Preparation of a bis-triazolyl bridged ß-cyclodextrin stationary phase and its application for enantioseparation of chiral compounds by HPLC.

A novel bis-triazolyl bridged ß-cyclodextrin was first synthesized by the Click reaction between azido-ß-cyclodextrin and 1,6-heptadiyne. Then it was bonded onto silica gel to obtain a bis-triazolyl bridged ß-cyclodextrin-based chiral stationary phase (BCDP). After structure characterization, the HPLC performance of BCDP was systematically evaluated by using different types of compounds as probes. The results showed that BCDP could well separate 18 kinds of achiral aromatic compounds (homologues, positional isomers, etc.) and 35 kinds of chiral drugs or pesticides, such as triazoles (Rs = 1.33-3.15), flavanones (Rs = 1.49-2.62), dansyl amino acids (Rs = 0.96-1.99), and ß-blocker drugs (Rs = 0.68-2.78). BCDP could separate a wider range of compounds (53 kinds); especially, some chiral substance pairs that were difficult to be resolved on the ordinary cyclodextrin CSPs, including triazoles containing two chiral carbons (triadimenol, bitertanol, metconazole, and triticonazole), strongly ionized amino acids (acidic Asp, alkalic Arg, and polar Thr) and ß-blockers with bulky groups (carvedilol, propranolol, and pindolol). Obviously, the unique synergistic inclusion effect of bridged cyclodextrin with double cavities and the bis-triazole bridging group could provide multiple action sites, such as hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking and acid-base action sites, thus improving its chiral chromatographic performance.

Intestinal recruitment of CCR6-expressing Th17 cells by suppressing miR-681 alleviates endotoxemia-induced intestinal injury and reduces mortality.

INTRODUCTION: Sepsis or endotoxemia can induce intestinal dysfunction in the epithelial and immune barrier. Th17 cells, a distinct subset of CD4+ T-helper cells, act as "border patrol" in the intestine under pathological condition and in the previous studies, Th17 cells exhibited an ambiguous function in intestinal inflammation. Our study will explore a specific role of Th17 cells and its relevant mechanism in endotoxemia-induced intestinal injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Lipopolysaccharide was used to establish mouse model of endotoxemia. miR-681 was analyzed by RT-PCR and northern blot analysis and its regulation by HIF-1α was determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assay. Intestinal Th17 cells isolated from endotoxemic mice were quantitatively evaluated by flow cytometry and its recruitment to the intestine controlled by miR-681/CCR6 pathway was assessed by using anti-miRNA treatment and CCR6 knockout mice. Intestinal histopathology, villus length, intestinal inflammation, intestinal permeability, bacterial translocation and survival were investigated, by histology and TUNEL analysis, ELISA, measurement of diamine oxidase, bacterial culture, with or without anti-miR-681 treatment in endotoxemic wild-type and (or) CCR6 knockout mice. RESULTS: In this study, we found that miR-681 was significantly promoted in intestinal Th17 cells during endotoxemia, which was dependent on hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). Interestingly, miR-681 could directly suppress CCR6, which was a critical modulator for Th17 cell recruitment to the intestines. In vivo, anti-miR-681 enhanced survival, increased number of intestinal Th17 cells, reduced crypt and villi apoptosis, decreased intestinal inflammation and bacterial translocation, resulting in protection against endotoxemia-induced intestinal injury in mice. However, CCR6 deficiency could neutralize the beneficial effect of anti-miR-681 on the intestine during endotoxemia, suggesting that the increment of intestinal Th17 cells caused by anti-miR-681 relies on CCR6 expression. CONCLUSION: The results of the study indicate that control of intestinal Th17 cells by regulating novel miR-681/CCR6 signaling attenuates endotoxemia-induced intestinal injury.

Effect of CIP2A and its mechanism of action in the malignant biological behavior of colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence has revealed a close correlation between cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (CIP2A) and cancer progression. CIP2A has been shown to participate in diverse biological processes, such as development, tumorigenic transformation and chemoresistance. However, the functions of CIP2A in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its underlying mechanisms of action are not yet completely understood. The purpose of this study was to explore its clinical significance, function and relevant pathways in CRC. METHODS: Quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR), immunohistochemistry (IHC), western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to identify the expression of CIP2A in CRC tissues, sera and CRC cell lines. The association between the expressions of CIP2A and patient survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier curves. Additionally, the functional role of CIP2A in the cell lines was identified through small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated depletion of the protein followed by analyses of proliferation and xenograft growth in vivo using short hairpin (sh) RNAs. Effects of the C-myc inhibitor 10,058-F4 on the expressions of C-myc, and CIP2A in CRC cell lines and its potential mechanisms of action were investigated. Finally, the potential molecular pathways associated with CIP2A were screened using the phosphokinase array and identified through western blotting. RESULTS: CIP2A mRNA and protein levels were upregulated in CRC tissues compared to those of the corresponding normal tissues. It can be used as an independent prognostic indicator to determine overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Depletion of CIP2A substantially suppressed the growth of CRC cells and colony formation in vitro, and inhibited the growth of xenograft tumors in vivo. Additionally, the levels of CIP2A in the sera of patients with CRC were higher than those of the control subjects. Multivariate analyses revealed that the levels of CIP2A in the sera were not independent prognostic indicators in patients with CRC. Moreover, 10,058-F4 could effectively inhibit the growth of CRC cells in vitro, which could be correlated with an inhibition in the expressions of C-myc, CIP2A and its downstream regulatory anti-apoptotic proteins. Furthermore, the Human Phosphokinase Antibody Array was used to gain insights into the CIP2A-dependent intermediary signaling pathways. The results revealed that several signaling pathways were affected and the protein levels of p-p53 (S392), p-STAT5a (Y694), Cyclin D1, p-ERK1/2 and p-AKT (T308) had decreased in CIP2A-shRNA group based on the results of the western blot analysis. CONCLUSIONS: CIP2A could promote the development of CRC cells and predict poor prognosis in patients with CRC, suggesting that it may serve as a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target against CRC. Video Abstract.

The role of clinically significant portal hypertension in hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma patients: a propensity score matching analysis.

BACKGROUND: Whether portal hypertension (PHT) is an appropriate contraindication for hepatic resection (HR) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patient is still under debate. AIMS: Our aim was to assess the impact of clinically significant PHT on postoperative complication and prognosis in HCC patients who undergo HR. METHODS: Two hundred and nine HCC patients who underwent HR as the initial treatment were divided into two groups according to the presence (n = 102) or absence (n = 107) of clinically significant PHT. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to compare postoperative outcomes and survival. RESULTS: Before PSM, PHT patients had higher rates of postoperative complication (43.1% vs. 23.4%; P = 0.002) and liver decompensation (37.3% vs. 17.8%; P = 0.002) with similar rates of recurrence-free survival (RFS; P = 0.369) and overall survival (OS; P = 0.205) compared with that of non-PHT patients. However, repeat analysis following PSM revealed similar rates of postoperative complication (32.2% vs. 39.0%; P = 0.442), liver decompensation (25.4% vs. 32.2%; P = 0.416), RFS (P = 0.481) and OS (P = 0.417; 59 patients in each group). Presence of PHT was not associated with complication by logistic regression analysis, or with overall survival by Cox regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of clinically significant PHT had no impact on postoperative complication and prognosis, and should not be regarded as a contraindication for HR in HCC patients.

Interleukin-32 contributes to invasion and metastasis of primary lung adenocarcinoma via NF-kappaB induced matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 expression.

Interleukin (IL)-32 is a novel proinflammatory cytokine, which has been shown to play an important role in tumor growth and metastasis. Here, we discovered that IL-32 was aberrantly over-expressed in lung adenocarcinoma tissues and cell lines. Positive expression of IL-32 significantly correlated with the clinical staging, and lymph node and distant metastases. High expression of IL-32 was an independent indicator of poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma patients. Moreover, IL-32-facilitated cell migration and invasion in vitro was mediated through transactivation of the nuclear transcription factor (NF)-κB signaling pathway and subsequent upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP9 expression. These studies demonstrate that IL-32 plays a role in the tumor-associated inflammatory microenvironment and that overexpression of IL-32 contributes to invasion and metastasis in primary lung adenocarcinoma, suggesting that it may have clinical utility as a prognostic biomarker and potential target for immunotherapy in lung adenocarcinoma.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with contemporary involvement of central and peripheral nervous system: A case report and literature review.

Introduction: Simultaneous involvement of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and central nervous system (CNS) during the same period in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is rarely documented. In this particular case, the diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was pathologically confirmed, with invasion into the basal ganglia, diencephalon, and several peripheral nerves. The initial clinical manifestations were dyspnoea and hyperventilation. Case presentation: The patient presented to the hospital with fatigue, dyspnoea, and limb pain for over 7 months, accompanied by progressive breathlessness and unconsciousness in the last 6 days. Initial treatment with glucocorticoids for Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) proved ineffective in controlling the severe shortness of breath and hyperventilation, necessitating the use of ventilator-assisted ventilation. 18-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18FDG PET/CT) showed that the basal ganglia, brainstem, and multiple peripheral nerves were thickened and metabolically active. There were atypical cells in the cerebrospinal fluid; the pathology indicated invasive B-cell lymphoma, demonstrating a propensity toward diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). After receiving chemotherapy, the patient regained consciousness and was successfully weaned off ventilator assistance but died of severe pneumonia. Discussion: The early clinical manifestations of DLBCL lack specificity, and multifocal DLBCL complicates the diagnostic process. When a single primary disease cannot explain multiple symptoms, the possibility of DLBCL should be considered, and nervous system invasion should be considered when nervous system symptoms are present. Once nervous system involvement occurs in DLBCL, whether the central or peripheral nervous system, it indicates a poor prognosis.

Preparation and Evaluation of an Azobenzenediamide Bridged bis(ß-Cyclodextrin)-Bonded Chiral Stationary Phase for HPLC.

An azobenzenediamide bridged bis(ß-cyclodextrin) chiral stationary phase (AZCDP) was prepared, and its high-performance liquid chromatography performance in reversed-phase and polar organic modes was evaluated by chiral probes, including triazoles, flavanones, amino acids and ß-blockers. The results showed that AZCDP had strong chiral separation ability and the 40 chiral compounds were successfully resolved, of which 32 were completely separated (Rs ≥ 1.5) and the best enantioresolution was up to 3.93 within 20 min under a wide range of pH value and temperature. The separation ability of AZCDP with double cavities was significantly better than common CD-CSPs with single cavity, which was related to the synergistic inclusion effect. Compared with the previously reported stilbene (C=C)-bridged CSP, AZCDP with azobenzene (N=N)-bridged had a wider resolution range. For example, it could resolve myclobutanil, pindolol, carteolol, betaxolol, bevanolol and bitertanol, which could not be resolved before, and should be related to the fact that the flexible N=N was more compatible with the synergistic inclusion between cavities than the rigid C=C bridge group. The azobenzenediamide bridging group could also provide hydrogen bond, π-π and other sites, which was conducive to chiral separations.

Influence of AFP on surgical outcomes in non-B non-C patients with curative resection for hepatocellular carcinoma.

To study the clinical and prognostic features of non-B non-C alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)(-)-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (NBNC-AFP(-)-HCC) and the relationship between the prognostic features of HCC and hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) status and AFP. We enrolled 227 patients who underwent hepatic resection for HCC between January 1998 and December 2007 at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, all of whom were diagnosed with HCC by pathology. All patients were stratified into one of four groups (B-AFP(+)-HCC, B-AFP(-)-HCC, NBNC-AFP(+)-HCC, and NBNC-AFP(-)-HCC) according to AFP levels and HBsAg status. The clinicopathologic and survival characteristics of NBNC-AFP(-)-HCC patients were compared with those of all other three groups. Out of the 105 NBNC-HCC patients, 43 patients (40.9%) had AFP-negative HCC. There were some differences in factors between the B-AFP(+) and NBNC-AFP(-) patients, such as age, body mass index (BMI), diabetes, and ALT (P < 0.05). On univariate analysis, tumour size, secondary tumour, and portal invasion were prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) (P < 0.05). Cox multivariate regression analysis suggested that tumour size and tumour number (P < 0.05) were independent predictors. In addition, compared with the B-AFP(+)-HCC, B-AFP(-)-HCC, and NBNC-AFP(+)-HCC groups, the NBNC-AFP(-)-HCC patients had the best DFS (P < 0.05). Compared with the B-AFP(+)-HCC and NBNC-AFP(+)-HCC groups, the NBNC-AFP(-)-HCC patients had better OS (P < 0.05), and survival rates were similar to those of B-AFP(-)-HCC patients. NBNC-AFP(-)-HCC patients had a relatively favourable prognosis. It can serve as a useful marker in predicting the risk of tumour recurrence in the early stages.

Atypical Sweet syndrome: skin sinus tracts in an acutely febrile patient after lymphoma treatment: a case report.

Sweet syndrome (SS) is an uncommon inflammatory disease that involves painful skin, edematous, red papules, plaques, or nodules often accompanied by fever and leukocytosis. SS has three subtypes, including classical, malignant-tumor associated, and drug-induced SS (DISS). Patients with DISS have clear histories of recent drug exposure. The incidence of SS is high in hematological malignancy but rare in lymphomas. Glucocorticoid treatment is the recommended treatment for all subtypes of SS. This case study describes a male patient who had a history of sALCL(Systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma) and was treated with multiple cycles of monoclonal-antibody (mAb) therapy. They also received the G-CSF injection at the site where skin lesions later developed. They met the diagnosis criteria for DISS, which was considered to be caused by the G-CSF injection. In addition, BV(Brentuximab vedotin) administration might predispose them to DISS. This case illustrates the first reported SS during the lymphoma treatment, with rare clinical presentations of local crater-like suppurative skin lesions. This case expands the available literature on SS and hematologic neoplasms and reminds clinicians to promptly recognize and diagnose SS to minimize patient morbidity and long-term sequelae.

Recent developments in ionization techniques for single-cell mass spectrometry.

The variation among individual cells plays a significant role in many biological functions. Single-cell analysis is advantageous for gaining insight into intricate biochemical mechanisms rarely accessible when studying tissues as a whole. However, measurement on a unicellular scale is still challenging due to unicellular complex composition, minute substance quantities, and considerable differences in compound concentrations. Mass spectrometry has recently gained extensive attention in unicellular analytical fields due to its exceptional sensitivity, throughput, and compound identification abilities. At present, single-cell mass spectrometry primarily concentrates on the enhancement of ionization methods. The principal ionization approaches encompass nanoelectrospray ionization (nano-ESI), laser desorption ionization (LDI), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), and inductively coupled plasma (ICP). This article summarizes the most recent advancements in ionization techniques and explores their potential directions within the field of single-cell mass spectrometry.

Reduced expression of Krüppel-like factor 17 is related to tumor growth and poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma.

Krüppel-like factor 17 (KLF17), a new member of the Krüppel-like factors (KLFs), has been reported to be a negative regulator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis in breast cancer. However, the biological role and clinical significance of KLF17 in lung adenocarcinoma has been less clear. In the present study, we showed that KLF17 expression was decreased in lung adenocarcinoma. Reduced expression of KLF17 was correlated significantly with a short survival time in patients with lung adenocarcinoma (P<0.0001). Moreover, KLF17 expression was an independent prognostic indicator for patients with lung adenocarcinoma. KLF17 expression level was correlated with the tumor stage (P=0.016) and tumor size (P=0.001) in lung adenocarcinoma. Overexpression of KLF17 inhibited cell growth in A549 and PC-9 cell lines. In conclusion, it is possible that KLF17 inhibits tumor growth in lung adenocarcinoma. The reduced expression of KLF17 is a valuable prognostic indicator for patients with lung adenocarcinoma, and KLF17 could be a novel target for treatment of lung adenocarcinoma.

Preparation and evaluation of a perylenediimide bridged bis(ß-cyclodextrin) chiral stationary phase for HPLC.

A large π-conjugated perylenediimide bridged bis(ß-cyclodextrin)-bonded stationary phase (PBCDP) was first prepared and characterized. The chiral HPLC performance was systematically evaluated using a series of chiral probes. The results showed that PBCDP could resolve 36 kinds of chiral compounds in reversed-phase and polar organic modes with high resolutions (Rs) 1.48-3.28 for profens, 1.25-2.85 for triazoles, 1.34-5.29 for flavanones, 1.66-4.58 for amino acids and 1.22-1.97 for ß-blockers. Especially, PBCDP could completely resolve acidic non-steroidal chiral drugs (profens) and simultaneously resolve basic five triazole pesticides, which were difficult to separate by ordinary CDCSP. Compared with CDCSP (15 kinds), the new stationary phase has a wider resolution range (36 kinds). Obviously, the synergistic inclusion of the two cavities of bridged cyclodextrin, as well as the large π-π stacking, hydrogen bond, dipole-dipole and basic primary amine site (-NH-) provided by the perylenediimide bridging group contributed together to the improvement of the above chiral separations. PBCDP was a new type of versatile chiral separation material without port derivatization.

1,25(OH)2D3 promotes the elimination of Klebsiella pneumoniae infection by inducing autophagy through the VDR-ATG16L1 pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have shown that vitamin D has regulatory functions in both innate and adaptive immune responses, indicating that it can perform essential roles in host resistance to pathogen infections. This study aimed to verify its effects on Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) infection and explore the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: THP-1-derived macrophages were infected with Kp and then incubated with 1,25(OH)2D3. Autophagy induced by 1,25(OH)2D3 was investigated by western blotting and immunofluorescence. Real-time PCR (qPCR) was performed to determine the expression of inflammatory mediators. Baf A1 and 3-MA were used to inhibit autophagy. The intracellular killing of Kp was measured using qPCR and colony-forming unit assays. RNA interference assays were used to silence VDR or ATG16L1. The lungs of C57BL/6 mice were infected with Kp via intratracheal instillation, and the established pneumonia models were used for in vivo validation experiments. RESULTS: Treatment with 1,25(OH)2D3 enhanced the bactericidal activity of macrophages and concomitantly reduced the expression of the pro-inflammatory mediators TNF-α and IL-6. Kp infection led to a lower expression level of VDR in macrophages than in the control, whereas co-treatment with 1,25(OH)2D3 up-regulated VDR expression and robustly induced autophagy via the VDR signaling pathway. Silencing ATG16L1 significantly counteracted autophagy induced by 1,25(OH)2D3 in Kp-infected macrophages. Furthermore, we found that when autophagy activity was diminished by ATG16L1 siRNA or blocked by Baf A1, the ability of 1,25(OH)2D3 to promote macrophages to eliminate Kp infection was obviously impaired, as were its anti-inflammatory effects. These protective efficacies of 1,25(OH)2D3 against Kp infection were also validated in vivo using a mouse model of pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated the protective features of 1,25(OH)2D3 in macrophages against Kp infection and may provide evidence for further exploration of its potential as an adjunctive therapy agent for the treatment of bacterial infections.

Peripherally inserted central catheter-related bloodstream infections in patients with hematological malignancies: A retrospective 7-years single-center study.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to investigate the nature and incidence of bloodstream infection complications and to identify the risk factors of central catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI). METHODS: During the study period, 291 consecutive patients with hematological malignancies who underwent PICC placement were retrospectively enrolled. We analyzed the covariates that were specified a priori for their association with CRBSI through multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models. The association between each predictor and the related outcome was expressed using hazard ratios (HRs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Of 391 peripherally inserted central catheter (PICCs) were inserted in 291 patients for a total of 63,714 catheter days during 7 years, with an infection rate of 0.71/1,000 catheter days. Among the patients with hematological malignancies, those with acute leukemia were prone to CRBSI. Having previous bloodstream infection (BSI) (HR 18.139; 95% CI, 8.19-40.174; P < .0001), the number of PICCs insertions (HR 4.695; 95% CI, 1.842-11.967; P = .001) (twice), (HR 6.794; 95% CI, 1.909-24.181; P = .003) (≥3 times) were significantly associated with CRBSI. Not accompanied by chronic comorbidities (HR 0.34; 95% CI, 0.131-0.887; P = .028) and longer duration of PICC use (days) (HR 0.997; 95% CI, 0.994-0.999; P = .008) might be protective factors preventing CRBSI. CONCLUSIONS: Our finding suggests that previous BSI and a higher number of PICC insertions are associated with an increased risk of CRBSI. A lack of chronic comorbidities may help prevent CRBSI.

Magnetic properties of the road dusts from two parks in Wuhan city, China: implications for mapping urban environment.

Magnetic parameters and heavy metal concentrations of road dusts collected from two parks with distance about 16 km in Wuhan city, China, were measured. The Guishan Park is circled by main roads with heavy traffic, and the Moshan Park is located on the downwind hills of steelworks and a power plant. Mean values of magnetic susceptibility (χ) and saturation magnetization (M (s)) of the dusts from the Moshan Park are 1.31 and 1.57 times those from the Guishan Park, respectively. Their magnetic mineralogy is dominated by pseudo-single domain magnetite; however, minor hematite was also identified in those from the Guishan Park. The dominant sources of non-natural magnetic particles and heavy metals were inferred as windblown emissions from the steelworks and the power plant for the Moshan Park, and road/railway traffics for the Guishan Park, respectively. Spatial variation in magnetic properties of road dust in the two parks and their different magnetic behavior propose that the magnetic measurements are sensitive to the different pollutant origins, as well as the urban environment, and that magnetic techniques have a high efficiency in mapping urban environment. Correlation between magnetic parameters and heavy metal concentrations is strongly site-specific: strong correlations were observed in the Moshan Park with correlation coefficients generally higher than 0.800, whereas correlations are poor in the Guishan Park. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that these relationships should be examined thoroughly before magnetic mapping.

Admission IL-32 concentration predicts severity and mortality of severe community-acquired pneumonia independently of etiology.

BACKGROUND: Severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP) is a critical disorder with high morbidity and mortality, usually manifested as acute respiratory failure and septic shock generally caused by exaggerated systemic inflammation. Interleukin-32 (IL-32), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, has been reported involved in various infectious diseases. We investigated the efficacy of the plasma IL-32 as a biomarker for evaluating the severity and clinical outcomes in SCAP patients. METHODS: A total of 124 adult immunocompetent SCAP patients and 87 healthy controls were enrolled in this observational, prospective cohort study. RESULTS: We found that PBMCs IL-32 mRNA and plasma IL-32 concentrations on admission of SCAP patients were significantly higher than healthy controls. Plasma IL-32 concentrations closely correlated with increasing severity scores, the need for vasopressor support or invasive mechanical ventilation but not with the etiology. The area under the curve (AUC) for predicting 30-day mortality using IL-32 was 0.812, is superior to WBCs and CRP. Incorporation of IL-32 with the severity scores were shown to improve the prognostic accuracy considerably. Furthermore, the 30-day cumulative survival rate in high IL-32 concentration group was significantly lower than that in the low concentration group. In a multivariate Cox regression analysis, higher IL-32 concentration and higher PSI score were recognized as the independent risk factors for survival, and the relative risks were 2.568 and 3.362, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Admission IL-32 concentration closely related to the severity and mortality of SCAP, and it may be served as a potential biomarker to help clinical judgment and management.

Photocatalytic properties, mechanical strength and durability of TiO2/cement composites prepared by a spraying method for removal of organic pollutants.

TiO2/cement composites were prepared by a spraying method to degrade organic pollutants. After coated with waterproof liquid, pure cement pastes/mortars were sprayed with TiO2 suspensions with different TiO2 contents and spraying times. Photocatalytic properties, mechanical strength and durability were studied. Maximum photocatalytic activity and uniform TiO2 distribution were achieved at the optimal conditions of 10 wt% TiO2 content in suspension and 3 spraying times. The TiO2/cement pastes had better degradation performance over Rhodamine B (RhB) and methylene blue (MB) than that over methyl orange (MO). After 20 times of cycling degradation, the photocatalytic efficiencies had no significant reduction. The TiO2/cement mortars had good mechanical strengths, meeting the mechanical demands of wastewater treatment tanks. In durability, the TiO2/cement mortars had better water penetration resistance, chloride penetration resistance and anti-carbonation than pure cement mortars.

Effect of bowel obstruction on stage IV colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, with a high mortality rate, particularly among patients with advanced-stage disease complicated by bowel obstruction. The present study aimed to investigate the value of different surgical procedures and potential predictors of survival for patients with stage IV CRC, with or without bowel obstruction. Between August, 1994 and December, 2005, a total of 2,950 CRC patients were diagnosed and treated at our hospital. Among these, 381 patients had stage IV disease and were divided into two groups according to the presence (n=295) or absence (n=86) of bowel obstruction. The clinical data of all the patients with stage IV CRC were retrospectively analyzed and all the patients were followed up. Our results demonstrated statistically significant differences in gender, radical resection, histological type, ascites, tumor location, peritoneal and liver metastases between the obstruction and non-obstruction groups. We also observed that hepatic metastases and radical resection were factors associated with prognosis according to the univariate and multivariate analyses. Furthermore, the mean/median survival time was 49.4/21.6 and 37.2/17.1 months in the non-obstruction and obstruction groups, respectively. In conclusion, obstruction was not found to be an independent indicator of survival for patients with stage IV CRC, with patients in the obstruction group exhibiting a worse overall survival compared to those in the non-obstruction group, whereas active radical surgery significantly improved the prognosis of patients with stage IV CRC.

[Expression of cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A in tissue microarray of colorectal cancer and its clinical significance].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A(CIP2A) in human colorectal cancer, and to examine the association of CIP2A expression with clinicopathology and prognosis. METHODS: CIP2A expression in colorectal cancer tissue microarray of 92 cases was detected by immunohistochemistry method. RESULTS: Up-regulated CIP2A expression was closely related with TNM staging, histological type, peritoneal seeding and liver metastasis (all P<0.05), but not related with gender, age, tumor location, CEA, family history and grade of differentiation. Overall survival rates of 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year in high CIP2A expression group were 97.1%, 71.4%, 59.2%, and 44.4% respectively, significantly lower than 98.2%, 85.7%, 80.3%, and 74.9% in low CIP2A expression group(P=0.021). Multivariate analysis showed that CIP2A was not an independent factor associated with prognosis(P=0.099, HR=1.982, 95%CI:0.879 to 4.469). CONCLUSIONS: Up-regulated CIP2A expression is closely related to clinicopathology of colorectal cancer. CIP2A may be used as a potential predictive marker of metastasis, prognosis and therapeutic target in colorectal cancer.

[Effect of Endostatin and SU6668 combined with 5-FU on human colon cancer xenograft in nude mice].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Endostatin and SU6668 combined with 5-FU on the growth and metastasis of human colon cancer in vivo and its mechanism. METHODS: Metastatic model of human colon cancer was established by orthotopic implantation of human tumor tissue into colon wall of nude mice. Twelve days later, mice were randomly divided into saline water control, Endostatin, SU6668, Endostatin plus SU6668, and Endostatin plus SU6668 and 5-FU groups, intraperitoneal injected respectively every day for four weeks. Six weeks after implication, the tumor weight, inhibition rates, intratumoral microvessel density (MVD) and metastasis were evaluated after the mice were sacrificed. RESULTS: Compared with the control, tumor growth was significantly inhibited in mice treated respectively with Endostatin, SU6668, Endostatin plus SU6668 and Endostatin plus SU6668 and 5-FU with an inhibition rate of 0, 64.9%, 63.5%, 76.4% and 88.2% respectively,and MVD decreased significantly in treated groups [(18.10+/-5.65) vs (2.75+/-0.75), (3.17+/-0.58), (0.94+/-0.42) and (0.36+/-0.45)]. The incidences of peritoneal and region lymph node metastases were significantly inhibited in Endostatin, SU6668, Endostatin plus SU6668 and Endostatin plus SU6668 and 5-FU (90% vs 16.7%, 25%, 0 and 0; 90% vs 0, 0, 0 and 0). The growth and metastasis of human colon cancer implanted in nude mice were significantly inhibited in Endostatin, SU6668, Endostatin plus SU6668, and Endostatin plus SU6668 and 5-FU, and the effect of Endostatin plus SU6668 and 5-FU was the most obviously. CONCLUSION: Endostatin plus SU6668 and 5-FU has strong inhibitory effect both on tumor growth and metastasis of human colon cancer.