Plasma free amino acid profiling of esophageal cancer using high-performance liquid chromatography spectroscopy

AIM:To perform plasma free amino acid(PFAA)profiling of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)patients at different pathological stages and healthy subjects.METHODS:Plasma samples from ESCC patients(n=51)and healthy control adults(n=60)were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC).The ESCC patients included moderate/poorly-differentiation(n=24),lymph node metastasis(n=17)and clinical stage>Ib2(n=36).Partial least squares discriminant analysis was performed to demonstrate that the PFAA metabolic patterns enabled discrimination between ESCC patients and controls,and the Student t test was applied to assess significant differences in PFAA concentrations between the two groups.RESULTS:There were significant differences in the PFAA profiles between controls and ESCC patients.Compared with healthy controls,the levels of Asp,Glu,Gly,His,Thr,Tau,Ala,Met,Ile,Leu,and Phe were decreased in ESCC patients,but Cys was increased.There exists a strong correlation between PFAA profiles and clinicopathological characteristics in ESCC patients.The levels of many PFAAs(i.e.,Glu,Asp,Ser,Gly,Tau,Ala,Tyr,Val,Ile,and Leu)were related to pathological grading,lymph node metastasis,and ESCC clinical stage.Very good discrimination between ESCC patients and control subjects was achieved by multivariate modeling of plasma profiles.CONCLUSION:HPLC-based plasma profiling analysis was shown to be an effective approach to differentiate between ESCC patients and controls.PFAA profiles may have potential value for screening or diagnosing ESCC.

GPX3在胃癌中的表达及临床意义

背景谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶3(glutathione peroxidase 3,GPX3)在胃癌(gastric cancer,GC)中低表达,但其表达与GC患者预后联系尚不明确.目的分析GPX3基因在GC中的表达模式及预后价值.方法首选,利用Oncomine数据库分析GPX3基因在GC及正常胃黏膜组织中的表达情况;利用KM Plotter数据库分析GPX3的表达对GC患者的预后进行分析.其次,运用TCGA数据集对GPX3的表达模式和预后价值进行验证.最后,通过免疫组织化学法检测含有90例胃腺癌及其癌旁组织的组织芯片对上述结果进一步验证.结果利用Oncomine数据库分析,发现GPX3基因在GC组中表达显著低于正常胃黏膜组织(P<0.05).利用KM Plotter数据库分析,发现GC组织中GPX3低表达与患者总体生存率显著相关(P<0.05).利用TCGA数据集对GPX3的表达模式和预后价值进行验证,提示GPX3低表达与患者GC患者总体生存率显著相关(P<0.05).通过对90例GC及其癌旁组织的组织芯片研究分析发现,GPX3在癌组织中显著低表达(P=0.037),GPX3低表达与患者的年龄、性别、肿瘤临床分期无关,但与GC患者总体生存率显著相关(HR=0.48,95%CI:0.28-0.85,P=0.019).结论GPX3在GC中呈低表达,且与预后显著相关.

Microsatellite alterations in phenotypically normal esophageal squamous epithelium and metaplasia-dysplasia-adenocarcinoma sequence

AIM: To investigate the microsatellite alterations in phenotypically normal esophageal squamous epithelium and metaplasia-dysplasia-adenocarcinoma sequence. METHODS: Forty-one specimens were obtained from esophageal cancer (EC) patients. Histopathological assessment identified 23 squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and 18 adenocarcinomas (ADC), including only 8 ADC with Barrett esophageal columnar epithelium (metaplasia) and dysplasia adjacent to ADC. Paraffin-embedded normal squamous epithelium, Barrett esophageal columnar epithelium (metaplasia), dysplasia and esophageal tumor tissues were dissected from the surrounding tissues under microscopic guidance. DNA was extracted using proteinase K digestion buffer, and DNA was diluted at 1:100, 1:1000, 1:5000, 1:10 000 and 1:50 000, respectively. Seven microsatellite markers (D2S123, D3S1616, D3S1300, D5S346, D17S787, D18S58 and BATRII loci) were used in this study. Un-dilution and dilution polymerase chainreactions (PCR) were performed, and microsatellite analysis was carried out. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was found in microsatellite instability (MSI) and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of un-diluted DNA between SCC and ADC. The levels of MSI and LOH were high in the metaplasia-dysplasia-adenocarcinoma sequence of diluted DNA. The more the diluted DNA was, the higher the rates of MSI and LOH were at the above 7 loci, especially at D3S1616, D5S346, D2S123, D3S1300 and D18S58 loci. CONCLUSION: The sequence of metaplasia-dysplasia-adenocarcinoma is associated with microsatellite alterations, including MSI and LOH. The MSI and LOH may be the early genetic events during esophageal carcinogenesis, and genetic alterations at the D3S1616, D5S346 and D3S123 loci may play a role in the progress of microsatellite alterations.

Features and formulae of sediment incipient motion in vegetated flow environment

Aquatic vegetation is a vital component of natural river ecosystems,playing a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance,providing habitat and improving water quality.However,the presence of vegetation results in increased resistance in vegetated channels compared with non-vegetated channels,rendering traditional sediment movement predictions inadequate for the latter.Consequently,the concept of a vegetation influence factor,denoted by CDah,has been proposed by previous researchers to represent the effect of vegetation on sediment movement in watercourses.In this study,we focus on exploring the vegetation resistance coefficient(CD)among the vegetation influence factors,evaluating two different calculation methods for vegetation resistance coefficient,and presenting two expressions through genetic algorithm analysis to predict the incipient flow velocity of sediment in vegetated watercourses.The predicted values from the new formulae show excellent agreement with measured data,highlighting the high accuracy of the proposed methods in predicting the incipient flow velocity of sediment.Our results provide a solid theoretical basis for understanding the influence of aquatic vegetation on sediment particle movement.

Fluoxetine is Neuroprotective in Early Brain Injury via its Antiinflammatory and Anti-apoptotic Effects in a Rat Experimental Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Model

Fluoxetine, an anti-depressant drug, has recently been shown to provide neuroprotection in central nervous system injury, but its roles in subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH) remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether fluoxetine attenuates early brain injury(EBI) after SAH. We demonstrated that intraperitoneal injection of fluoxetine(10 mg/kg per day) significantly attenuated brain edema and blood-brain barrier(BBB) disruption, microglial activation, and neuronal apoptosis in EBI after experimental SAH, as evidenced by the reduction of brain water content and Evans blue dye extravasation, prevention of disruption of the tight junction proteins zonula occludens-1, claudin-5, and occludin, a decrease of cells staining positive for Iba-1, ED-1, and TUNEL and a decline in IL-1 b, IL-6, TNF-a, MDA, 3-nitrotyrosine, and 8-OHDG levels. Moreover, fluoxetine significantly improved the neurological deficits of EBI and long-term sensorimotor behavioral deficits following SAH in a rat model. These results indicated that fluoxetine has a neuroprotective effect after experimental SAH.

Mechanical and tribological properties of graphene nanoplatelets-reinforced titanium composites fabricated by powder metallurgy

Titanium matrix composite reinforced by graphene nanoplatelets(GNPs)was fabricated via powder metallurgy route.Hot isostatic pressing and hot extrusion were used to consolidate the mixed powder of GNPs and TC4 titanium(Ti)alloy.The microstructures,mechanical properties and sliding wear performance of Ti/GNPs composite had been researched to evaluate the rein forcing effect of GNPs on tita nium matrix.Microstructure observation indicates that GNPs could restrain grai n growth slightly in titanium matrix.Titanium matrix and graphene exhibit a clean and firm interface formed by means of metallurgical bonding on atomic scale.Compared with the monolithic titanium alloy,the composite with 1.2 vol.%GNPs exhibits significantly improved elastic modulus and strength.The sliding wear test shows that there is an obvious enhancement in the tribological performance of Ti/GNPs composite with 1.2 vol.%GNPs.The results of this work indicate that GNP is an efficient reinforcenient material in titanium matrix.The strengthening mechanism including precipitates strengthening,load transfer and grain refinement mechanism of GNPs in titanium matrix was discussed.A modified shear-lag model was used to analyze the reinforcement contribution of the stress transfer mechanism.The calculation shows that the stress load mechanism constitutes the main strengthening mechanism in Ti/GNPs composite.

Multi-center investigation of the clinical and pathological characteristics of inflammatory breast cancer based on Chinese Society of Breast Surgery(CSBrs-007)

Background:Inflammatory breast cancer(IBC)is an aggressive type of cancer with poor prognosis and outcomes.This study aimed to investigate clinicopathological features,molecular characteristics,and treatments among Chinese patients diagnosed with IBC.Methods:We collected data of 95 patients with IBC who were treated by members of the Chinese Society of Breast Surgery,from January 2017 to December 2018.The data,including demographic characteristics,pathological findings,surgical methods,systemic treatment plans,and follow-up,were obtained using a uniform electronic questionnaire.The clinicopathological features of different molecular types in patients without distant metastases were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis(H)test followed by post hoc analyses.Results:Lymph node metastasis was noted in 75.8%of all patients,while distant metastasis was noted in 21.4%.Pathological findings indicated invasive ductal and lobular carcinomas in 86.8%and 5.3%of cases,respectively.Hormone receptor-positive(HR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative(HER2-)(41.5%)and HR-/HER2+(20.1%)were the most common biologic subtypes,followed by HR+/HER2+(19.1%)and HR-/HER2-(19.1%).Stage III IBC was treated via pre-operative neoadjuvant chemotherapy in 87.7%of the cases,predominantly using anthracycline and taxanes.A total of 91.9%of patients underwent surgical treatment.Among them,77.0%of the patients underwent modified radical mastectomy,8.1%of whom also underwent immediate breast reconstruction.The Kruskal-Wallis test revealed that the efficacy of chemotherapy significantly differed among those with HR+/HER2-and HR-/HER2-tumors(adjusted P=0.008),and Ki-67 expression significantly differed in HR-/HER2+and HR+/HER2+molecular subtypes(adjusted P=0.008).Conclusion:Our study provides novel insight into clinicopathological characteristics and treatment status among patients with IBC in China,and might provide a direction and basis for further studies.