The optimal threshold of PD-L1 combined positive score to predict the benefit of PD-1 antibody plus chemotherapy for patients with HER2-negative gastric adenocarcinoma: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) combined with chemotherapy have become the first-line treatment of metastatic gastric and gastroesophageal adenocarcinomas (GEACs). This study aims to figure out the optimal combined positive score (CPS) cutoff value. METHODS: We searched for randomized phase III trials to investigate the efficacy of ICIs plus chemotherapy for metastatic GEACs compared with chemotherapy alone. Pooled analyses of hazard ratios (HRs) based on PD-L1 expression were performed. RESULTS: A total of six trials (KEYNOTE-062, KEYNOTE-590, KEYNOTE-859, ATTRACTION-04, CheckMate 649, and ORIENT-16) were included, comprising 5,242 patients. ICIs plus chemotherapy significantly improved OS (HR: 0.79, 95% CI 0.72-0.86 in global patients; HR: 0.75, 95% CI 0.57-0.98 in Asian patients) and PFS (HR: 0.74, 95% CI 0.68-0.82 in global patients; HR: 0.64, 95% CI 0.56-0.73 in Asian patients) compared with chemotherapy alone. The differences in OS (ratio of HR: 1.05, 95% CI 0.79-1.40; predictive value: - 5.1%) and PFS (ratio of HR: 1.16, 95% CI 0.98-1.36; predictive value: - 13.5%) were not statistically significant between the global and Asian patients. Subgroup analyses indicated that the optimal CPS threshold was at ≥ 5 for OS and ≥ 10 for PFS with the highest predictive values. CONCLUSIONS: The benefit derived from ICIs plus chemotherapy is similar between Asian and global GEAC patients. However, those with a PD-L1 CPS < 5 or CPS < 10 may not have significant benefits from ICIs therapy. Therefore, it is advisable to routinely assess PD-L1 expression in GEAC patients considered for ICIs treatment.

Enhancing Multi-species Liver Microsomal Stability Prediction through Artificial Intelligence.

Liver microsomal stability, a crucial aspect of metabolic stability, significantly impacts practical drug discovery. However, current models for predicting liver microsomal stability are based on limited molecular information from a single species. To address this limitation, we constructed the largest public database of compounds from three common species: human, rat, and mouse. Subsequently, we developed a series of classification models using both traditional descriptor-based and classic graph-based machine learning (ML) algorithms. Remarkably, the best-performing models for the three species achieved Matthews correlation coefficients (MCCs) of 0.616, 0.603, and 0.574, respectively, on the test set. Furthermore, through the construction of consensus models based on these individual models, we have demonstrated their superior predictive performance in comparison with the existing models of the same type. To explore the similarities and differences in the properties of liver microsomal stability among multispecies molecules, we conducted preliminary interpretative explorations using the Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) and atom heatmap approaches for the models and misclassified molecules. Additionally, we further investigated representative structural modifications and substructures that decrease the liver microsomal stability in different species using the matched molecule pair analysis (MMPA) method and substructure extraction techniques. The established prediction models, along with insightful interpretation information regarding liver microsomal stability, will significantly contribute to enhancing the efficiency of exploring practical drugs for development.

Two new quinoline alkaloid with neuroprotective activities from Xylaria longipes.

Two new quinoline alkaloids with an α, ß-unsaturated amide side chain, xylarinines A and B (1 and 2), were isolated from the ethyl acetate extracts of Xylaria longipes solid fermentation. The structures of these were primarily determined though NMR and HRESIMS data analysis. The absolute configuration of compound 1 was assigned using experimental and calculated ECD data. The neuroprotective effects of compounds 1 and 2 against glutamate-induced damage in PC12 cells were evaluated in vitro bioassay. The results demonstrated that both compounds significantly improved cell viability, inhibited apoptosis, decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) levels, and reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. These findings suggested that these mechanisms contribute to the neuroprotective effects of the compounds.

A Very Deep Graph Convolutional Network for 13C NMR Chemical Shift Calculations with Density Functional Theory Level Performance for Structure Assignment.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shift calculations are powerful tools for structure elucidation and have been extensively employed in both natural product and synthetic chemistry. However, density functional theory (DFT) NMR chemical shift calculations are usually time-consuming, while fast data-driven methods often lack reliability, making it challenging to apply them to computationally intensive tasks with a high requirement on quality. Herein, we have constructed a 54-layer-deep graph convolutional network for 13C NMR chemical shift calculations, which achieved high accuracy with low time-cost and performed competitively with DFT NMR chemical shift calculations on structure assignment benchmarks. Our model utilizes a semiempirical method, GFN2-xTB, and is compatible with a broad variety of organic systems, including those composed of hundreds of atoms or elements ranging from H to Rn. We used this model to resolve the controversial J/K ring junction problem of maitotoxin, which is the largest whole molecule assigned by NMR calculations to date. This model has been developed into user-friendly software, providing a useful tool for routine rapid structure validation and assignation as well as a new approach to elucidate the large structures that were previously unsuitable for NMR calculations.

A pair of new chromone enantiomers from Xylaria nigripes.

A pair of new chromone derivative enantiomers, (+)-xylarichromone A (1a) and (-)-xylarichromone A (1b), were isolated from the solid fermentation of Xylaria nigripes. The planar structure of 1 was determined by extensive NMR spectroscopic data, and its absolute configuration was assigned by comparison the ECD spectra with the known chromone derivatives. Compound 1 was the first chromone derivative reported from this medicinal fungus. The neuroprotective effects of 1 against oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) induced pheochromocytoma-12 cells (PC12) injury was investigated.

The ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacology of the genus Hericium.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Mushrooms in the genus Hericium are used as functional food and traditional medicines for a long history in East Asian countries such as China, India, Japan, and Korea. Some species of Hericium are called as monkey head mushroom (Houtougu) in China and Yamabushitake in Japan, which are traditionally considered as rare and precious health promoting food and medicinal materials for the treatment of dyspepsia, insomnia, chronic gastritis, and digestive tract tumors. THE AIM OF THE REVIEW: This review aims to summarize the ethnopharmacology and structural diversity of secondary metabolites from Hericium species, as well as the pharmacological activities of the crude extracts and pure compounds from Hericium species in recent years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All the information was gathered by searching Scifinder, PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Springer, Wiley, ACS, CNKI, Baidu Scholar, Google Scholar databases and other published materials (books and Ph.D. and M. Sc. Dissertations) using the keywords "Hericium", "Traditional uses", "Chemical composition", "Quality control" and "Pharmacological activity" (1971-May 2023). The species name was checked with https://www.mycobank.org/. RESULTS: The traditional uses of Hericium species were summarized, and 230 secondary metabolites from Hericium species were summarized and classified into six classes, mainly focusing on their chemical diversity, biosynthesis, biological activities. The modern pharmacological experiments in vivo or in vitro on their crude and fractionated extracts showed that the chemical components from Hericium species have a broad range of bioactivities, including neuroprotective, antimicrobial, anticancer, α-glucosidase inhibitory, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. CONCLUSIONS: The secondary metabolites discovered from Hericium species are highly structurally diverse, and they have the potential to be rich resources of bioactive fungal natural products. Moreover, the unveiled bioactivities of their crude extracts and pure compounds are closely related to critical human health concerns, and in-depth studies on the potential lead compounds, mechanism of pharmacological effects and pharmaceutical properties are clearly warranted.

p21 promotes gemcitabine tolerance in A549 cells by inhibiting DNA damage and altering the cell cycle.

Gemcitabine is one of the most widely used chemotherapy drugs for advanced malignant tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer. However, the clinical efficacy of gemcitabine is limited due to drug resistance. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of p21 in gemcitabine-resistant A549 (A549/G+) lung cancer cells. IC50 values were determined using a Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. mRNA and protein expression levels of genes were measured by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting, respectively. The cell cycle distribution and apoptosis rate were analyzed by flow cytometry. DNA damage in cells was evaluated by single-cell gel electrophoresis. The results of western blot analysis and the CCK-8 assay demonstrated that the expression of p21 was higher in A549/G+ cells than in gemcitabine-sensitive cells. Knockdown of p21 expression in gemcitabine-resistant cells sensitized these cells to gemcitabine (with the IC50 decreasing from 84.2 to 26.7 µM). Cell cycle analysis revealed different changes in the cell cycle distribution in A549/G+ cells treated with the same concentration of gemcitabine, and decreased expression of p21 was shown to promote G1 arrest. The apoptosis assay and comet assay results revealed that decreased p21 expression resulted in accumulation of unrepaired DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and induction of apoptosis by gemcitabine. The present study demonstrated that knockout of p21 mRNA expression in A549/G+ cells promotes apoptosis and DNA DSB accumulation, accompanied by G1 arrest. These results indicated that p21 is involved in regulating the response of A549 cells to gemcitabine.

Development and application of hepatocellular carcinoma risk prediction model based on clinical characteristics and liver related indexes.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is difficult to diagnose with poor therapeutic effect, high recurrence rate and has a low survival rate. The survival of patients with HCC is closely related to the stage of diagnosis. At present, no specific serological indicator or method to predict HCC, early diagnosis of HCC remains a challenge, especially in China, where the situation is more severe. AIM: To identify risk factors associated with HCC and establish a risk prediction model based on clinical characteristics and liver-related indicators. METHODS: The clinical data of patients in the Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College from 2016 to 2020 were collected, using a retrospective study method. The results of needle biopsy or surgical pathology were used as the grouping criteria for the experimental group and the control group in this study. Based on the time of admission, the cases were divided into training cohort (n = 1739) and validation cohort (n = 467). Using HCC as a dependent variable, the research indicators were incorporated into logistic univariate and multivariate analysis. An HCC risk prediction model, which was called NSMC-HCC model, was then established in training cohort and verified in validation cohort. RESULTS: Logistic univariate analysis showed that, gender, age, alpha-fetoprotein, and protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II, gamma-glutamyl transferase, aspartate aminotransferase and hepatitis B surface antigen were risk factors for HCC, alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin and total bile acid were protective factors for HCC. When the cut-off value of the NSMC-HCC model joint prediction was 0.22, the area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of NSMC-HCC model in HCC diagnosis was 0.960, with sensitivity 94.40% and specificity 95.35% in training cohort, and AUC was 0.966, with sensitivity 90.00% and specificity 94.20% in validation cohort. In early-stage HCC diagnosis, the AUC of NSMC-HCC model was 0.946, with sensitivity 85.93% and specificity 93.62% in training cohort, and AUC was 0.947, with sensitivity 89.10% and specificity 98.49% in validation cohort. CONCLUSION: The newly NSMC-HCC model was an effective risk prediction model in HCC and early-stage HCC diagnosis.

Multi-trajectories of health-related quality of life and their associated factors in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: The trajectories of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) during and after the treatment along with their associated factors are seldom investigated in longitudinal studies. This study aims to investigate the longitudinal trajectories of HRQoL over time and their associated factors in patients with newly diagnosed NPC. METHODS: Between July 2018 and September 2019, a total of 500 patients were finally involved in this study. HRQoL was measured at four time points, from before treatment to the follow-up period after treatment. Group-based multi-trajectory modeling was applied to identify trajectories of five HRQoL functioning domains during the longitudinal period. Multinomial logistic regression models were applied to investigate potential independent factors associated with the multi-trajectory groups. RESULTS: We identified four distinct multi-trajectory groups, including the "initially lowest functioning" group (19.8%), the "initially lower functioning" group (20.8%), the "initially higher functioning" group (46.0%), and the "consistently highest functioning" group (13.4%). Patients who were older than 45 years or had T4 stage disease were more likely to be in the "initially lowest functioning" group, while those with EBV DNA ≥ 1500 copies/mL before the treatment were more likely to be in the "initially lowest functioning" or the "initially lower functioning" groups. CONCLUSIONS: We report the presence of heterogeneity in HRQoL trajectories among patients with NPC, and found that older age, advanced T stage, and higher EBV DNA level before treatment were significantly associated with poor HRQoL trajectories. Further studies are needed to examine the generalizability of these identified HRQoL trajectories and their associations with psychosocial and survival outcomes.

Liver-cell protective pyridones from the fungi Tolypocladium album dws120.

Five previously undescribed pyridone derivatives, tolypyridones I-M, were identified from the solid rice medium fermented by Tolypocladium album dws120, along with two known compounds tolypyridone A (or trichodin A) and pyridoxatin. Their planar structures and partial relative configurations have been determined by careful interpretation of their spectroscopic data. The full assignment of the relative and absolute configurations of tolypyridones I-M was achieved by gauge-independent atomic orbital 13C NMR calculation, quantitative nuclear Overhauser effects based interatomic distance calculation, and electronic circular dichroism calculation. In addition, we have fully determined the configuration of tolypyridone A by X-ray diffraction analysis. In bioassay, tolypyridones I was able to restore cell viability and inhibit the release of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase for ethanol-induced LO2 cells, suggesting its potential as a liver protective agent.

Two pairs of new isobenzofuranone enantiomers from a soil-derived fungus Penicillium canescens DWS225.

Two pairs of new isobenzofuranone derivative enantiomers, (±)-penicifurans E (1) and (±)-penicifurans F (2), together with four know compounds (3-6) were isolated from the solid fermentation of Penicillium canescens DWS225. The structures of these enantiomers were elucidated by extensive NMR spectroscopic data, and their absolute configurations were assigned by the experimental and calculated ECD data. The neuroprotective effects of all the isolates against oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion injury in pheochromocytoma-12 cells (PC12) were investigated.

Neuroprotective methylsuccinic acid and enoic acid derivatives from the fungus Xylaria longipes.

Three undescribed methylsuccinic acid derivatives, xylaril acids A-C, and two undescribed enoic acid derivatives, xylaril acids D-E, were isolated from the fungus Xylaria longipes. The structures of the undescribed compounds were deduced by spectroscopic means, including HRESIMS and 1D/2D NMR spectroscopy, as well as ECD calculations. The absolute configuration of xylaril acids A was further determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments. All the isolated compounds displayed neuroprotective activities against oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion injury in PC12 cells by enhancing cell viability and inhibiting cell apoptosis.

A theoretical study on pseudo Mott phase transition of vanadium dioxide.

The structural phase transition (SPT) and metal-insulator phase transition (MIT) always occur simultaneously upon heating from the low-temperature insulator M1 phase to the high-temperature metal R phase in vanadium dioxide, and it is still unclear which one of Mott correlation and Peierls distortion plays a decisive role in the thermally induced phase transition (PT) since 1959. Our density functional theory (DFT)-based calculations revealed that the intermediate phase in the PT, the so-called monoclinic metal phase, is a zero indirect band gap semimetal (P21/c space group) with a pseudo gap (199 meV). From the M1 phase to the monoclinic metal phase, the band gap decreases gradually to zero, and the bonding lengths between vanadium-vanadium atoms remain nearly constant. The SPT and MIT from the intermediate structure to the R phase occur simultaneously with a sudden change of bonding lengths between vanadium-vanadium atoms, in which electrons can jump down rather than jump up to the conduction band minimum (CBM) from the valence band maximum (VBM) under thermal fluctuation in order to lower the total energy of the system to push forward the occurrence of PT. The electron jumping does not require additional energy from Coulomb repulsion between electrons even though it is always present. This SPT is a typical Peierls PT or a pseudo Mott PT rather than an actual Mott PT in the each of the two stages. Our conclusions provide a new understanding of SPT and MIT in vanadium dioxide that has been debated for more than 80 years.

Reassignment of the structures of pestalopyrones A-D.

Pestalopyrones A-D are four unusual tricyclic pyrone derivatives with flexible chiral structures, isolated from the endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis neglecta S3. The full elucidation of their structures was a challenging task, and remained unsolved in the original article. Herein, the relative configurations of pestalopyrones A and pestalopyrones B were unambiguously assigned by detailed analyses on spectroscopic data and GIAO 13C NMR calculation method with sorted training sets (STS). The planar structures of pestalopyrones C and pestalopyrones D were revised by reinterpretation of their reported spectroscopic data, and then their relative configurations were deduced by STS GIAO 13C NMR calculation and NOE analysis. The absolute configurations of all the mentioned compounds were determined by the comparison of their experimental and calculated ECD curves.

Simultaneous manipulation of transcriptional regulator CxrC and translational elongation factor eEF1A enhances the production of plant-biomass-degrading enzymes of Penicillium oxalicum.

Genetic engineering is an efficient approach to improve fungal bioproducts, but the specific targets are limited. In this study, it was found that the key transcription repressor CxrC of Penicillium oxalicum could physically interact with the translational elongation factor eEF1A that positively regulated the production of plant-biomass-degrading enzymes by the fungus under Avicel induction. Simultaneously deletion of the cxrC and overexpression of the eEF1A in the strain Δku70 resulted in 55.4%-314.6% higher production of cellulase, xylanase and raw-starch-degrading enzymes than that of the start strain Δku70. Transcript abundance of the genes encoding predominant cellulases, xylanases and raw-starch-degrading enzymes were significantly upregulated in the mutant ΔcxrC::eEF1A. The ΔcxrC::eEF1A enhanced saccharification efficiency of raw cassava flour by 9.3%-15.5% at early-middle stage of hydrolysis in comparison with Δku70. The obtained knowledges expanded the sources used as effective targets for increased production of plant-biomass-degrading enzymes by fungi.

Four new prenylflavonol glycosides from the leaves of Cyclocarya paliurus.

Four new prenylflavonol glycosides (1-4) along with two known analogues (5-6) were isolated from the leaves of Cyclocarya paliurus for the first time. The structures of these compounds were characterized by comprehensive analysis of 1 D, 2 D NMR, HRESIMS, UV data and enzymatic hydrolysis. In bioassays, compounds 1-4 were evaluated for inhibitory effects on xanthine oxidase (XOD) and effects on the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced RAW264.7 cells. Moreover, compounds 1 and 2 showed outstanding XOD inhibitions with IC50 values of 18.16 ± 3.91 and 37.65 ± 5.67 µM, and exhibited inhibitions against LPS-induced NO production with IC50 values of 80.50 ± 3.09 and 82.28 ± 2.87 µM.

[Condensed tannins from roots of Indigofera stachyodes].

Eleven condensed tannins were isolated from the roots of Indigofera stachyodes by various column chromatography techniques including silica gel, octadecyl silica(ODS), Sephadex LH-20, and semi-preparative high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). These compounds were identified on the basis of physicochemical properties, nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) and mass spectrometry(MS) data as stachyotannin A(1), epicatechin-(2ß→O→7,4ß→8)-epiafzelechin-(4ß→8)-catechin(2), cinnamtannin D1(3), cinnamtannin B1(4), epicatechin-(2ß→O→7,4ß→8)-epiafzelechin-(4α→8)-epicatechin(5), gambiriin C(6), proanthocyanidin A1(7), proanthocyanidin A2(8), aesculitannin B(9), proanthocyanidin A4(10), and procyanidin B5(11). Compound 1 is a new compound. Compounds 2-11 were isolated from Indigofera for the first time. Furthermore, compounds 1, 2, and 4-11 showed inhibitory effects on thrombin-induced ATP release in platelets.

Mid- and Long-Term Follow-Up Efficacy Analysis of 3D-Printed Interbody Fusion Cages for Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and stability of 3D-printed interbody fusion cages (3D-printed cages) in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) by investigating the mid- and long-term follow-up outcomes. METHODS: In this prospective study, the clinical data of 30 patients with CSM admitted to the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from May 2012 to May 2014 were analyzed. The cohort comprised 18 males and 12 females with an average age of 60.22 ± 3.2 years. All patients were examined by X-ray, CT and MRI before the operation. A total of 30 cases of CSM were treated by ACDF with 3D printed cage implantation. Mid- and long-term follow-ups were performed after the surgery. Clinical efficacy was evaluated by comparing the JOA score, SF-36 score, change in neurological function, cervical curvature index (CCI), vertebral intervertebral height (VIH) and fusion rate before the operation, 6 months after the operation, and at the last follow-up. RESULTS: Two of the 30 patients were lost to follow-up. The remaining patients were followed up for 48-76 (65.23 ± 3.54) months. The patients recovered satisfactorily with a significant clinical effect. The JOA score increased meanfully and the improvement rate was 89.4% at the final follow-up. The SF-36 score increased significantly from pre- to postoperatively. The height of the intervertebral space at the last follow-up was not statistically significantly different from that at 6 months after surgery (P > 0.05), showing that the height of the intervertebral space did not change much and the severity of cage subsidence (CS) decreased. The CCI improved from pre- to postoperatively. The CCI did not change much from the 6-month follow-up to the last follow-up. and the cage rate (CR) was 100% at the 6-month and last follow-ups. No severe complications, such as spinal cord injury, esophageal fistula, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, cervical hematoma or wound infection, occurred in any of the patients. CONCLUSION: The clinical and radiological results show that the application of 3D-printed cages in ACDF can significantly relieve symptoms. Moreover, 3D-printed cages can restore the curvature of the cervical spine, effectively maintain the intervertebral height for a long time, and prevent complications related to postoperative subsidence.

Xylarinaps A-E, five pairs of naphthalenone derivatives with neuroprotective activities from Xylaria nigripes.

Five pairs of undescribed naphthalenone derivative enantiomers, xylarinaps A-E, including one pair of indole naphthalenones and four pairs of naphthalene-naphthalenone dimers, were isolated from the ethyl acetate extracts of the solid fermentation of Xylaria nigripes, which has been used as a traditional Chinese medicinal fungus for the treatment of insomnia, trauma, and depression. The structures of these enantiomers were elucidated based on comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, including NMR and HRESIMS. Their absolute configurations were assigned by the experimental and calculated ECD data. The neuroprotective effects of all the compounds against damage to PC12 cells by oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) were evaluated by an in vitro bioassay. The results revealed that xylarinaps A, B, D, and E significantly enhanced cell viability, decreased the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), increased the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), as well as further markedly inhibiting apoptosis, which indicated that these results could be the mode of action of their neuroprotective effect.

Cytotoxic triterpenoid glycosides from leaves of Cyclocarya paliurus.

Three previously undescribed dammarane triterpenoid glycosides (1-3) along with five known analogues (4-8) were isolated from the leaves of Cyclocarya paliurus. Their structures and configurations were determined on the basis of comprehensive spectroscopic analyses, chemical hydrolysis and DFT GIAO 13C NMR calculation. All the isolates were evaluated cytotoxic activities against seven human cancer cell lines (MCF-7, PC-3, Du145, NCI-H1975, PC-9, SKVO3 and HepG2). Moreover, compound 4 showed a wide spectrum of cytotoxicity against human cancer cells with IC50 values ranging from 11.31 to 29.51 µM.