Isolation and Characterization of Nine Microsatellite Markers for Red-backed Ratsnake,Elaphe rufodorsata

The red-backed ratsnake（Elaphe rufodorsata） is widely distributed in East Asia, especially China. This species is a common snake in plain river network region. In the past several decades, E. rufodorsata has dramatically declined due to the effect of human activities and over hunting for traditional Chinese medicine. We developed nine species-specific microsatellite loci in 190 individuals collected from Huzhou, Zhejiang province in China. These markers revealed a high degree of genetic diversity（13–41 alleles per locus） and heterozygosity（H O ranged from 0.266 to 0.941, and H E ranged from 0.851 to 0.937）. No locus exhibited significant deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. There was no evidence of linkage disequilibrium among pairs of loci. These microsatellite markers were described in our study will be valuable tools for the long term management and population-level studies（e.g. the population structure, genetic diversity and variation, individual paternity and evolutionary history） of the species.

A phase II study on Mefatinib as first-line treatment of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer harboring uncommon EGFR mutations

Dear Editor,Uncommon mutations in exons 18-21 of the epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)gene account for 10%–15%of all EGFR mutations when considered as a whole group[1,2].However,each variant confers heterogeneous clinical outcomes to different generations of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors(TKIs)with G719X,L861Q,and/or S768I showing adequate sensitivity to EGFR inhibition[1–3].Osimertinib,based on its superior survival outcomes,has become the preferred first-line treatment for patients diagnosed with advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)harboring common EGFR mutations[4];however,its efficacy in patients harboring G719X,S768I,and/or L861Q mutations was comparable or even inferior to Afatinib[5].Afatinib,a second-generation EGFR-TKI,has received approval for extended clinical indication in treating previously untreated patients with metastatic NSCLC harboring G719X,L861Q,and/or S768I based on the findings from the pooled analysis of three clinical trials(LUX-Lung 2/3/6)[2].The real-world clinical efficacy of Afatinib for treating this patient subset has been consistently demonstrated by two large retrospective studies[6,7].In China,chemotherapy remains a standard first-line treatment for this patient subset,with Afatinib available only as an off-label treatment option.