Technical note: multi-alleles at the DYS385ab locus with high frequency in a Han Chinese population from southwestern China.

Y-chromosome short tandem repeat (Y-STR) markers have been widely used in forensic applications and usually show monoallelic or diallelic genotypic patterns at certain double-copied loci. In this study, we have found 13 samples among 703 males with multi-alleles at the DYS385ab locus, including one with five mutant alleles, nine with four, and three with three. The frequency of abnormal DYS385ab genotypes was 1.85% (13/703), which is very high in the Han Chinese population. The percentage of samples with diallelic patterns at DYS385ab was higher than that of monoallelic patterns (80.23% vs. 17.92%). Additionally, the percentage of samples with tetra-allelic patterns at DYS385ab was higher than that of tri-allelic patterns (1.28% vs. 0.43%), suggesting that there are possibly two copies with duplicated events happening frequently on the Y chromosome. Interestingly, the peak height of allele 13 was two to three-folds higher than that of other alleles. The allele 18 peak height was also two-fold higher than others, which could potentially be explained by a duplication event mechanism. We also found that tri-allelic genotypes for alleles 13, 17, and 20, tetra-allelic genotypes for alleles 13, 14, 19, and 20, and tetra-allelic genotypes for alleles 12, 13, 19 and 21 were more common than others. Furthermore, all 13 samples had multi-alleles containing allele 13, implying a founder effect in this particular Chinese-specific ethnic group. Taken together, this study provides new information for this population and will be useful for paternal lineage identification, kinship analysis, and family relationship reconstruction using Y-STR forensic DNA analysis methods.

Safety and efficacy of apatinib combined with iodine-125 in chemotherapy-refractory advanced lung cancer: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Apatinib is a novel anti-angiogenic agent that targets vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2, and is effective in patients with advanced lung cancer who are refractory to first-line chemotherapy. However, there are limited reports on concurrent apatinib therapy with iodine-125 radioactive seeds brachytherapy in elderly patients with advanced lung cancer. PATIENT CONCERNS: We describe the first reported case of a 70-year-old woman with advanced lung cancer (T3N3M1, stage IV) who received concurrent apatinib and iodine-125 radioactive seeds brachytherapy after the failure of platinum-based doublet chemotherapy DIAGNOSIS:: The patient was diagnosed with left lower lung cancer with mediastinal lymph node metastasis by chest computed tomography. INTERVENTIONS: Initially, apatinib alone was used as second-line cancer therapy. Subsequently, the patient received concurrent apatinib and iodine-125 radioactive seeds brachytherapy. OUTCOMES: The patient achieved partial response shortly after undergoing treatment with only apatinib. During the treatment, the tumor continued to respond to apatinib therapy, and the lung metastases were diminished eventually. However, a chest computed tomography scan showed a large cavity in the lung tumor. Thereafter, the patient received concurrent apatinib and iodine-125 radioactive seeds brachytherapy. Unfortunately, she died due to pulmonary infection. CONCLUSION: Apatinib alone may be a good second-line therapy for advanced lung cancer patients who are refractory to platinum-based doublet chemotherapy. However, its potential benefits, especially as combination therapy, need further investigation by future prospective clinical studies. Elderly patients with advanced lung cancer may benefit from concurrent apatinib with iodine-125 radioactive seeds brachytherapy when chemotherapy is not tolerated or effective. Further studies are needed to investigate the clinical outcomes and toxicities associated with concurrent apatinib and radiation therapy in patients with advanced lung cancer.