Implication of serum levels of interleukin-18 and nitric oxide in tumor growth and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer

To study the effect of IL-18 and nitric oxide(NO) on the growth and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods Serum IL-18 and nitrate and nitrite levels in 82 patients with NSCLC and 20 healthy control subjects were measured by using ELISA and Griess.Results The levels of serum IL-18 were (334.2±31.0)ng/L in NSCLC patients and (151.3±22.0)ng/L in control subjects,respectively.The levels of nitrate and nitrite were (237.1±21.0)μmol/L in NSCLC patients and (44.2±15.0)μmol/L in control subjects.The levels of serum IL-18 and nitrate and nitrite were not related with age,gender,histological types in patients with NSCLC.The levels of serum IL-18 was closely associated with TNM stage,lymph node metastasis and distal metastasis,but not with its degree and organ types of metastasis.There was a negative correlation between the levels of serum IL-18 and nitrate and nitrite.Conclusion Serum IL-18 and nitrate and nitrite levels may be useful to evaluate the prognosis of the patients with NSCLC.16 refs,2 tabs.

Effects of Facial Isometric Exercise on Antioxidant Capacity

Background: Facial isometric exercise is a static contraction of facial muscles without any visible movement in the angle of the joints. To examine the effects of facial isometric exercise on subjective stress and oxidative stress/antioxidant capacity. Methods: In this study, we included 13 participants (6 males, 7 females;average age, 44.8 ± 19.6 years;age range: 20 - 74 years) who were exposed to constant temperature and humidity in a room. Fifteen minutes after entering the room, the force was measured before and after facial isometric exercise of the target muscles: upper lip levator, small zygomatic, large zygomatic, levator animus, laughing, buccal, muzzle, mental, temporal, masseter, and cervical muscles), and further evaluated by comparing the facial isometric exercise group and control (non-facial isometric exercise) group (crossover test). Results: Subjective stress significantly improved by 8.7 ± 16.3 in the facial isometric exercise group, and no significant difference in oxidative stress level was observed in both the groups. However, the antioxidant capacity significantly increased by 126.8 ± 168.1 μmol/l in the facial isometric exercise group. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that facial isometric exercise is an exercise therapy that can provide mental stability and antiaging effects due to improvement in subjective stress and biological antioxidant potential.

Enhanced thermoelectric performances of flexible PEDOT:PSS film by synergistically tuning the ordering structure and oxidation state

Flexible polymer thermoelectric thin film attracts wide attentions because it is compatible with the wearable electronics and e-skin.Herein,we reported an enhanced thermoelectric power factor of PEDOT:PSS from around 1 μWm^(-1) K^(-2) to 117 μWm^(-1) K^(-2) and high substrate-free strain of 20% through synergistically tuning the ordering structure and the oxidation state.An ionic liquid(EMImTCM)was used to decouple the ionic interaction between PEDOT and PSS,rearranging the morphology of structure that significantly benefit the mechanical flexibility and the electrical conductivity.The addition of Lascorbic acid was confirmed as effective dedoping additive of PEDOT polymer that changed the oxidation state and hence boosted the thermoelectric power factor without notable sacrifice of the mechanical flexibility.Moreover,the electrical conductivity of the corresponding film maintained electrically stable(ΔR/R_(0)<0.12%)under 1000 bending cycles which indicates the great bendability.Our work demonstrated the feasibility to controllably tailor the thermoelectric and mechanical performance of the PEDOT:PSS flexible polymer thermoelectric thin film.