Position of the mandibular canal before and after bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy: a cone beam computed tomographic study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the position of the mandibular canal (MC) before and after bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy (BSSRO) using cone-beam computed tomography (CT), and to compare the position of the MC in Class II and Class III patients in the preoperative period. Patients were divided into two groups: Class II (n = 38) and Class III (n = 41). Measurements of the superior, inferior, buccal, and lingual distances of the MC in relation to the cortical bone were taken at three levels in the proximal segment of the mandible. Results were analysed using the Kruskal-Wallis test (p < 0.05). In the Class II group the superior distance of the MC at levels 2 and 3, and the inferior distance at level 3 significantly decreased after BSSRO. In the Class III group, no significant differences were found at any level, and the inferior distances at all levels were smaller preoperatively than those in the Class II group. In the Class II group the position of the MC altered in relation to superior and inferior cortical bone after BSSRO. However, the position of the MC remained stable in the Class III group. Our results also suggest a deeper cut in inferior cortical bone in Class III patients.

Neutropenia and survival outcomes in metastatic colorectal cancer patients treated with trifluridine/tipiracil in the RECOURSE and J003 trials.

BACKGROUND: The phase II J003 (N = 169) and phase III RECOURSE (N = 800) trials demonstrated a significant improvement in survival with trifluridine (FTD)/tipiracil (TPI) versus placebo in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer. This post hoc analysis investigated pharmacokinetic data of FTD/TPI exposure and pharmacodynamic markers, such as chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (CIN) and clinical outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 210 patients from RECOURSE were enrolled in this substudy. A limited sampling approach was used, with three pharmacokinetic samples drawn on day 12 of cycle 1. Patients were categorized as being above or below the median area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) for FTD and TPI. We conducted a post hoc analysis using the entire RECOURSE population to determine the correlations between CIN and clinical outcome. We then carried out a similar analysis on the J003 trial to validate the results. RESULTS: In the RECOURSE subset, patients in the high FTD AUC group had a significantly increased CIN risk. Analyses of the entire population demonstrated that FTD/TPI-treated patients with CIN of any grade in cycles 1 and 2 had significantly longer median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) than patients who did not develop CIN and patients in the placebo group. Patients who required an FTD/TPI treatment delay had increased OS and PFS versus those in the placebo group and those who did not develop CIN. Similar results were obtained in the J003 cohort. CONCLUSIONS: In RECOURSE, patients with higher FTD drug exposure had an increased CIN risk. FTD/TPI-treated patients who developed CIN had improved OS and PFS versus those in the placebo group and those who did not develop CIN. Similar findings were reported in the J003 cohort, thus validating the RECOURSE results. The occurrence of CIN may be a useful predictor of treatment outcomes for FTD/TPI-treated patients. CLINICALTRIALS. GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT01607957 (RECOURSE). JAPAN PHARMACEUTICAL INFORMATION CENTER NUMBER: JapicCTI-090880 (J003).

Preoperative Cerebral Oxygen Extraction Fraction Imaging Generated from 7T MR Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping Predicts Development of Cerebral Hyperperfusion following Carotid Endarterectomy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Preoperative hemodynamic impairment in the affected cerebral hemisphere is associated with the development of cerebral hyperperfusion following carotid endarterectomy. Cerebral oxygen extraction fraction images generated from 7T MR quantitative susceptibility mapping correlate with oxygen extraction fraction images on positron-emission tomography. The present study aimed to determine whether preoperative oxygen extraction fraction imaging generated from 7T MR quantitative susceptibility mapping could identify patients at risk for cerebral hyperperfusion following carotid endarterectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-seven patients with unilateral internal carotid artery stenosis (≥70%) underwent preoperative 3D T2*-weighted imaging using a multiple dipole-inversion algorithm with a 7T MR imager. Quantitative susceptibility mapping images were then obtained, and oxygen extraction fraction maps were generated. Quantitative brain perfusion single-photon emission CT was also performed before and immediately after carotid endarterectomy. ROIs were automatically placed in the bilateral middle cerebral artery territories in all images using a 3D stereotactic ROI template, and affected-to-contralateral ratios in the ROIs were calculated on quantitative susceptibility mapping-oxygen extraction fraction images. RESULTS: Ten patients (13%) showed post-carotid endarterectomy hyperperfusion (cerebral blood flow increases of ≥100% compared with preoperative values in the ROIs on brain perfusion SPECT). Multivariate analysis showed that a high quantitative susceptibility mapping-oxygen extraction fraction ratio was significantly associated with the development of post-carotid endarterectomy hyperperfusion (95% confidence interval, 33.5-249.7; P = .002). Sensitivity, specificity, and positive- and negative-predictive values of the quantitative susceptibility mapping-oxygen extraction fraction ratio for the prediction of the development of post-carotid endarterectomy hyperperfusion were 90%, 84%, 45%, and 98%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative oxygen extraction fraction imaging generated from 7T MR quantitative susceptibility mapping identifies patients at risk for cerebral hyperperfusion following carotid endarterectomy.

Sepiolite as a promising nanoclay for nano-biocomposites based on starch and biodegradable polyester.

The effects of sepiolite addition (0, 1, 3 and 5wt%) were evaluated on dynamic-mechanical behaviour, water uptake, thermal and optical properties of thermoplastic starch (TPS)/poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) nano-biocomposites, with different TPS/PBAT (w/w) ratios and nanofiller contents. The results highlighted the improvement of the dynamic-mechanical behaviour with the addition of sepiolite, producing high performance materials. An increase of 25°C in the Tg of TPS was recorded by DMTA analysis at sepiolite content of 5wt%. The sepiolite influenced the crystallisation of nano-biocomposites, without causing interference in the crystal organisation, evidenced by DSC analysis. The addition of sepiolite nanoclay decreased the water adsorption rate and water adsorption capacity of the corresponding nano-biocomposites. For such multiphase systems, the successful use of natural sepiolite brought a clear benefit, without the need of any modifications or additional processes to produce advanced nano-biocomposites.

Abnormal asymmetries in subcortical brain volume in schizophrenia.

Subcortical structures, which include the basal ganglia and parts of the limbic system, have key roles in learning, motor control and emotion, but also contribute to higher-order executive functions. Prior studies have reported volumetric alterations in subcortical regions in schizophrenia. Reported results have sometimes been heterogeneous, and few large-scale investigations have been conducted. Moreover, few large-scale studies have assessed asymmetries of subcortical volumes in schizophrenia. Here, as a work completely independent of a study performed by the ENIGMA consortium, we conducted a large-scale multisite study of subcortical volumetric differences between patients with schizophrenia and controls. We also explored the laterality of subcortical regions to identify characteristic similarities and differences between them. T1-weighted images from 1680 healthy individuals and 884 patients with schizophrenia, obtained with 15 imaging protocols at 11 sites, were processed with FreeSurfer. Group differences were calculated for each protocol and meta-analyzed. Compared with controls, patients with schizophrenia demonstrated smaller bilateral hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus and accumbens volumes as well as intracranial volume, but larger bilateral caudate, putamen, pallidum and lateral ventricle volumes. We replicated the rank order of effect sizes for subcortical volumetric changes in schizophrenia reported by the ENIGMA consortium. Further, we revealed leftward asymmetry for thalamus, lateral ventricle, caudate and putamen volumes, and rightward asymmetry for amygdala and hippocampal volumes in both controls and patients with schizophrenia. Also, we demonstrated a schizophrenia-specific leftward asymmetry for pallidum volume. These findings suggest the possibility of aberrant laterality in neural pathways and connectivity patterns related to the pallidum in schizophrenia.

Effect of active packaging on low-sodium restructured chicken steaks.

Contributing for a healthier lifestyle, the technology of active and biodegradable packaging with antimicrobial and/or antioxidants compounds and reduced sodium intake have been increasingly applied in meat and meat products. Thus, the objective of this research was to assess the effectiveness of oregano essential oil (OEO) and potassium sorbate incorporated in packaging applied to the restructured chicken steaks with 40 % reduction in sodium chloride in frozen storage for 150 days. The composition of packaging did not influence moisture, crude protein, total lipids, ash, sodium and potassium content as well as pH evaluated on days 0 and 150. Salty taste was the only significant indication in the sensory analysis (p < 0.05). The use of 1 % and 0.5 % OEO incorporated in packaging reduced rancidity through lipid oxidation and can be regarded as an active antioxidant; the use of oregano or potassium sorbate in active films caused the development delay effect E. coli. Thus, the use of active packaging may maintain the product quality.

Influence of parameter settings in voxel-based morphometry 8. Using DARTEL and region-of-interest on reproducibility in gray matter volumetry.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether reproducibility of gray matter volumetry is influenced by parameter settings for VBM 8 using Diffeomorphic Anatomical Registration Through Exponentiated Lie Algebra (DARTEL) with region-of-interest (ROI) analyses. METHODS: We prepared three-dimensional T1-weighted magnetic resonance images (3D-T1WIs) of 21 healthy subjects. All subjects were imaged with each of five MRI systems. Voxel-based morphometry 8 (VBM 8) and WFU PickAtlas software were used for gray matter volumetry. The bilateral ROI labels used were those provided as default settings with the software: Frontal Lobe, Hippocampus, Occipital Lobe, Orbital Gyrus, Parietal Lobe, Putamen, and Temporal Lobe. All 3D-T1WIs were segmented to gray matter with six parameters of VBM 8, with each parameter having between three and eight selectable levels. Reproducibility was evaluated as the standard deviation (mm³) of measured values for the five MRI systems. RESULTS: Reproducibility was influenced by 'Bias regularization (BiasR)', 'Bias FWHM', and 'De-noising filter' settings, but not by 'MRF weighting', 'Sampling distance', or 'Warping regularization' settings. Reproducibility in BiasR was influenced by ROI. Superior reproducibility was observed in Frontal Lobe with the BiasR1 setting, and in Hippocampus, Parietal Lobe, and Putamen with the BiasR3*, BiasR1, and BiasR5 settings, respectively. CONCLUSION: Reproducibility of gray matter volumetry was influenced by parameter settings in VBM 8 using DARTEL and ROI. In multi-center studies, the use of appropriate settings in VBM 8 with DARTEL results in reduced scanner effect.

Elaboration, morphology and properties of starch/polyester nano-biocomposites based on sepiolite clay.

The incorporation of nano-sized sepiolite clays into thermoplastic starch/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (TPS/PBAT) blends has been investigated with the goal of improving the matrix properties. TPS/PBAT nano-biocomposites were elaborated with two different proportions of the polymeric phases. The influence of the sepiolite nanoclays on the mechanical, thermal and structural properties of the corresponding blends was evaluated. SEM images confirmed the good dispersion of the sepiolite clay, with a low occurrence of small aggregates in the polymeric matrix. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction showed no significant alteration of the crystalline structures of PBAT and starch induced by the sepiolite clay. The addition of sepiolite slightly affected the thermal degradation of the nano-biocomposites; however, the mechanical tests revealed an increase in some mechanical properties, demonstrating that sepiolite is a promising nanofiller for TPS-based materials.

Progress in development of neutron energy spectrometer for deuterium plasma operation in KSTAR.

Two types of DD neutron energy spectrometer (NES) are under development for deuterium plasma operation in KSTAR to understand behavior of beam ions in the plasma. One is based on the state-of-the-art nuclear emulsion technique. The other is based on a coincidence detection of a recoiled proton and a scattered neutron caused by an elastic scattering of an incident DD neutron, which is called an associated particle coincidence counting-NES. The prototype NES systems were installed at J-port in KSTAR in 2012. During the 2012 and 2013 experimental campaigns, multiple shots-integrated neutron spectra were preliminarily obtained by the nuclear emulsion-based NES system.

Common variants at 1p36 are associated with superior frontal gyrus volume.

The superior frontal gyrus (SFG), an area of the brain frequently found to have reduced gray matter in patients with schizophrenia, is involved in self-awareness and emotion, which are impaired in schizophrenia. However, no genome-wide association studies of SFG volume have investigated in patients with schizophrenia. To identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with SFG volumes, we demonstrated a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of gray matter volumes in the right or left SFG of 158 patients with schizophrenia and 378 healthy subjects. We attempted to bioinformatically ascertain the potential effects of the top hit polymorphism on the expression levels of genes at the genome-wide region. We found associations between five variants on 1p36.12 and the right SFG volume at a widely used benchmark for genome-wide significance (P<5.0 × 10(-8)). The strongest association was observed at rs4654899, an intronic SNP in the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4 gamma, 3 (EIF4G3) gene on 1p36.12 (P=7.5 × 10(-9)). No SNP with genome-wide significance was found in the volume of the left SFG (P>5.0 × 10(-8)); however, the rs4654899 polymorphism was identified as the locus with the second strongest association with the volume of the left SFG (P=1.5 × 10(-6)). In silico analyses revealed a proxy SNP of rs4654899 had effect on gene expression of two genes, HP1BP3 lying 3' to EIF4G3 (P=7.8 × 10(-6)) and CAPN14 at 2p (P=6.3 × 10(-6)), which are expressed in moderate-to-high levels throughout the adult human SFG. These results contribute to understand genetic architecture of a brain structure possibly linked to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.

Physical and structural characterisation of starch/polyester blends with tartaric acid.

Starch/PBAT blends were produced by reactive extrusion with tartaric acid (TA) as an additive. The effects of TA, glycerol and starch+PBAT on the mechanical, optical and structural properties of the films were evaluated, with formulations based in a constrained mixture design. Tartaric acid acts as a compatibiliser and promotes the acid hydrolysis of starch chains. These two functions explain the observed film resistance and opacity. TA reduced the weight loss in water. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that TA reduces the interfacial tension between the polymeric phases, resulting in more homogeneous films. Nuclear magnetic resonance ((13)C CPMAS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) suggest that tartaric acid is able to react with the hydroxyl groups of the starch by esterification/transesterification reactions, confirming its role as a compatibiliser. The addition of TA results in materials with better properties that are suitable for use in food packaging.

Active biodegradable films produced with blends of rice flour and poly(butylene adipate co-terephthalate): effect of potassium sorbate on film characteristics.

The objective of work was to produce and characterize biodegradable films from rice flour, poly(butylene adipate co-terephthalate) (PBAT), glycerol and potassium sorbate, for application as active packaging for fresh lasagna pasta. The films were evaluated with respect to their optical, water vapor barrier, mechanical and microstructural properties. The mechanical properties and microstructure were evaluated after use as packaging material for fresh pasta for 45 days at 7°C. The blends of rice flour, PBAT, glycerol and potassium sorbate showed good processability and allowed for the pilot scale production of films by blow extrusion process. The addition of 1 to 5% potassium sorbate as plasticizer agent of films in place of glycerol did not alter the film mechanical properties and a sorbate concentration greater or equal than 3% reduced the opacity, although increasing the water vapor permeability. The films could be used as active packaging for fresh food pasta, since they remained integral and easy to handle after application. The rice flour was shown to be an excellent material for the formulation of biodegradable films, since it is a low-cost raw material from a renewable source. The addition of potassium sorbate did not affect the extrusion process, and could be used in the production of packaging for use with foods.

Mixture design applied for the study of the tartaric acid effect on starch/polyester films.

Tartaric acid (TA), a dicarboxylic acid, can act as a compatibiliser in starch/polyester blends. A mixture design was proposed to evaluate the effect of TA on the properties of starch/poly (butylene adipate co-terephthalate) (PBAT) blown films plasticised with glycerol. The interaction between the starch/PBAT and the TA has a positive effect on the tensile strength and puncture force. Additionally, greater proportions of TA increased Young's modulus. The starch+PBAT/TA and Gly/TA interactions contributed to a reduction in the water vapour permeability of the films. The inclusion of TA did not change the crystallinity of the samples. Formulations with intermediate proportions of TA (0.8 g/100 g) were shown to produce the best compatibilising effect. This was observed by DMA analysis as a consequence of the perfect equilibrium between the contributions of TA as a compatibiliser and in the acidolysis of starch, resulting in films with a tensile strength of 5.93 MPa, a possible alternative to non-biodegradable packaging.

Development of biodegradable flexible films of starch and poly(lactic acid) plasticized with adipate or citrate esters.

Biodegradable films were produced from blends contained a high amount of thermoplastic starch (TPS) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) plasticized with different adipate or citrate esters. It was not possible to obtain pellets for the production of films using only glycerol as a plasticizer. The plasticization of the PLA with the esters and mixture stages added through extrusion was critical to achieve a blend capable of producing films by blow extrusion. Adipate esters were the most effective plasticizers because they interacted best with the PLA and yielded films with appropriate mechanical properties.

Enhancement of gene expression by transcriptional activation using doxorubicin-loaded liposome/pDNA complexes.

Gene therapy is a promising treatment option for cancers generated by mutation of oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. The transcriptional process is activated by doxorubicin (DXR), and gene expression efficiency followed by gene transfection can be enhanced by the combination-use of DXR. Therefore, co-encapsulation of plasmid DNA (pDNA) and DXR into non-viral gene carriers can enhance gene expression. Here, we prepared DXR-loaded liposome/pDNA complexes (DXR-loaded PEGylated lipoplexes) by co-encapsulating pDNA and DXR into liposomes. Gene expression was enhanced by DXR encapsulation into lipoplexes in colon-26 cells and cultured mouse macrophages, and this gene expression level was significantly higher than that obtained by the combination of PEGylated lipoplexes and free DXR. Moreover, the activation profiles of transcriptional factors induced by DXR-loaded lipoplexes were different from those induced by free DXR; therefore, co-encapsulation of pDNA and DXR into gene carriers might be contributed to effective enhancement of gene expression. These findings provide a new approach for achieving effective gene transfection using PEGylated lipoplexes.

Chair rising exercise is more effective than one-leg standing exercise in improving dynamic body balance: a randomized controlled trial.

A randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare the effect of a one-leg standing exercise and a chair-rising exercise on body balance in patients with locomotive disorders. Thirty ambulatory patients (mean age: 66.6 years) were randomly divided into two groups (n=15 in each group): a one-leg standing exercise group and a chair-rising exercise group. All the participants performed calisthenics of the major muscles, a tandem gait exercise, and a stepping exercise. The exercises were performed 3 days per week, and the study period was 5 months. Physical function was evaluated at baseline and at one-month intervals. No significant differences in the baseline characteristics were observed between the two groups. After the 5-month exercise program, the timed up and go, one-leg standing time, and tandem gait time improved significantly in the one-leg standing exercise group, while the walking time and chair-rising time in addition to above parameters improved significantly in the chair-rising exercise group. The improvements in the walking time, chair-rising time, and tandem gait time were significantly greater in the chair-rising exercise group than in the one-leg standing exercise group. The present study showed that the chair-rising exercise was more effective than the one-leg standing exercise for improving walking velocity and dynamic body balance.

Automatic voxel-based morphometry of structural MRI by SPM8 plus diffeomorphic anatomic registration through exponentiated lie algebra improves the diagnosis of probable Alzheimer Disease.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The necessity for structural MRI is greater than ever to both diagnose AD in its early stage and objectively evaluate its progression. We propose a new VBM-based software program for automatic detection of early specific atrophy in AD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A target VOI was determined by group comparison of 30 patients with very mild AD and 40 age-matched healthy controls by using SPM. Then this target VOI was incorporated into a newly developed automated software program independently running on a Windows PC for VBM by using SPM8 plus DARTEL. ROC analysis was performed for discrimination of 116 other patients with AD with very mild stage (n = 45), mild stage (n = 30) and moderate-to-advanced stages (n = 41) from 40 other age-matched healthy controls by using a z score map in the target VOI. RESULTS: Medial temporal structures involving the entire region of the entorhinal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala showed significant atrophy in the patients with very mild AD and were determined as a target VOI. When we used the severity score of atrophy in this target VOI, 91.6%, 95.8%, and 98.2% accuracies were obtained in the very mild AD, mild AD, and moderate-to-severe AD groups, respectively. In the very mild AD group, a high specificity of 97.5% with a sensitivity of 86.4% was obtained, and age at onset of AD did not influence this accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: This software program with application of SPM8 plus DARTEL to VBM provides a high performance for AD diagnosis by using MRI.

Effect of organic acids as additives on the performance of thermoplastic starch/polyester blown films.

The influence of citric acid (CA), malic acid (MA) and tartaric acid (TA) in starch/poly (butylene adipate co-terephthalate) blown films was evaluated by examining the barrier, structural and mechanical properties of the films. These properties were analysed in different relative humidities. Greater concentrations of TA and CA (1.5 wt%) produced films with improved tensile strength (6.8±0.3 and 6.7±0.3 MPa, respectively), reduced water vapour permeability and a more homogeneous structure. The compatibilising effect of MA was less efficient, as shown in the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. Changes in the relative humidity (RH) affected the elongation of the films, which reached values of 5.7±0.5 at 33% RH and increased to 312.4±89.5% at 53% RH. The FT-IR spectra showed no additional reactions caused by the incorporation of the additives, and the observed results are attributed to the esterification reactions and/or hydrolysis of the starch, producing films with interesting properties. This process represents an alternative to the use of non-biodegradable materials.

Congenital microcephaly with a simplified gyral pattern: associated findings and their significance.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Primary microcephaly is an incompletely understood malformation that is often associated with developmental brain anomalies, yet whether the associated anomalies result from the microcephaly itself or from associated developmental/genetic mishaps is not yet understood. This study reviewed and analyzed a large number of MR imaging scans of children with microcephaly to determine the frequency of associated morphologic findings and to assess whether these findings were associated with the severity of the microcephaly. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR images of 119 patients with clinically diagnosed microcephaly were retrospectively reviewed, focusing on the degree of microcephaly, simplification of gyri, white matter volume, abnormalities of the corpus callosum, size and structure of posterior fossa contents, and myelination. Associations among the findings were evaluated by using the Spearman correlation coefficient and the Fisher exact test. RESULTS: Among 7 patients with mild, 42 with moderate, and 70 with extreme microcephaly, a significant correlation was identified between a greater degree of microcephaly and both a greater degree of simplified gyration and decreased white matter volume. The severity of the callosal anomaly showed a lower but still significant correlation with the severity of microcephaly. Degree of hypoplasia of posterior fossa structures, delay in myelination, and abnormality of the basal ganglia did not correlate with the degree of microcephaly. CONCLUSIONS: A strong correlation was found between the degree of microcephaly, the volume of white matter, and the presence of a simplified gyral pattern. These associations should be considered when attempting to use neuroimaging for segregation and classification of patients with microcephaly.

Enhanced growth inhibition of metastatic lung tumors by intravenous injection of ATRA-cationic liposome/IL-12 pDNA complexes in mice.

Interleukin 12 (IL-12) is a proinflammatory cytokine with antitumor activity. All-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) exerts antitumor effects by regulating a variety of gene expressions, including tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1), increases the number of TNFR1 and potentiates TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis in cancer cells. In this study, ATRA-incorporated cationic liposome (ATRA-cationic liposome)/IL-12 plasmid DNA (pDNA) complexes were prepared to improve therapeutic efficacy of cationic liposome/IL-12 pDNA complexes in a mouse model of metastatic lung tumor after intravenous injection. IL-12 production in lungs by ATRA-cationic liposome/IL-12 pDNA complexes was comparable with that by cationic liposome/IL-12 pDNA complexes. The number of metastatic tumor cells (colon26/Luc) was quantitatively evaluated by measuring luciferase activity. ATRA-cationic liposome/IL-12 pDNA complexes reduced the number of colon26/Luc cells and tumor nodules in lungs. ATRA-cationic liposome/IL-12 pDNA complexes significantly prolonged the survival time of mice, whereas cationic liposome/IL-12 pDNA only slightly prolonged it. ATRA-cationic liposome/IL-12 pDNA complexes increased the TNFR1 mRNA upregulation and the number of apoptotic cells in the lung. Moreover, reduced serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) activities were observed in mice treated with ATRA-cationic liposome/IL-12 pDNA complexes. These results suggest that intravenous injection of ATRA-cationic liposome/IL-12 pDNA complexes is an effective method for the treatment of lung metastasis in mice.