A New Species of the Blind Cave Loach Genus Protocobitis (Cypriniformes: Cobitidae), Protocobitis longicostatus sp. nov., from Guangxi, China.

Protocobitis species are typical cave-dwelling fish, exhibiting distinctive morphological adaptations such as colorless body, lack of eyes, and reduced scales and ribs in response to their extreme cave habitats. Distinct from the recorded species, P. anteroventris, P. polylepis, and P. typhlops, a new species, Protocobitis longicostatus sp. nov., is described from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. Protocobitis longicostatus sp. nov. can easily be distinguished from all known congeners by the following characteristics: whole body covered by scales except head, 12 branched caudal fin rays, and long ribs. These species face threats from habitat degradation, hydrological changes, and environmental pollution. Thus, the conservation of cavefish in China has become an urgent issue.

Pooled analysis of the oncological outcomes in robotic gastrectomy versus laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

AIM: Robotic gastrectomy (RG) is more and more widely used in the treatment of gastric cancer. However, the long-term oncological outcomes of RG have not been well evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term oncological outcomes of RG and laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) in the treatment of gastric cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Cochrane Library and EMBASE electronic databases were searched until August 2019. Eligible studies were analysed for comparison of oncological outcomes between RG and LG in patients with gastric cancer. RESULTS: Eleven retrospective comparative studies, which included 1347 (32.52%) patients in the RG group and 2795 (67.48%) patients in the LG group, were selected for the analysis. Meta-analysis of the 11 included studies showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the OS between the RG and LG groups (hazard ratios [HRs] = 0.97, 95% confidence intervals [CIs] = 0.80-1.19, P = 0.80). Six studies evaluated disease-free survival (DFS), and pooled analysis showed that there was no statistically significant difference in DFS between RG group and LG group (HR = 0.94, 95% CIs = 0.72-1.23, P = 0.65). According to the odds ratio (OR) analysis, there was no significant difference in 3-year OS, 5-year OS, 3-year DFS and 5-year DFS between the RG and LG groups. Nine articles reported the recurrence rate, and the meta-analysis showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the RG and LG groups (OR = 0.88, 95% CIs = 0.69-1.12, P = 0.31). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis indicated that the long-term oncological outcomes in the RG group were similar to that in the LG group.

RETRACTED: Human Suicide, Modern Diagnosis Assistance and Magic Bullet Discovery

The article entitled "Human Suicide, Modern Diagnosis Assistance and Magic Bullet Discovery", by Da-Yong Lu, Peng- Peng Zhu, Hong-Ying Wu, Nagendra Sastry Yarla, Bin Xu, Jian Ding, Ajit Varki and Ting-Ren Lu, has been retracted on the request of the co-authors, Dr. Ajit Varki, Dr. Nagendra Sastry Yarla and Dr. Jian Ding available at: Cent Nerv Syst Agents Med Chem 2019; 19(1): 15-23. http://www.eurekaselect.com/169003/article.The Corresponding Author Dr. Da-Yong Lu has included the names of the co-authors, Dr. Ajit Varki, Dr. Nagendra Sastry Yarla and Dr. Jian Ding without their consent and the manuscript has been published in the journal, Central Nervous System Agents in Medicinal Chemistry (CNSAMC). Kindly see Bentham Science Policy on Article retraction at the link given below:(https://benthamscience.com/journals/central-nervous-system-agents-in-medicinal-chemistry/author-guidelines/)Submission of a manuscript to the respective journals implies that all authors have read and agreed to the content of the Copyright Letter or the Terms and Conditions. As such, this article represents a severe abuse of the scientific publishing system. Bentham Science Publishers takes a very strong view on this matter and apologizes to the readers of the journal for any inconvenience this may cause.

Ebola Therapeutic Study and Future Directions.

The constant Ebola epidemic outbreaks in Africa arisen in waves of panic worldwide. There is a high mortality rate (30-70%) among the Ebola-infected people in virus- stricken areas. Despite these horrors, the medical capabilities against this deadly viral disease were provided by limited therapeutic agents/options. As a result, several patented agents, biotherapies or prophylactic/therapeutic vaccines need to be reviving into the global markets-including patents of small molecular chemicals, short sequences or oligomers of DNA/RNA, linkages of chemicals with bio-molecules, herbal medicine and so on. In addition, the possible mechanisms of action of these therapeutic options are underway. To promote Ebola biomedical study, the multiple characters of Ebola infections-its origin, pathologic progress, genomic changes, therapeutic context and economic considerations are outlined in this review. Finally, a great difference can be expected after these types of efforts.

HIV/AIDS Curable Study: New Forms of Therapeutic Trinity.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: AIDS (acquired immune deficient syndrome), a deadly human infectious disease is caused by HIV (human immunodeficiency viruses) infection. Patient's mortality was eventually reduced to one-fourth by combined chemotherapy (usually 3 chemical drugs simultaneously) than earlier HIV/AIDS treatments (single drug or vaccine) in the clinic. RESULTS: Combined treatments against HIV/AIDS are still incurable for all patients despite a high rate of patient's survival. Basic viral pathological study and advancing drug development systems for curable medications are indispensable nowadays and in the future. CONCLUSION: Up to date, therapeutic trinity (combined therapy) against HIV/AIDS is generally among chemical drugs. In this article, several forms of other therapeutic attempts for effectively curing efforts against HIV/AIDS are proposed-including the development of next generation therapeutic HIV vaccines and schedules, new categories of bio-therapy, different pathways of immune-modulation, herbal medicines in general (allopathic, Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicines), high quality of physical exercises, and especially therapeutic combinations guided by latest medical discovery and principles (new forms of therapeutic trinity against HIV-induced pathogenesis and human mortality).

Human Suicide Risk and Treatment Study.

INTRODUCTION: Suicide is still a major event of human mortality worldwide. Yet human suicide prediction, prevention and therapeutic systems at this moment are generally ineffective in the clinic. No diagnostic system is reliable for significantly suicidal prevention and mortality reduction. As a result, human suicide etiopathologic investigation (especially at genetic/molecular levels in the clinical settings) is quite necessary. In order to boost human suicide researches, emerging human suicide diagnostic/treatment study will be transformed from clinical symptom observations into new generations of candidate drug targets and therapeutics. To achieve this goal, associations between suicidal etiopathologic identification, genetic/bioinformatics-based diagnostics and putative drug targets must be exploited than ever before. After all, the interaction and relationships between environmental/ genetic/molecular clues and overall patient's risk prediction (environmental influences and different therapeutic targets/types) should be found out. CONCLUSION: In the future, effective clinical suicide prediction, prevention and therapeutic systems can be established via scientific expeditions and causality discovery.

HAART in HIV/AIDS Treatments: Future Trends.

AIDS (acquired immune deficient syndrome) is a deadly human viral infectious disease caused by HIV (human immune-deficient virus) infection. Almost every AIDS patient losses his/her life before mid 1990s. AIDS was once the 1st disease killer in US (1993). After one decade hard work, antiviral drug cocktails-high active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) have been invented for almost all HIV infection treatments. Due to the invention of HAART, 80-90% HIV/AIDS patients still effectively response to HAART for deadly AIDS episode controls and life saving. Yet, this type of HIV therapeutics is incurable. HIV/AIDS patients need to take HAART medications regularly and even life-long. To counteract this therapeutic drawback, more revolutionary efforts (different angles of therapeutic modes/attempts) are urgently needed. In this article, the major progresses and drawbacks of HIV/AIDS chemotherapy (HAART) to HIV/AIDS patients have been discussed. Future trends (updating pathogenesis study, next generations of drug developments, new drug target discovery, different scientific disciplinary and so on) are highlighted.

Drug Combination in Clinical Cancer Treatments.

AIM: The modality of anticancer drug combinations needs to be renovated from empirical into technical-supportive systems. METHODS: To challenge past therapeutic routines, the new landscape may be established. Among the different areas of anticancer drug combination study, research in the fields of medical study is the most important one-including disciplinary of therapeutics in different cancer stages, modern genetic/ molecular diagnostics, cancer bioinformatics, traditional Chinese medicine, mathematical data analysis, therapeutic toxicity monitor, personalized cancer medicine and so on. DISCUSSION: This article addresses these types of cancer therapeutic management systems for clinical anticancer drug combination utilities. CONCLUSION: Future cancer drug combinational studies and clinical optimums must be implemented.

Cancer Bioinformatics for Updating Anticancer Drug Developments and Personalized Therapeutics.

BACKGROUND: Last two to three decades, this world witnesses a rapid progress of biomarkers and bioinformatics technologies. Cancer bioinformatics is one of such important omics branches for experimental/clinical studies and applications. METHODS: Same as other biological techniques or systems, bioinformatics techniques will be widely used. But they are presently not omni-potent. Despite great popularity and improvements, cancer bioinformatics has its own limitations and shortcomings at this stage of technical advancements. RESULTS: This article will offer a panorama of bioinformatics in cancer researches and clinical therapeutic applications-possible advantages and limitations relating to cancer therapeutics. A lot of beneficial capabilities and outcomes have been described. As a result, a successful new era for cancer bioinformatics is waiting for us if we can adhere on scientific studies of cancer bioinformatics in malignant- origin mining, medical verifications and clinical diagnostic applications. CONCLUSION: Cancer bioinformatics gave a great significance in disease diagnosis and therapeutic predictions. Many creative ideas and future perspectives are highlighted.

Anticancer Drug Combinations, How Far We can Go Through?

Many clinical cancer therapies are less effective by using one anticancer drug only due to refractory properties of cancer pathogenesis and drug resistance property in advanced cancer patients. A general consensus among clinicians is that anticancer drug cocktail might better control cancer progresses and metastasis than single drug therapeutics in clinical trials. Despite great popularity, the anticancer drug combination dogma has not been established. The complexity of drug combination dogma discovery is more than we can expect now. This article speculates possible routes we can undertake in this matter. The background knowledge of drug combination therapy presently practiced and possible future landscapes and drawbacks of cancer drug combinative therapies are highlighted.

HIV Vaccine for Prevention and Cure, A Mission Possible.

HIV/AIDS was once a highly deadly infective disease that killed the global people of a million annually two decades ago. While we are enjoying the HIV therapeutic advances (mostly important from HAART invention), one obvious drawback is still unresolved-unable to clearance all HIV from infected human bodies. As a result, a series of different therapeutic attempts have been proposed based on present knowledge of different features of HIV-induced pathogenesis and human mortalities. Facing this shortcoming, innovative designs and update of HIV vaccines and other types of HIV therapeutic inventions can be a final solution for completely HIV clearance and infection managements in human beings. Owing to these scientific and medical significances, several experimental and clinical attempts have to be made. Among these attempts, part of them (updating HIV vaccine developments and clinical routines) are quite promising and noteworthy. In this article, we offer the general information of this attempt and discuss it separately, especially on the respects of HIV vaccine strategic innovations.

HIV Vaccination, is Breakthrough Underway?

After long defeats-almost no marked breakthrough in HIV vaccination campaign has been observed during the past two decades, and we still have not lost our faiths for the development of highly effective and low risk HIV vaccines. Many effective vaccines have been discovered and will certainly enter into the markets within the next 5 to 10 years. In order to promote HIV vaccine developments and clinical HIV therapeutic improvements, this perspective addresses the good and bad sides of currently available HIV vaccines, discusses many subjects of medical significance and finally provides up-to-date information in the field of HIV studies, in particular regarding vaccine developments and HIV pathogenesis.

[Effects of D-methionine on the hematopoietic system injury in irradiated mice].

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of D-methionine (D-met) on the hematopoietic system injury in irradiated mice. C57BL/6 mice were divided into control group, irradiated group, 300 mg/kg D-met plus irradiation group and 1000 mg/kg D-met plus irradiation group. The control mice received sham irradiation, and the mice in remainder groups were exposed to 7.5 Gy; 1,4,8 Gy and 1 Gy of (137)Cs γ-ray respectively, were used to detect the survival rate, survival rate of bone marrow cells, WBC and its differential counts as well the colony formation ability in irradiated mice, respectively. The D-met was intraperitoneally injected to mice at 30 min before irradiation. The results showed that 300 and 1000 mg/kd D-met did not obviously enhance the survival rate of mice exposed to 7.5 Gy; the 10(-2),10(-3),10(-4) mol/L D-met significantly increased the survival rate of bone marrow cells in mice exposed to 1,4,8 Gy; 300 and 1000 mg/kg D-met even so increased the WBC count of peripheral blood in mice exposed to 1 Gy, but there was no statistical difference as compared with irradiated alone mice, moreover 300 and 1000 mg/kg D-met could obviously promote the colony formation ability of bone marrow cells in irradiated mice, the CFU-GM count was higher than that in 1 Gy irradiated mice (P < 0.05). It is concluded that the D-met can effectively mitigate the marrow cell injury resulted from irradiation, enhance the survival rate of bone marrow cells in irradiated mice, promote the recovery of hematopoietic function from radiation injury in mice.

New Perspectives of HIV/AIDS Therapy Study.

HIV/AIDS (acquired immune deficient syndrome), a human infectious disease was once listed as the No. 1 disease killer in US (1993). After the invention of antiviral drug cocktails-high active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART), most HIV-infected patients can survive much longer than with single antiviral drugs or vaccines alone. However, it turns out to be a chronic disease owing to being incapable to eradicate HIV from infectious patients. Furthermore, potential newly outbreak of HIV epidemics caused by widespread drug-resistance or viral mutations is still looming over the globe. In order to counteract these drawbacks and possibilities of HAART, many hurdles must be passed. More creative and revolutionary ideas and worldwide cooperation efforts among academics, drug developers and governmental funding bodies must be encouraged and promoted. In this perspective, many important drawbacks and weaknesses relating to HIV/AIDS therapies are outlined and possible future solutions are highlighted.

Study on incompatibility of traditional chinese medicine: evidence from formula network, chemical space, and metabolism room.

A traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula network including 362 TCM formulas was built by using complex network methodologies. The properties of this network were analyzed including network diameter, average distance, clustering coefficient, and average degree. Meanwhile, we built a TCM chemical space and a TCM metabolism room under the theory of chemical space. The properties of chemical space and metabolism room were calculated and analyzed. The properties of the medicine pairs in "eighteen antagonisms and nineteen mutual inhibitors," an ancient rule for TCM incompatibility, were studied based on the TCM formula network, chemical space, and metabolism room. The results showed that the properties of these incompatible medicine pairs are different from those of the other TCM based on the analysis of the TCM formula network, chemical space, and metabolism room. The lines of evidence derived from our work demonstrated that the ancient rule of TCM incompatibility, "eighteen antagonisms and nineteen mutual inhibitors," is probably scientifically based.

Inhibitions of several antineoplastic drugs on serum sialic Acid levels in mice bearing tumors.

Six murine tumors, including ascetic tumors HepA, EC, P388 leukemia, S180 and solid tumor S180, and Lewis lung carcinoma, were employed in this work. The free sialic acid concentrations in both blood and ascites were measured in tumor-bearing mice. The results showed that the content of sialic acids in blood was increased in tumor growth and certain tumor types. Higher sialic acid content was observed in ascites than that present in blood. The influence of antineoplastic agents (vincristine, thiotepa, adriamycin, probimane, cisplatin, oxalysine, cortisone, nitrogen mustard, lycobetaine, Ara-C, harringtonine, and cyclophosphamide) on the content of sialic acids in mice blood bearing solid tumors of either S180 or Lewis lung carcinoma was observed. Different inhibitions of antineoplastic drugs on both tumor growth and serum sialic acid levels in mice bearing tumors were found. Among these antineoplastic drugs, probimane, cisplatin, nitrogen mustard, and lycobetaine were able to decrease the serum sialic acid levels in mice bearing tumors. Since these four antineoplastic drugs are all DNA chelating agents, it was proposed that the inhibition of tumor sialic acids by these drugs might be through the DNA template via two ways. Since we have found no effect of antineoplastic drugs on serum sialic acid levels in normal mice, this suggests that the inhibition of antineoplastic drugs on sialic acids is by tumor involvement.

Increased miRNA-22 expression sensitizes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma to irradiation.

miRNA-22 was previously reported to be a tumor suppressor. The aim of this study was to explore the expression and function of miRNA-22 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Expression of miRNA-22 in 100 ESCC tissues was examined by q-PCR. The correlation between miRNA-22 level and clinicopathological features was analyzed using SPSS16.0 statistical software. Moreover, the effect of miRNA-22 expression on radiosensitivity of ESCC cells was examined. miRNA-22 expression decreased in ESCC tissues, and statistical analyses showed that the expression of miRNA-22 was associated with the stage of clinical classification. No correlation was found between miRNA-22 expression and the overall survival of ESCC patients. However, significant positive correlation was found between miRNA-22 expression and the survival of patients who received radiotherapy (P < 0.05). Increased expression of miRNA-22 sensitized ESCC cells to γ-ray radiation and promoted the apoptosis of ESCC cells induced by γ-ray radiation. Increased expression level of miRNA-22 had effects on Rad51 expression after irradiation. These results demonstrate for the first time that decreased miRNA-22 expression correlates with increased radiotherapy resistance of ESCC, and that this effect is mediated, at least in part, by the Rad51 pathway.

[Effects of arsenic trioxide combined with bortezomib on proliferation and apoptosis of K562 cells and their mechanism].

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of arsenic trioxide (As(2)O(3)) alone and in combination with bortezomib (Bor) on proliferation and apoptosis of leukemia cell line K562, and to analyze the potential mechanism. K562 cells were treated with different concentrations of As(2)O(3) or Bor (alone or combination) for 24, 48 h. MTT method was used to detect the cell proliferation. After K562 cells were treated with 0.5 µmol/L As(2)O(3) alone or in combination with 10 nmoL/L Bor, the apoptosis rate and cell cycle were measured by flow cytometry, and the activity of NF-κB was analyzed by SP immunohistochemistry. The results indicated that the different concentrations of As(2)O(3) and Bor could inhibit the K562 cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manners (P < 0.05). The IC(50) of Bor and As(2)O(3) in 48 h were 20 nmol/L and 0.6 µmol/L respectively. When K562 cells were treated with As(2)O(3) or Bor alone for 24 h, the apoptotic rate of K562 cells increased, and the apoptotic rate in combination group was higher than that in As(2)O(3) or Bor group. The cells were apparently arrested in G(2)/M phase in Bor group and G(0)/G(1) phase in As(2)O(3) group. The activity of NF-κB decreased significantly in As(2)O(3) or Bor group (P < 0.05), this effect was most significant in the combination group (P < 0.01). It is concluded that both As(2)O(3) and Bor can inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of K562 cells, a synergistic effect can be observed when a low dose of As(2)O(3) combined with low dose of Bor. The different cell cycle block site and the decrease of activity of NF-κB may be one of the mechanisms underlying their synergic effect.

Development of antimetastatic drugs by targeting tumor sialic acids.

One-third of all cancer categories in clinics have a high incidence of neoplasm metastasis. Neoplasm metastasis is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths. However, the prevailing therapeutic approach to this pathogenic process is presently unsatisfactory. Paradoxically to our efforts and expectations, except for some antibodies, no obvious improvements and therapeutic benefits in currently used drugs have been achieved until now. Therapeutic benefits in late-stage or elderly cancer patients are especially poor and useless. One of the reasons for this, we would guess, is the lack of therapeutic targets specifically related to neoplasm metastasis. In order to enhance the therapeutic efficacy, the development of antimetastatic drugs transcending from current drug-screening pathways is urgently needed. Antimetastatic drugs targeting aberrantly sialylated in tumors have evolved for about a quarter of a century and might be a future therapeutic option other than the currently utilized antimetastatic drugs, such as antivascular and MMP inhibitors. Since neoplasm tissues often manifest high levels of sialic acids and sialyl antigens or glycoligands, some types of sialic acid analogue, such as N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Nau5Gc), occurred in most tumor tissues which is normally absent in most humans. Consequently, more attention is needed to work with new therapeutic approaches to target these changes. This review addresses and discusses the latest six types of therapeutic approaches targeting sialic acids in metastatic tissues.

[Effects of hyperbaric oxygenation combined with As(2)O(3) on proliferation of K562 cells and associated mechanism].

This study was aimed to explore the effects of hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) alone or combined with As(2)O(3) on proliferation, apoptosis and expression of HIF-1a, VEGF, caspase-3 mRNA of K562 cells, and the molecular mechanism of As(2)O(3) enhancing the anti-leukemic effect of HBO so as to provide a scientific basis for clinical treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia. The effects of drugs on proliferation of K562 cells was assayed by MTT method, the apoptosis rate of K562 cells was detected by flow cytometry with Annexin V/PI double staining, the expressions of HIF-1a, VEGF, caspase-3 mRNA of K562 cells were determined by real-time quantitative PCR. The results showed that as compared with As(2)O(3) alone, HBO combined with As(2)O(3) could increase inhibitory rate of K562 cell proliferation, and enhance apoptotic effect, obviously down-regulate expressions of HIF-1a and VEGF mRNA, up-regulate expression of caspase-3 mRNA. The effect of HBO combined with As(2)O(3) was higher then effect of As(2)O(3) alone, and their effects were synergistic (P < 0.05). It is concluded that HBO combined with As(2)O(3) can increase the expression of caspase 3 mRNA and decrease the expression of HIF-1a and VEGF mRNA, which may be one of molecular mechanisms underlying their synergistic antileukemia efficacy.