Influence of blood glucose fluctuations on chemotherapy efficacy and safety in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients complicated with lung carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have large fluctuations in blood glucose (BG), abnormal metabolic function and low immunity to varying degrees, which increases the risk of malignant tumor diseases and affects the efficacy of tumor chemotherapy. Controlling hyperglycemia may have important therapeutic implications for cancer patients. AIM: To clarify the influence of BG fluctuations on chemotherapy efficacy and safety in T2DM patients complicated with lung carcinoma (LC). METHODS: The clinical data of 60 T2DM + LC patients who presented to the First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University between January 2019 and January 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent chemotherapy and were grouped as a control group (CG; normal BG fluctuation with a mean fluctuation < 3.9 mmol/L) and an observation group (OG; high BG fluctuation with a mean fluctuation ≥ 3.9 mmol/L) based on their BG fluctuations, with 30 cases each. BG-related indices, tumor markers, serum inflammatory cytokines and adverse reactions were comparatively analyzed. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to analyze the correlation between BG fluctuations and tumor markers. RESULTS: The fasting blood glucose and 2-hour postprandial blood glucose levels in the OG were notably elevated compared with those in the CG, together with markedly higher mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE), mean of daily differences, largest amplitude of glycemic excursions and standard deviation of blood glucose (P < 0.05). In addition, the OG exhibited evidently higher levels of carbohydrate antigen 19-9, carbohydrate antigen 125, carcinoembryonic antigen, neuron-specific enolase, cytokeratin 19, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein than the CG (P < 0.05). Pearson analysis revealed a positive association of MAGE with serum tumor markers. The incidence of adverse reactions was significantly higher in the OG than in the CG (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The greater the BG fluctuation in LC patients after chemotherapy, the more unfavorable the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy; the higher the level of tumor markers and inflammatory cytokines, the more adverse reactions the patient experiences.

Roseovarius tibetensis sp. nov., a halophilic bacterium isolated from Lake LongmuCo on Tibetan Plateau.

Two Gram-stain negative halophilic strains, designated as LM2T and LM4, were isolated from Lake LongmuCo on Tibetan Plateau. These two strains were aerobic, catalaseand oxidase-positive, nonmotile and rod-shaped organisms. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that LM2T and LM4 belong to the genus Roseovarius, with Roseovarius tolerans EL-172T (97.3% and 97.4% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, respectively) and Roseovarius azorensis SSW084T (95.5% and 95.6% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, respectively) as their closest neighbors. Q-10 was the sole respiratory quinone of these two strains. The major fatty acids were C18:1ω7c/C18:1ω6c, C16:0, C19:0 cyclo ω8c, and 11-methyl C18:1ω7c. The polar lipids included phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, phospholipid of unknown structure containing glucosamine, and unidentified aminolipid. The DNA G + C content was between 64.2 and 64.5 mol%. DNA-DNA hybridization showed 96.7% relatedness between LM2T and LM4, 24.9% relatedness between LM2T and R. tolerans EL-172T, and 36.3% relatedness between LM4 and R. tolerans EL-172T. Based on phylogenetic analysis, DNA-DNA hybridization, a range of physiological and biochemical characteristics, LM2T and LM4 belong to the same species and were clearly distinguished from the type strains of the genus Roseovarius. It was evident that LM2T and LM4 could be classified as a novel species of the genus Roseovarius, for which the name Roseovarius tibetensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LM2T (= CGMCC 1.16230T = KCTC 62028T).

Halomonas tibetensis sp. nov., isolated from saline lakes on Tibetan Plateau.

Strains pyc13T and ZGT13 were isolated from Lake Pengyan and Lake Zigetang on Tibetan Plateau, respectively. Both strains were Gram-negative, catalase- and oxidase-positive, aerobic, rod-shaped, nonmotile, and nonflagellated bacteria. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strains pyc13T and ZGT13 belong to the genus Halomonas, with Halomonas alkalicola 56-L4-10aEnT as their closest neighbor, showing 97.4% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. The predominant respiratory quinone of both strains was Q-9, with Q-8 as a minor component. The major fatty acids of both strains were C18:1ω6c/C18:1ω7c, C16:1ω6c/C16:1ω7c, C16:0, and C12:0 3OH. The polar lipids of both strains consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, glycolipid, phospholipids of unknown structure containing glucosamine, and unidentified phospholipids. The DNA G + C content of pyc13T and ZGT13 were 62.6 and 63.4 mol%, respectively. The DNA-DNA hybridization values of strain pyc13T were 34, 41, 61, 35, and 35% with the reference strains H. alkalicola 56-L4-10aEnT, H. sediminicola CPS11T, H. mongoliensis Z-7009T, H. ventosae Al12T, and H. fontilapidosi 5CRT, respectively. Phenotypic, biochemical, genotypic, and DNA-DNA hybridization data showed that strains pyc13T and ZGT13 represent a new species within the genus Halomonas, for which the name H. tibetensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is pyc13T (= CGMCC 1.15949T = KCTC 52660T).

Neuroprotective effects of electroacupuncture on hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in newborn rats are associated with increased expression of GDNF-RET and protein kinase B.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the neuroprotective effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and to further investigate the role of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family receptor member RET (rearranged during transfection) and its key downstream phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI-3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway in the process. METHODS: A total of 220 seven-day-old SD rats (of either sex, from 22 broods) were randomly divided into two groups, one (30 rats) for sham-surgery group and the other (190 rats) for HIE model group. The HIE model was established using the left common carotid artery ligation method in combination with hypoxic treatment. The successfully established rats were randomly divided into five groups, including control model group, EA group, sham-EA group, antagonist group and antagonist plus electroacupuncture group, with 35 rats in each group. Baihui (GV 20), Dazhui (GV 14), Quchi (LI 11) and Yongquan (KI 1) acupoints were chosen for acupuncture. EA was performed at Baihui and Quchi for 10 min once a day for continuous 1, 3, 7 and 21 days, respectively. The rats were then killed after the operation and injured cerebral cortex was taken for the measurement of neurologic damage by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and the degenerative changes of cortical ultrastructure by transmission electron microscopy. RET mRNA level and Akt protein level were detected by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot analysis, respectively. RESULTS: EA could ameliorate neurologic damage of the first somatic sensory area (S1Tr) and alleviate the degenerative changes of ultrastructure of cortical neurons in rats subjected to HIE. And the longer acupuncture treatment lasted, the better its therapeutic effect would be. This was accompanied by gradually increased expression of GDNF family receptor RET at the mRNA level and its downstream signaling Akt at the protein level in the ischemic cortex. CONCLUSION: EA has neuroprotective effects on HIE and could be a potential therapeutic strategy for HIE in the neonate. Activation of RET/Akt signaling pathway might be involved in this process.

Clostridium algifaecis sp. nov., an anaerobic bacterial species from decomposing algal scum.

Two anaerobic bacterial strains, MB9-7(T) and MB9-9, were isolated from decomposing algal scum and were characterized using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strains MB9-7(T) and MB9-9 are closely related to each other (99.7% similarity) and they are also closely related to Clostridium tyrobutyricum (96.5%). The two strains were Gram-stain positive and rod-shaped. Growth occurred at 20-45 °C, at pH 4.0-8.0 and at NaCl concentrations of up to 2% (w/v). Acid was produced from glucose, xylose and mannose. Products of fermentation in PYG medium were mainly butyrate, acetate, carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The predominant cellular fatty acids were C(14:0) and C(16:0). The cellular polar lipids comprised phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, two glycolipids, one phospholipid, one aminophospholipid and two aminolipids. The DNA G+C contents of strain MB9-7(T) and MB9-9 were 27.9 and 28.7 mol%, respectively. These results support the assignment of the new isolates to the genus Clostridium and also distinguish them from other species of the genus Clostridium. Hence, it is proposed that strains MB9-7(T) and MB9-9 represent a novel species of the genus Clostridium, with the suggested name Clostridium algifaecis sp. nov. The type strain is MB9-7(T) ( =CGMCC 1.5188(T) =DSM 28783(T)).