Angora rabbits, a total of 18,577,154 high-quality SNPs were imputed (imputation accuracy above 98%) based on low-coverage sequencing of 3.84X genomic coverage, and wool traits and body weight were measured at 70, 140 and 210 days of age. From the original markers, 0.5K, 1K, 3K, 5K, 10K, 50K, 100K, 500K, 1M and 2M were randomly selected and evaluated, resulting in 50K markers as the baseline for the heritability estimation and genomic prediction. Comparing to the GS performance of single-trait models, the prediction accuracy of nearly all traits could be improved by multi-trait models, which might because multiple-trait models used information from genetically correlated traits. Furthermore, we observed high significant negative correlation between the increased prediction accuracy from single-trait to multiple-trait models and estimated heritability. The results indicated that low-heritability traits could borrow more information from correlated traits and hence achieve higher prediction accuracy. The research first reported heritability estimation in rabbits by using genome-wide markers, and provided 50K as an optimal marker density for further microarray design, genetic evaluation and genomic selection in Angora rabbits. We expect that the work could provide strategies for GS in early selection, and optimize breeding programs in rabbits.

ERBB2D16 Expression in HER2 Positive Gastric Cancer Is Associated With Resistance to Trastuzumab

The human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (ERBB2; formerly HER2)isoform ERBB2ΔEx16 (ERBB2d16) was oncogenic by mediating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), immune evasion, and resistance cell death to the anti-HER2 (trastuzumab) therapy. However, its physiological implications in gastric cancer were unclear. In this study, we examined a total of 110 patients with either locally advanced or metastatic HER2⁺ gastric cancer for the expression of ERBB2d16 and EMT markers, and the infiltration of CD3⁺ T cells in tumor tissues, and evaluated their relevance with the responses to the standard chemotherapy plus trastuzumab according to the RECIST criteria. We found that the ERBB2d16 isoform was present at a relatively high level in about half of the tumor samples examined (53/110) and an elevated ERBB2d16/ERBB2 ratio was positively associated with the expression of high E-cadherin and low vimentin indicating EMT, and with poor CD3+ T cell infiltration and strong intratumoral expression of programmed death 1 (PD-1) and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) as well as reduced diversity of T cell receptor clones. Moreover, the progression-free survival and overall survival of patients treated with trastuzumab were substantially shorter in those with a high ERBB2d16/ERBB2 ratio. In agreement, analysis by Cox proportional hazards models confirmed that high ERBB2d16 expression was a risk factor associated with an adverse prognosis. Thus, our data fit well with an oncogenic role of ERBB2d16 in gastric cancer by promoting EMT and immunosuppression. We also found that ERBB2d16 expression resists gastric cell death in patients treated with trustuzumab, and the ERBB2d16/ERBB2 ratio may serve as a novel prognostic maker for patients with gastric cancer that receive trastuzumab therapy.

Successful treatment of radiotherapy and apatinib in patient with mediastinal mixed non-seminomatous germ cell tumor: A case report

RATIONALE

Mediastinal non-seminomatous germ cell tumors (MNSGCTs) are rare malignancies. Chemotherapy followed by surgical resection has been regarded as the standard management, but treatment options for chemotherapy-refractory patients or those with unresectable tumors are limited, resulting in a very poor prognosis.

PATIENT CONCERNS

An 18-year-old female presented with symptoms of cough, chest tightness, and shortness of breath for 2 months, and the symptoms gradually worsened.

DIAGNOSIS

Computed tomography (CT) revealed a large mediastinal mass invading the pericardium and great blood vessels. Serum human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were normal. Histopathological examination of biopsy specimens revealed mixed MNSGCT with embryonal carcinoma and immature teratoma components.

INTERVENTIONS

The patient achieved complete remission (CR) and long-term survival after multimodal therapy comprising chemotherapy, positron emission tomography/CT (PET/CT)-guided volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT), and anti-angiogenic targeted therapy.

OUTCOMES

The patient was followed up for more than 4 years without recurrence, metastasis, or treatment-related adverse effects.

LESSONS

The case presented here highlights the importance of multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment, providing evidence that radiotherapy and anti-angiogenic therapy may play an important role in unresectable or residual tumors after failure of conventional treatments of MNSGCT. Percutaneous biopsy is necessary for diagnosis if the tumor is unresectable, and serum AFP and HCG levels are normal. Additionally, PET/CT is an effective method for evaluation of efficacy and radiotherapy guidance for patients with MNSGCTs.

Methylated Metabolites of Chicoric Acid Ameliorate Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2)-Induced Oxidative Stress in HepG2 Cells

Chicoric acid (CA) can display health benefits as a dietary polyphenol. However, as CA is widely metabolized in vivo, the actual compounds responsible for its bioactivities are not entirely known. Herein, the major methylated metabolites of CA were isolated from an in vitro co-incubation system, and their structures were elucidated. The antioxidant activities of the monomethylated metabolites (M1) and dimethylated metabolites (M2) of CA were evaluated against H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress damage in HepG2 cells and compared to CA. The results indicated that both M1 and M2 had better antioxidant capacities than CA by increasing cell viability, improving mitochondrial function, and balancing cellular redox status. These compounds also prevented oxidative stress by mediating the Keap1/Nrf2 transcriptional pathway and downregulating enzyme activity. The current research indicates that the methylated metabolites of CA could potentially be the candidates that are responsible for the biological efficacies attributed to CA.

Effects of household cooking methods on changes of tissue structure, phenolic antioxidant capacity and active component bioaccessibility of quinoa

The effects of four household cooking methods including germination (Ger), baking, normal pressure steaming (NPS) and high pressure steaming (HPS) treatments, on tissue structure, tocopherol, antioxidant capacity and active component (ferulic acid and tocopherol) bioaccessibility of different colored quinoa were investigated. The results showed that Ger increased the phenolic contents and antioxidant capacity, but decreased the contents of tocopherol. The steaming processes destroyed the tissue structure of quinoa to a large extent, causing a significant loss of phenolic/flavonoid components and the resultant decreased antioxidant capacity. The baking process had minimum impact on tissue structure and active components due to the protection of hypocotyl-radicle axis. Besides, through in vitro simulated digestion, Ger improved the bioaccessibility of ferulic acid, and steaming processes increased that of tocopherol. Conclusively, to develop the expected nutritional value of quinoa, several alternative cooking methods are provided according to the respective effects.

Effects of blood pathological changes before TAI on pregnancy of dairy cows with anestrus and estrus

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of plasma pathological changes before timed artificial insemination (TAI) on pregnancy of cows. The contents of estrogen (E2), progesterone (P4), glucose (Glu), selenium (Se), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and histamine (HIS) in plasma of 48 Holstein cows were measured before TAI. According to the estrus detection, the cows were divided into estrus (E) and anestrus (A) groups. After pregnancy testing at 28 d after TAI, two groups of E and A were divided into positive pregnancy of E group (EP+), negative pregnancy of E group (EP-), positive pregnancy of A group (AP+), and negative pregnancy of A group (AP-). The contents of E2, P4, Glu, Se, BDNF and hIS significantly differed among the four groups (P<0.01). The ROC analysis was used to determine the risk of negative pregnancy test (-) after TAI was increased when plasma E2 was less than 46.45 pmol/L in cows before TAI. The changes in E2, P4,hIS, Glu, and BDNF in the blood of natural estrus and natural anestrus cows affected the pregnancy after TAI. the level of E2 in plasma may be used to assess the risk of negative pregnancy after TAI.

[Retinal toxicity study of intravitreal ganciclovir in albino rabbit]

Objective: To elevated the retinal toxicity of intravitreal ganciclovir in albino rabbit eyes. Methods: Experimental study. Twenty-four New Zealand albino rabbits (forty-eight eyes) were divided into four groups by random. Three groups were prepared for ganciclovir experiment, named A, B, C. Each group received intravitreal injection ganciclovir dose at 400 μg/0.05 ml, 2 mg/0.05 ml and 5 mg/0.05 ml respectively. The other group named D served as a control accepted intravitreal injection 0.9% normal saline 0.1 ml. Before and after 1, 2 and 4 weeks, flicker full field electroretina gram (ERG) was recorded. After 1, 2 and 4 weeks light and electron microscopic tests were recorded for further toxicity study. Results: There was significant difference in amplitude of maximal combined response a wave in one week(χ(2)=8.319, P=0.04), and pairwise comparison the 5 mg group (140.50 μV) was significantly lower than the control group (165.00 μV) (χ(2)=-2.830, P=0.028). Maximal combined response b wave in four weeks(χ(2)=-10.626, P=0.014), and pairwise comparison the 5 mg group (261.50 μV) was significantly lower than the control group (398.00 μV) (χ(2)=-2.973, P=0.018). 30 Hz flicker response in one, two and four weeks(χ(2)=17.589, 8.225, 8.997, P=0.001, 0.042, 0.02), and pairwise comparison the 5 mg group (71.3μV, 106.00μV, 63.60μV) was significantly lower than the control group (118.50μV, 129.00μV, 116.50μV) (χ(2)=-4.142, -2.826, -2.713, P=0.000, 0.028, 0.040). There was no histologic retinal toxicity evidence of group 400 μg and control group observed by light microscopy in any stage of the study. Histologic changes of group 2 mg four week later, group 5 mg two and four week later include inner nuclear layer loose arranged, nuclear of ganglia were widened and outer plexiform layer stained less in four week later. By electron microscopic observation, the ultrastructure of retina changed to different degrees and became worse in each experimental group with significant mitochondrial swelling and hydropic changes were seen in the inner segments of photoreceptors, loosely arranged and disordered in the outer segment of photoreceptors four weeks later. Conclusions: The retinal function and morphology were normal in group 400 μg. Group 2 mg and 5 mg had retinal toxicity, and 5 mg was more severe. Therefore, the clinical application of ganciclovir in the treatment of acute retinal necrosis (ARN) should select the minimum effective dose to avoid the occurrence of retinal toxicity. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2020, 56:279-285).

Immune correlates of clinical benefit in a phase I study of hyperthermia with adoptive T cell immunotherapy in patients with solid tumors

Purpose: To characterize the T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire, serum cytokine levels, peripheral blood T lymphocyte populations, safety, and clinical efficacy of hyperthermia (HT) combined with autologous adoptive cell therapy (ACT) and either salvage chemotherapy (CT) or anti-PD-1 antibody in patients with previously treated advanced solid tumors.Materials and methods: Thirty-three (33) patients with ovarian, pancreatic, gastric, colorectal, cervical, or endometrial cancer were recruited into the following therapeutic groups: HT + ACT (n = 10), HT + ACT + anti-PD-1 inhibitor (pembrolizumab) (n = 11) and HT + ACT + CT (n = 12). Peripheral blood was collected to analyze TCR repertoire, measurements of cytokines levels and lymphocyte sub-populations before and after treatment.Results: The objective response rate (ORR) was 30% (10/33), including three complete responses (CR) (9.1%) and seven partial responses (PR) (21.2%) and a disease control rate (DCR = CR + PR + SD) of 66.7% (22 of 33). The most common adverse reactions, blistering, subcutaneous fat induration, local heat-related pain, vomiting and sinus tachycardia, were observed in association with HT. IL-2, IL-4, TNF-α, and IFN-γ levels in peripheral blood were significantly increased among the clinical responders (p < 0.05) while IL-6 and IL-10 were elevated among those with progressive disease (p < 0.05). Peripheral blood CD8⁺/CD28⁺ T cells increased (p = 0.002), while the CD4⁺/CD25⁺/CD127⁺Treg cells decreased after therapy (p = 0.012). TCR diversity was substantially increased among the clinical responders.Conclusions: Combining HT with ACT plus either CT or anti-PD-1 antibody was safe, generated clinical responses in previously treated advanced cancers, and promoted TCR repertoire diversity and favorable changes in serum IL-2, IL-4, TNF-α, and IFN-γ levels in clinical responders.

Efficacy and safety of CT-guided 125I brachytherapy in elderly patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has become the most common cancer type and the leading cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. The aim of the present retrospective study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of computed tomography (CT)-guided ¹²⁵I brachytherapy alone in elderly patients with NSCLC. A total of 26 elderly patients with NSCLC stage I–III who had an inoperable lesion or progressive disease following radio-chemotherapy were treated with CT-guided ¹²⁵I seed implantation for lung lesions and included in the present study. The prescribed dose of ¹²⁵I brachytherapy was 80–140 Gy, and dosimetric verification was performed immediately after the procedure. The response rate (RR) and local control rate (LCR) were analyzed according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (version 1.1). Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Safety and complications were also documented. All patients were aged 65–85 years (median age, 77 years) and successfully completed the procedure, and the median follow-up time was 9.4 months (range, 3–31 months). After a 6-month follow-up, for pulmonary lesions, complete response (CR) was achieved in 11 (42.3%) cases, partial response in 9 (34.6%) cases, stable disease in 4 (15.4%) cases and progressive disease in 2 (7.7%) cases. The 6-month RR and LCR were 76.9 (20/26) and 92.3% (24/26), respectively. The mean overall survival (OS) time was 11.7±7.6 months and the 0.5- and 1-year OS rates were 90.1 and 73.3%, respectively. Tumor-related symptoms in patients were significantly alleviated following the procedure. No severe complications occurred during and after the procedure of ¹²⁵I seed implantation. In conclusion, CT-guided ¹²⁵I brachytherapy is a feasible, effective and safe therapy and may be considered as an alternative option to surgery and radiotherapy for elderly patients with NSCLC.

Evaluation of SNA001, a Novel Recombinant Human Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Injection, in Patients With Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma

SNA001 is a novel recombinant human thyroid stimulating hormone (rhTSH). rhTSH has long been approved in several countries to facilitate monitoring and ablation of thyroid carcinoma without hypothyroidism caused by thyroid hormone withdrawal (THW). To assess the safety, tolerance, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of SNA001, the two-period (SNA001 period and THW period), dose-ascending study in well-differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients was designed. Three doses (0.45 mg, 0.9 mg, and 1.35 mg) of SNA001 were intramuscularly injected, twice in the SNA001 period to stimulate iodine-131 uptake and thyroglobulin (Tg) release. 24 h after the last dose of SNA001, iodine-131 (111-185 MBq) was administrated, followed by whole-body scan (WBS) 48 h later. THW period began just after SNA001 washout and lasted for about 3-6 weeks. When TSH level was above 30 mU/L, iodine-131 (111-185 MBq) was administrated, followed by a WBS and Tg detection 48 h later. Twenty-four DTC patients after thyroidectomy were enrolled; mean peak concentrations of SNA001 in 0.45, 0.9, and 1.35 mg groups were 18.5, 26.7, and 37.0 ng/ml (about 244.7, 354.2, and 489.6 mU/L) respectively, within 28-32 h after first dose of SNA001. SNA001 was metabolized in a dose-dependent manner. The results of WBS and Tg release in the SNA001 period were compared with those in the THW period. Compared to Tg level in baseline, the Tg levels in SNA001 and THW periods were increased, with 78% of subjects showing higher Tg levels in the THW period. 100% of the patients had concordant qualitative results of the scans within two periods in three groups. Symptoms of hypothyroidism were relieved in the SNA001 period compared with THW period, though there was no significant difference in most of the scale scores. There were no serious adverse events related to SNA001; the most common adverse events were gastrointestinal symptoms of mild and transient nature. Thus, SNA001 promises to be a safe and effective method to stimulate iodine-131 uptake and Tg secretion during monitoring and ablation for DTC without the disadvantages of incidental hypothyroidism.

[Dynamic Changes of Circulating Tumor DNA in Peripheral Blood Predict the Efficacy of TKI in the Treatment of Lung Adenocarcinoma with EGFR Mutation]

背景与目的

有表皮生长因子受体（epidermal growth factor receptor, EGFR）突变的非小细胞肺腺癌，患者在给予酪氨酸激酶抑制剂（tyrosine kinase inhibitors, TKIs）的治疗中获得非常好的疗效，但绝大多数患者都会出现耐药，使得发现出现耐药的时间及可能耐药机制的检测有着越来越大的意义，目前二代基因测序方法（next generation sequencing, NGS）的出现使其成为可能。本文拟通过研究靶向治疗前后有EGFR突变的非小细胞肺癌循环肿瘤DNA（circulating tumor DNA, ctDNA）突变频率及突变谱的变化来监测靶向治疗效果。

方法

本中心入组22例通过组织活检或外周血ctDNA检查出EGFR突变的患者，分别于治疗前、服用TKI后2个月及临床进展时收集患者的外周血8 mL行ctDNA测序。

结果

EGFR敏感突变患者应用靶向药物治疗效果显著，EGFR敏感突变的患者在用TKI治疗后，相比治疗前突变基因突变丰度明显降低（P=0.015, 3）; 患者的中位无进展生存期较长（无进展生存时间=390 d）。同时我们发现伴随TP53基因突变时应用针对EGFR敏感突变的靶向药物治疗效果欠佳（中位无进展生存时间为120 d vs 630 d，P=0.000, 2）。

结论

EGFR敏感突变的患者在用TKI治疗后，突变基因突变丰度明显降低的患者的生存期更长（P < 0.05），突变丰度减低不明显或伴有其他突变者预示着TKI耐药。

[The relationship between optical coherence tomography performance and visual acuity of acute retinal necrosis]

Objective: To analyze the relationship between optical coherence tomography(OCT) performance and visual acuity of patients with acute retinal necrosis (ARN). Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed on the patients diagnosed with ARN at the ophthalmology department of Peking union hospital during October 2011 and May 2016. Fourteen patients (15 eyes), 9 males and 5 females, whose anterior and posterior inflammation disappeared and the retinal necrosis lesion in the fundus of the eye subsided were included. The mean age was (41.6±12.2) years. All patients underwent careful examinations including best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), slit-lamp microscope, indirect ophthalmoscope, color fundus picture, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and OCT (results of their last consultations). Results: BCVA: 8 eyes were increased, 2 eyes were unchanged and 5 eyes were decreased at the last visit; light perception (LP) 1 eye, finger count (FC) 1 eye, 3 eyes of 0.01 to 0.1, 6 eyes of 0.15 to 0.25. The inflammatory reaction in the anterior segment of 14 eyes disappeared, while the inflammatory reaction of the remaining 1 eye was relieved. The fundus lesions of all 15 eyes disappeared. According to OCT results: five eyes (5/15) exhibited normal macula area, among the 5 eyes, 4 eyes are of 0.15 to 0.25 visual acuity, and 1 eye is of 0.5 visual acuity;macular epiretinal membrane is present in three eyes (3/15), of which the visual acuity is 0.02, 0.25 and 0.3 respectively macula edema is present in three eyes (3/15), among the 3 eyes, 1 eye (visual acuity of 0.01)showed thickening of neurosensory retina, cystoid change of fovea and several fluid dark areas, the other 2 eyes (visual acuity of 0.02 and 0.5 respectively) showed small diffuse fluid dark area in the neurosensory retina;atrophy of neurosensory retina and absence of IS/OS was found in four eyes (4/15), among the 4 eyes, the visual acuity of 3 is below 0.01, and the other 1 eye is of 0.08 visual acuity. Conclusions: The OCT performance of stationary phase of ARN tends to be positively correlated with the visual acuity of patients. The prognosis of visual acuity of the patients whose OCT results showed atrophy of neurosensory retina and absence of IS/OS is poor. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2018, 54: 369-374).

[Research progress on the diagnosis and treatment of acute retinal necrosis]

Acute retinal necrosis is an uncommon but devastating and potentially blinding ophthalmopathy featured with unfavorable prognosis as the lesions tend to develop rapidly in a circumferential way in few days. Therefore timely diagnosis and early treatment are of great significance. The polymerase chain reaction test on intraocular fluid can improve specificity and sensitivity of the etiological detection for acute retinal necrosis. Etiology results included in the diagnostic criteria is favorable for etiological diagnosis. Current treatment for acute retinal necrosis is generally based on systemic antiviral therapy, and supported by hormone and antithrombotic drugs, while surgical treatment should be considered when the disease progresses. This article reviews the research progress on the diagnosis and treatment of acute retinal necrosis in an effort to improve the diagnosis and treatment performance of acute retinal necrosis. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2018, 54: 306-311).

[Current research of sympathetic ophthalmia]

Sympathetic ophthalmia (SO) is a rare, bilateral, non-necrotizing, granulomatous uveitis that usually occurs after open ocular injury or intraocular surgery. The pathophysiology is not clearly understood, but generally SO is an immediate hypersensitivity mediated by T lymphocytes which are related to ocular tissue antigens. The main histopathological features are granulation tissues composed of lymphocytes, macrophages and multinucleated giant cells. The clinical manifestations are different from person to person, which might be mild or severe. Although it could be presented with anterior uveitis, intermediate uveitis and posterior uveitis, panuveitis is the most common sign. The ophthalmic examinations, such as fundus fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography and B-scan, could be used to observe the patients' conditions and monitor the therapeutic effect. The main treatment of SO is medical therapy with corticosteroids, immunomodulators and biomodulators. Topical drug administration, including intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide and implantation of a fluocinolone acetonide implant, can be considered. There is controversy about whether enucleation or evisceration is more appropriate and when the procedure should be done. The prognosis of SO could be poor. SO is liable to deteriorate and may lead to blindness. This article reviews the etiology, mechanisms, histopathology, clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of SO. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2017, 53:778-782).

[The ocular manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus and syphilis coinfection]

Objective: To investigate the ocular manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis coinfection. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the ocular manifestations was carried out in 27 patients (54 eyes) diagnosed as syphilis and HIV coinfection by the Department of Infectious Medicine in Peking Union Medical College Hospital during the years of 2006-2017. The research included 26 males and 1 female, aging from 24 to 76 years old, with a mean age of 40.40±12.94 years old. Ocular anterior segments were examined with slit-lamp microscope. Fundus examinations were conducted with papillary dilation, fundus photography. Results: At the first visit, there were 2 eyes without light perception, 4 eyes with light perception, 1 eye with hand movement, 1 eye with finger counting, 2 eyes with 0.01-0.09 eyesight, 8 eyes with 0.1-0.2 eyesight, 12 eyes with 0.25-0.4 eyesight, 15 eyes with 0.5-0.9 eyesight, 9 eyes with 1.0-1.5 eyesight. Among the 27 patients (54 eyes) coinfected with HIV and syphilis, keratic precipitates were identified in 20 eyes, aqueous flare positive in 20 eyes, float positive in 15 eyes, and iris posterior synechias in 7 eyes. Nineteen eyes were diagnosed as syphilis uveitis, including 2 eyes with syphilis anterior uveitis and 17 eyes with syphilis panuveitis, among which, vitreous inflammatory opacity was observed in all 19 eyes, disk atrophy in 2 eyes, optic edema in 1 eye, vitreous hemorrhage in 1 eye, retinal detachment in 2 eyes, retinal hemorrhage and white vein in 1 eye. In addition, 8 eyes were diagnosed as HIV retinopathy, all manifested as cotton-wool spot. Among the 8 eyes, 4 were diagnosed as cytomegalovirus retinitis, 3 showed retinal yellow-white lesions, and 1 was in late phase which showed retinal pigmentation. The incidence of both HIV and syphilis coinfection patients and male homosexuality population increased. The most common ocular manifestation of HIV and syphilis coinfection was syphilis panuveitis. Six patients first visited the Department of Ophthalmology, and were then diagnosed as HIV and syphilis coinfection. Conclusions: The ocular manifestations of HIV and syphilis coinfection are diversified, which can be manifested as fundus necrotic lesions as well as anterior and posterior inflammatory. For HIV positive patients, syphilis serologic test should be routinely performed. The same, syphilis positive patients should be tested for HIV serum antibodies, in order to improve the diagnosis level of HIV/syphilis coinfection and give timely etiological treatment, which is of vital importance for saving visual acuity. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2019, 55:267-272).

Clinical value of peripheral blood microRNA detection in evaluation of SOX regimen as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been widely applied in treating advanced gastric cancer (GC). However, little research has been conducted on evaluating the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of SOX regimen as neoadjuvant chemotherapy by detecting some microRNAs.

METHODS

Total 120 GC patients who had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (SOX regimen) were recruited with 100 healthy participants as control contemporarily. Age and gender have no significant difference in both groups (P > .05). The effect of chemotherapy was evaluated by the results of CT scan and surgery. Also, adverse effects of chemotherapy were documented. Peripheral blood of GC patients was collected twice: one day before chemotherapy and surgery, respectively, whereas healthy controls' peripheral blood was collected once. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was utilized to detect expression of miR-145, miR-185, miR-381, and miR-195 of peripheral blood in both groups.

RESULTS

One hundred and twenty patients with advanced GC completed a total of 386 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with effective rate at 84.17% (101 of 120). Expression of miR-145, miR-185, and miR-381 of patients with GC was lower than that in the control group before chemotherapy commence (all P < .05), while the expressions of miR-145 and miR-185 elevated noticeably in CG patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (P < .05). The differences in the expression of miR-145 and miR-185 in advanced GC patients with different chemotherapy outcomes were detected.

CONCLUSION

Patients with GC at advanced stages had aberrant miRs expressions. Detection of miR-145 and miR-185 expression may assist to predict effectiveness and adverse effects of SOX regimen as neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

pH-sensitive and folic acid-targeted MPEG-PHIS/FA-PEG-VE mixed micelles for the delivery of PTX-VE and their antitumor activity

The aim of this study was to simultaneously introduce pH sensitivity and folic acid (FA) targeting into a micelle system to achieve quick drug release and to enhance its accumulation in tumor cells. Paclitaxel-(+)-α-tocopherol (PTX-VE)-loaded mixed micelles (PHIS/FA/PM) fabricated by poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether-poly(histidine) (MPEG-PHIS) and folic acid-poly(ethylene glycol)-(+)-α-tocopherol (FA-PEG-VE) were characterized by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The mixed micelles had a spherical morphology with an average diameter of 137.0±6.70 nm and a zeta potential of -48.7±4.25 mV. The drug encapsulation and loading efficiencies were 91.06%±2.45% and 5.28%±0.30%, respectively. The pH sensitivity was confirmed by changes in particle size, critical micelle concentration, and transmittance as a function of pH. MTT assay showed that PHIS/FA/PM had higher cytotoxicity at pH 6.0 than at pH 7.4, and lower cytotoxicity in the presence of free FA. Confocal laser scanning microscope images demonstrated a time-dependent and FA-inhibited cellular uptake. In vivo imaging confirmed that the mixed micelles targeted accumulation at tumor sites and the tumor inhibition rate was 85.97%. The results proved that the mixed micelle system fabricated by MPEG-PHIS and FA-PEG-VE is a promising approach to improve antitumor efficacy.

Exogenous lipids promote the growth of breast cancer cells via CD36

Cancer cells present sustained de novo fatty acid (FA) synthesis with increased production of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). This change in FA metabolism is associated with overexpression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1), which catalyses the transformation of SFAs into MUFAs (e.g., oleic acid). In this study, we provide new evidence that SCD1 inhibition leads to the anti-proliferation effect of breast cancer cells through induction of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and migration prevention. However, the antitumor effect of the SCD1 inhibitor can be reversed by exogenous oleic acid. We hypothesize that, in addition to de novo synthesis, cancer cells may uptake exogenous FAs actively. CD36, also known as FA translocase (FAT), that functions as a transmembrane protein and mediates the uptake of FAs, is observed to be highly expressed in breast cancer tissues. Furthermore, the anti-proliferation effect caused by the SCD1 inhibitor can not be reversed by exogenous oleic acid supplementation in CD36 knockdown breast cancer cells. Our study revealed that the lipid metabolism of breast cancer is regulated not only by de novo lipogenesis but also by the availability of lipids outside cancer cells. Consistent with FA synthesis, FA uptake and transport will be another important target pathway for anticancer therapy, and the FA channel protein CD36 may provide a promising therapeutic target. Lipogenesis combined with FA transport will be a new orientation for antitumor therapy.

A novel pH-sensitive carrier for the delivery of antitumor drugs: histidine-modified auricularia auricular polysaccharide nano-micelles

The study was aimed to design a novel pH-sensitive carrier to deliver antitumor drugs to increase treatment efficiency. Histidine (His)was used to modify auricularia auricular polysaccharide (AAP) by esterification. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry was developed to characterize the His-AAP carrier and the His-AAP Paclitaxel (PTX) micelles were prepared by self-assembled organic solvent evaporation. The formation of His-AAP PTX micelles was confirmed by dynamic light-scattering, transmission electron microscopy and high performance liquid chromatography. It was found that the His-AAP PTX micelles possessed a spherical morphology with an average diameter of 157.2 nm and an 80.3% PTX encapsulation efficiency. In vitro release at pH 7.4, 6.5, 5.0 reached 70%, 71%, and 88%, respectively. The cell viability assay and confocal laser scanning microscope were used to evaluate the cytotoxicity and cell uptake of the His-AAP PTX micelles. Compared with Taxol, the IC50 of the His-AAP PTX micelles were lower after incubating for 24 h, 48 h, or 72 h (0.216 versus 0.199, 0.065 versus 0.060, and 0.023 versus 0.005, respectively). In a test of tumor-bearing mice, the His-AAP PTX micelles significantly inhibited tumor growth. These results showed that His-AAP PTX micelles are a highly promising therapeutic system for anticancer therapy.

[Application of optical coherence tomography angiography in ophthalmology]

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is a new technology of angiography in recent years. It has advantages of the optical coherence tomography (OCT), moreover, it can hierarchically observe the vascular morphology of the retina and choroid. By using the pseudo-color, abnormal vascular structure can be distinguished from normal vascular structure of the retina. With the fusion of the OCTA image and the regular OCT image, the structure and blood flow information can be obtained at the same time. This technology provides another method of examination for clinical ophthalmology, especially for the diagnosis of retinal diseases. This review will analyze and summarize the operating principle of OCTA, its application in ophthalmology, as well as its advantages and limitations. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2017, 53: 65-72).

Co-delivery of hydrophilic gemcitabine and hydrophobic paclitaxel into novel polymeric micelles for cancer treatment

Schematic illustration of the preparation and intracellular performance of GEM–VE and PTX–VE loaded FA–PEG–VE micelle.

siRNA-mediated silencing of phosphodiesterase 4B expression affects the production of cytokines in endotoxin-stimulated primary cultured microglia

Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) has four subtypes: PDE4A, PDE4B, PDE4C and PDE4D. The expression of PDE4 subtypes in microglial cells and the specific contribution of each subtype to inflammation remain unclear. In this study, the expression of PDE4 subtypes in primary microglial cells was assayed. Primary microglial cells were then transfected with specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) against each PDE4 subtype. PDE4 subtype A-D knockdown was confirmed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Secreted cytokines in the supernatant and intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels of transfected cells were measured. The effect of PDE4B siRNA on the activation of extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in microglia was further tested by western blotting. Results showed that the primary microglial cells expressed all four types of PDE4s at the protein level. Transfection with the four siRNAs inhibited PDE4 subtype A-D mRNA expression, respectively. In primary microglial cells, treatment with PDE4B siRNA significantly inhibited the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin (IL)-1β, and enhanced the expression of cAMP, while siRNAs to other subtypes had no significant effects. However, none of the four siRNAs had any significant effect on the expression of IL-10. Furthermore, in the PDE4B group, the level of phosphorylated ERK was reduced. Among the four PDE4 subtypes, PDE4B plays an important role in regulating inflammatory responses in microglia, potentially through initially regulating the intracellular cAMP concentration.

Zero-Order Controlled Delivery of Gliclazide from Polyethylene Oxides Matrix Tables: In vitro and In vivo Evaluation

BACKGROUND

In recent years, controlled and sustained release drug delivery system has become the focus of pharmaceutical researchers. Some technologies aimed to develop the controlled and sustained release of the drug, which used to be administered several times a day and generate plasma concentration fluctuation. As all, a controlled drug release rate has always been a goal pursued by researchers. This paper introduced a controlled delivery hydrophilic matrix system, and evaluated their relevance between in vitro and in vivo behaviors.

METHODS

The matrix tablets were fabricated by direct powder compression method. Single-factor test and the orthogonal experimental design were used to find out the optimal formulation. And the in vivo pharmacokinetics study was also evaluated in this paper.

RESULTS

The amount of WSR N301 and low viscosity materials significantly affect the drug release. Compared with commercially available sustained-release tablets Diamicron®, the pharmacokinetics parameters of these matrix tablets exhibited similar blood profiles, and other parameters such as prolonged Tmax, Cmax, MRT and similar bioavailability. However, this matrix system showed unstable blood profiles in comparison with two-layer-core osmotic pump tablet. The IVIVC study suggested that there was a good correlation between absorption in vivo and drug release in vitro.

CONCLUSION

Zero-order controlled drug release of hydrophilic matrix system has the simpler manufacture process. And it will be a promising system to control drug release. Due to the disadvantage of hydrophilic matrix tablets in vivo release, for further research the zero-order delivery of PEO matrix tablets system, some pharmaceutical technology are needed to decrease the influence of gastrointestinal peristalsis. Therefore, the study of polyethylene oxide hydrophilic matrix tablets provides a promising formulation for promoting the development of a drug delivery system.

Bovine hepatic differential gene expression in response to perennial ryegrass staggers

>‘Perennial ryegrass staggers’ is a neurological condition characterised by muscular tremors and ataxia in livestock that ingest the indole diterpene lolitrem B from endophyte-infected perennial ryegrass. While the neurotoxic mechanism of action of ryegrass staggers has been defined, little is known about metabolic and other molecular processes that lolitrem B may affect in livestock. The objective of this study was to characterise differential gene expression in the liver of animals fed lolitrem B-containing feed over an extended period of time. Eighteen steers were fed one of three rations (n=6/group) containing lolitrem B (247, 1,554 or 2,256 μg/kg (dry matter basis)) over 64 days in a double-blind study. Microarray and confirmatory qPCR were performed to evaluate the hepatic gene expression profile from biopsies taken on days 0 and 64. Widespread perturbation of gene expression was observed in all groups receiving lolitrem B, with a total of 152 differential genes identified (false discovery rate ≤0.05). This suggests that chronic exposure to lolitrem B, even at levels below the current threshold of toxicity (2,000 μg/kg lolitrem B), can perturb many genes, biological processes and pathways. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses indicated that many of these genes were categorised under lipid/steroid biosynthesis/metabolism and oxidation-reduction. Specifically, genes involved in the biosynthesis pathway of ceramide, a sphingolipid molecule (ACSS2, LASS6 and SCD) and changes in neurosignaling through alteration of nitric oxide synthase activity (ARG1 and GPX4) were up-regulated. Future work should focus on the overall balance between ceramide and its metabolites and antioxidants/oxidants in a variety of body matrices in animals with perennial ryegrass staggers, to determine how these compounds contribute to the overall etiology of this disease.

Reflux features in elderly patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease

AIM: To analyze the features of reflux in elderly patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

METHODS: We randomly selected 28 elderly outpatients (55-85 years old) treated at Beijing Shijitan Hospital from January 2011 to March 2013. There were 12 patients (eight males vs four females) with reflux symptom and 16 controls (ten males vs six females) without reflux symptom. Endoscopy, esophageal manometry and 24-h pH-Z monitoring were conducted in all subjects.

RESULTS: The mean age of patients in the reflux (R) and non-reflux (NR) groups was 67.92 ± 19.88 years old and 64.94 years ± 17.38 years old, respectively (P > 0.05). Mean length of low esophagus sphincter (LES) was 3.14 cm ± 1.46 cm in the R group and 3.13 cm ± 0.84 cm in the NR group (P = 0.983). Upright reflux times in the R group were more than that in the NR (10.85 ± 12.89 vs 0.75 ± 0.889, P = 0.01), while supine reflux times were alike (10.28 ± 22.35 vs 0.36 ± 0.58, P = 0.024). Proximal esophageal acid regurgitation times and weak acid regurgitation times were different between the two groups (P = 0.012, 0.036), while non-acid regurgitation times did not (P = 0.18). Distal esophageal acid regurgitation times, weak acid regurgitation times and non-acid regurgitation times did not differ between the two groups (P = 0.072, 0.197, 0.067). Alimentary bolus in both upright and supine positions was similar between the two groups.

CONCLUSION: Upright reflux times are more in elderly patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease than in controls, although supine reflux times are not different. Proximal esophageal acid regurgitation times and weak acid regurgitation times are more in elderly patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease than in controls.

Mite improves gastric emptying in patients with functional dyspepsia

AIM: To explore the effect of Mite on gastric emptying in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD).

METHODS: One hundred and two patients with FD were randomly divided into either an experimental group or a control group. The control group was treated with mosapride citrate tablets, while the experimental group was treated with Mite on the basis of mosapride citrate tablets. The clinical effects and index of gastric emptying were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS: The significant improvement rate and the total response rate were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group (58.82% vs 39.22%, 94.12% vs 70.59, P < 0.05). The rates of gastric emptying and the total rate of gastric emptying at 2 and 5 h in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group (23.53% vs 11.76%, 94.12% vs 52.94%, 55.00% vs 30.00%, 95.00% vs 65.00%, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Treatment with Mite can improve gastric emptying in FD patients.

Activity of a group B oncolytic adenovirus (ColoAd1) in whole human blood

Intravenous (i.v.) delivery of therapeutic viruses to human patients exposes virus particles to the potentially neutralising environment of the human bloodstream, where many components of the innate and adaptive immune system provide a formidable barrier to virus infection of target cells. Here we assess the haemocompatibility of ColoAd1, an oncolytic adenovirus currently undergoing clinical assessment for treatment of disseminated cancer by i.v. delivery. Compared with the commonly used serotype Ad5, ColoAd1 (which has a capsid derived from Ad11p) showed only minor inhibition of oncolytic activity by pooled human serum or washed human blood cells, with the amount of ColoAd1 required to kill cancer cells in vitro (the IC50) increasing <10-fold. However, some virus-blood interactions are concentration- and context-dependent, requiring study in whole, undiluted, human blood. ColoAd1 showed <50-fold increases in the IC50 in whole blood from most donors, whereas the activity of Ad5 was ablated. Extrapolating these findings to the clinical situation indicates that ColoAd1 would 'breakthrough' neutralisation in some patients receiving as few as 10(10) ColoAd1 particles i.v., and in most patients receiving doses of 10(12) or above, well within the achievable dose range.

Electrolytic partitioning of uranium and plutonium based on a new type of electrolytic mixer-settler

The design of a new type of electroreduction mixer-settler for the partitioning of uranium and plutonium during the Purex process, which is featured with E-shaped cathodes and U-shaped anodes in settling chamber, is described and the operational results achieved using this equipment are presented. The results show that this new type of mixer-settler has excellent separation performances. The flow rate of organic feed solution is 3 mL/min and the flow ratio of feed solution (1BF) to aqueous back extraction stream (1BX) and to organic wash stream (1BS) is 4/1/1. For an organic feed of 84 g/L uranium and 1.40 ⁓ 2.64 g/L plutonium, both the separation factor of plutonium from uranium and that of uranium from plutonium are apparently higher than 104