miR-218 suppresses epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition by targeting Robo1 and Ecop in lung adenocarcinoma cells.

AIM: Although, miR-218 has been implicated in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition process, the detailed mechanisms of miR-218 involvement in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in human lung adenocarcinoma cell are still unclear. MATERIALS & METHODS: miR-218 function assays and its target gene analysis were performed. RESULTS: miR-218 suppresses human lung adenocarcinoma cell migration and invasion and inhibits its target gene, Ecop and Robo1 expression, which subsequently suppresses NF-κB activity and its downstream targets. CONCLUSION: miR-218 inhibits human lung adenocarcinoma cell migration and invasion via the suppression of Ecop and Robo1 expression, thus suggesting that miR-218 could serve as a potential therapeutic target.

Four new species of the genus Pseudopoda Jäger, 2000 (Araneae, Sparassidae) from Yunnan Province, China.

Four new species of the huntsman spider genus Pseudopoda Jäger, 2000 are reported from Yunnan Province, China: Pseudopoda gibberosa sp. nov. (male, female), P. semiannulata sp. nov. (male, female), P. breviducta sp. nov. (male, female) and P. triangula sp. nov. (male, female).

Two new huntsman spiders from Xiaolong Mountains in Gansu Province, China (Araneae, Sparassidae).

Two new species of the sparassid genera Pseudopoda Jäger, 2000 and Sinopoda Jäger, 1999 are described from Xiaolong Mountains, Gansu, China: Pseudopoda tricuspidata sp. n. (♂♀) and Sinopoda subcampanacea sp. n. (♂♀). Photos of habitus and genitalia are provided.

TaCKX6-D1, the ortholog of rice OsCKX2, is associated with grain weight in hexaploid wheat.

The cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX) gene plays a principal role in controlling cytokinin levels and has been shown to be a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) affecting grain number in rice. However, the function and evaluation of the haplotypes of the wheat CKX gene have yet to be illustrated. In this study, TaCKX6-D1, a wheat ortholog of rice OsCKX2, was cloned and its haplotype variants were determined to be significantly associated with the 1000-grain weight on the basis of linkage mapping, association analysis and gene expression analysis. Five TaCKX6-D1 haplotypes, designated a-e, were identified. An indel marker was developed to identify haplotype a, which was associated with higher grain weight. Haplotype a showed decreased expression relative to haplotype b in seeds at 8 d after pollination. Sequence variations among modern cultivars, landraces and wild species suggest a significant domestication signature at the TaCKX6-D1 locus in Chinese wheat germplasm. TaCKX6-D1 may serve as a useful gene for the breeding of high-yielding wheat. A strategy for allele mining and utilization of TaCKX6-D1 was proposed. Our study also sheds light on the mechanisms of grain development and domestication of wheat, as well as the functional divergence of orthologs in comparative genomics.

[Combined effects of interferon γ and γ ray irradiation on A549 cells in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To define the role of interferon-γ on radiotherapy of lung cancer and explore a new way to clinical treatment. METHODS: A549 cells were exposed to γ ray with or without IFN-γ co-treatment. MTT assay was performed to evaluate cell viability. Western blot was used to observe the expression of P53 protein. RESULTS: The results showed that co-treatment of IFN-γ decreased the cell viability significantly compared with the γ ray irradiation group (71.4% ± 2.1% vs 44.1% ± 3.1%, n = 7, P < 0.01). In addition, the expression of P53 protein also increased significantly after co-treatment (P < 0.01); Furthermore, the cell cycle was changed obviously in co-treatment group compared with γ ray irradiation group, S phase increased (12.9% vs 20.9%, n = 5, P < 0.05) and also blocked the G2/M phase (28.8% vs 38.9%, n = 5, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that γ ray irradiation combined with IFN-γ can increase the efficiency of radiotherapy on A549 cells and there is much broad prospect in the clinical treatment of lung cancer.

Two new species of the genus Pseudopoda Jäger, 2000 and first description of the male of Pseudopoda physematosa (Araneae, Sparassidae) from Yunnan Province, China.

Two new species of the genus Pseudopoda Jäger, 2000 are reported from Yunnan Province, China: Pseudopoda mingshengi sp. nov. (male, female) and P. uncata sp. nov. (male, female). The male of P. physematosa Zhang, Jäger & Liu, 2019 is described for the first time.

[Diagnosis and surgical treatment of congenital bronchoesophageal fistula in adult].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and surgical treatment of adult congenital bronchoesophageal fistula. METHODS: Eleven cases of adult congenital bronchoesophageal fistula that were diagnosed and surgically treated between May 1990 and August 2010 had been reviewed. There were 7 male and 4 female patients, ranging in age from 28 to 66 years (mean 48.7 years). The chief clinical presentation included coughing and sputum in 10 cases, recurrent bouts of coughing after drinking liquid food in 6 cases, hemoptysis in 6 cases, low fever in 4 cases, chest pain in 3 cases. The duration of symptoms before diagnosis ranged from 5 to 36 years (mean 16.8 years). The diagnosis of bronchoesophageal fistula was confirmed most by esophagography. Associated diseased lung was resected in all patients (lobectomy in 10 cases and pneumonectomy in 1 case). The operation included right thoracotomy in 7 cases and left thoracotomy in 4 cases. The fistula was completely resected in 10 cases. The tract was simply divided and the end was sutured in 1 case. RESULTS: The postoperative course was uneventful in 10 patients who were discharged from hospital 10 to 18 d after operation. One patient suffered from esophageal fistula and received second operation. Regular follow-up was conducted on all 11 patients, proving that 3-year survival rate was 11/11 and 5-year survival rate was 9/11. CONCLUSION: Persistence of congenital bronchoesophageal fistula into adulthood is rare. The main symptom is nonspecific coughing and bouts of coughing after drinking liquid food. The most useful diagnostic method is the esophagography. Even though it is benign disease, life-threatening complications might occur and it must be treated surgically as soon as the diagnosis is established.

Acquired multiple mutations ALK I1171N, L1196M and G1202R mediate lorlatinib resistance in EML4-ALK-rearranged malignant pleural mesothelioma: a case report.

EML4-ALK rearranged malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is rare and its responses to anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitors, including alectinib and lorlatinib, remain unexplored. In this case report, we describe a patient with EML4-ALK-rearranged stage IIIB MPM who was administered with alectinib and lorlatinib as first-line and fourth-line therapy, respectively. He had remarkable response evaluated as partial response on both regimens lasting approximately 3.5 months on each regimen. His plasma samples were collected during the treatment course and submitted for targeted sequencing to understand the molecular mechanisms of his therapeutic resistance. Sequencing analysis revealed the emergence of ALK I1171N and L1196M at alectinib progression. Meanwhile, ALK I1171N, L1196M, and G1202R mutations were identified at lorlatinib progression, wherein L1196M is confirmed to be in cis to G1202R. We speculate that these multiple mutations synergistically mediated his resistance to both alectinib and lorlatinib. Our report describes the detection of EML4-ALK rearrangement in a patient with MPM who had remarkable therapeutic response with ALK inhibitors. Moreover, our case also revealed acquired mechanisms of lorlatinib resistance mediated by multiple mutations ALK I1171N, L1196M, and G1202R, contributing an incremental step to our understanding of the complexity of acquired resistance mechanisms in sequential ALK inhibitor therapy. The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.

Four new species of the genus Mallinella (Araneae: Zodariidae) from Malaysia.

Four new species of the genus Mallinella Strand, 1906, from the natural forests of Malaysia, are described as Mallinella bicanaliculata sp. n. (♂♀), M. calautica sp. n. (♂♀), M. laxa sp. n. (♂♀), and M. obliqua sp. n. (♂♀). The four new species belong to four species groups and were collected from the forest litter in Sabah state by sieving.

Three new species of the genus Zodarion (Araneae, Zodariidae) from China.

Three new species of the genus Zodarion Walckenaer, 1826, from China, are described as Zodarionapertum sp. n. (♂♀, from Xinjiang), Z.planum sp. n. (♂, from Shaanxi), and Z.ovatum sp. n. (♂♀, from Yunnan).

[SSR mapping of stripe rust resistance gene from Ae. tauschii].

A dominant wheat stripe rust resistance gene, temporarily designated as YrY201, was identified in an accession Y201 of Aegilops tauschii. By bulk segregation analysis, three microsatellite markers Xgwm273b, Xgwm37 and Wmc14 were found to be linked to YrY201 with genetic distance of 11.5, 5.8 and 10.9 cM , respectively. According to the locations of the linked markers, the resistance gene was located on chromosome 7DL. Based on the chromosomal location and the resistance pattern of the gene, we proposed that YrY201 was a novel stripe rust resistance gene, and could be selected by marker-assisted selection.

Two new species of the spider Family Zodariidae from Laos.

Two new Zodariidae species, collected from the natural forest of Pakse City, Champasak Province, Laos, are described as Asceua adunca sp. nov. (male, female) and Mallinella renaria sp. nov. (male, female). Asceua torquata (Simon, 1909) and A. piperata Ono, 2004 are newly recorded from Laos, and the male of A. piperata is described and illustrated for the first time.

Three new species of the spider genus Asceua from Malaysia (Araneae, Zodariidae).

Three new species of the genus Asceua Thorell, 1887, from the natural forests of Malaysia, are described as Asceuabifurca sp. n. (♂♀), A.curva sp. n. (♂), and A.trimaculata sp. n. (♀). The genus Asceua is reported from Malaysia for the first time.

miR-21 modulates the effect of EZH2 on the biological behavior of human lung cancer stem cells in vitro.

Non-small-cell lung cancer has a high mortality rate and poor prognosis. Therefore, novel therapeutic approaches are urgently needed to enhance patient survival rates. In this study, we investigated the effects of miR-21 and EZH2 on the biological behavior of human lung cancer stem cells in vitro. We found increased expression of EZH2 and miR-21 in LCSCs, and miR-21 overexpression increased EZH2 levels in LCSCs. In addition, EZH2 and miR-21 knockdown increased the sensitivity of LCSCs to chemo- and radiation therapy, and exogenous EZH2 expression rescued the effects of anti-miR-21. Cell proliferation was reduced by 39.2% and 69.7% in the presence of radio- or chemotherapy combined with anti-miR-21 transfection, respectively. The downstream molecules included Cdc2, cyclin B1, and Bcl-2, which are involved in the regulation of cell cycle and apoptosis and which could themselves be reduced or enhanced by changes in miR-21 and EZH2 levels in LCSCs. This study demonstrates the direct relationship between miR-21 and EZH2 which was increased by 43% after the application of the miR-21 mimic. Above data indicates that these two molecules can influence the biological behavior of LCSCs by altering their corresponding targets. Our findings support the potential roles of miR-21 and EZH2 in improving the therapeutic efficacy of clinical lung cancer treatments.

Three new spider species of the genus Pholcus from the Taihang Mountains of China (Araneae, Pholcidae).

In this study, three new species belonging to the genus Pholcus, collected from a forest of the Taihang Mountains, P. R. China, are described under the names of Pholcus papillatus sp. n. (male, female), Pholcus curvus sp. n. (male, female) and Pholcus auricularis sp. n. (male, female).

[Development of New Molecular EZH2 on Lung Cancer Invasion and Metastasis].

Lung cancer is a serious threat to human health malignancies upward trend in morbidity and mortality. It is hot topic to investigate the molecular mechanisms of lung cancer development and explore the new therapeutic targets. The underlying mechanism of EZH2 on lung cancer development will demonstrate the new pathway of lung cancer development, invasion and metastasis. The exploration and application of new targeted molecular will improve the survival rate and living quality of lung cancer patients in future.

Genome-Wide Transcriptional Profiling Reveals Two Distinct Outcomes in Central Nervous System Infections of Rabies Virus.

Rabies remains a major public health concern in many developing countries. The precise neuropathogenesis of rabies is unknown, though it is hypothesized to be due to neuronal death or dysfunction. Mice that received intranasal inoculation of an attenuated rabies virus (RABV) strain HEP-Flury exhibited subtle clinical signs, and eventually recovered, which is different from the fatal encephalitis caused by the virulent RABV strain CVS-11. To understand the neuropathogenesis of rabies and the mechanisms of viral clearance, we applied RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) to compare the brain transcriptomes of normal mice vs. HEP-Flury or CVS-11 intranasally inoculated mice. Our results revealed that both RABV strains altered positively and negatively the expression levels of many host genes, including genes associated with innate and adaptive immunity, inflammation and cell death. It is found that HEP-Flury infection can activate the innate immunity earlier through the RIG-I/MDA-5 signaling, and the innate immunity pre-activated by HEP-Flury or Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infection can effectively prevent the CVS-11 to invade central nervous system (CNS), but fails to clear the CVS-11 after its entry into the CNS. In addition, following CVS-11 infection, genes implicated in cell adhesion, blood vessel morphogenesis and coagulation were mainly up-regulated, while the genes involved in synaptic transmission and ion transport were significantly down-regulated. On the other hand, several genes involved in the MHC class II-mediated antigen presentation pathway were activated to a greater extent after the HEP-Flury infection as compared with the CVS-11 infection suggesting that the collaboration of CD4(+) T cells and MHC class II-mediated antigen presentation is critical for the clearance of attenuated RABV from the CNS. The differentially regulated genes reported here are likely to include potential therapeutic targets for expanding the post-exposure treatment window for RABV infection.

Three new Sinopoda species (Araneae: Sparassidae) from southern China.

Three new species of the huntsman spider genus Sinopoda Jäger, 1999, collected from Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality, P. R. China, are described: Sinopoda cochlearia sp. nov. (male, female), S. globosa sp. nov. (male, female) and S. longiducta sp. nov. (male, female). All three new species were collected from native forest by hand.

Pharmacokinetic profile of paclitaxel in the plasma, lung, and diaphragm following intravenous or intrapleural administration in rats.

BACKGROUND: The optimal chemotherapy route for non-small cell lung cancers involving the phrenic nerve and diaphragm is unclear. The pharmacokinetic properties of paclitaxel following intravenous (IV) or intrapleural (IP) administration were analyzed in the plasma, lung, and diaphragm in a rat model. The purpose of this study was to determine whether IP injection increased paclitaxel concentration in the diaphragm. METHODS: Paclitaxel was administered by IV or IP to male Sprague-Dawley rats. The concentration of drug in the plasma, lung, and diaphragm was determined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The pharmacokinetic parameters area under the curve (AUC), mean residence time (MRT), peak plasma concentration (Cmax), and half-life (t1/2) were analyzed. RESULTS: Paclitaxel concentration in the plasma, lung, and diaphragm decreased quickly following IV administration. However, after IP injection, paclitaxel reached a high concentration in the plasma, lung, and diaphragm that declined gradually. Significant differences in all parameters, except Cmax in the lung, were observed between the two routes of administration (all P < 0.05). Plasma exposure to paclitaxel IP was 41.1% of that observed after IV in the first 24 hours (P < 0.05). IP also significantly increased exposure of paclitaxel in comparison with IV administration to 267.3% and 905.7% of IV administration in the lung and diaphragm, respectively (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that IP administration may reduce systemic distribution of paclitaxel and increase the concentration in the lung and diaphragm. This could increase therapeutic efficacy by increasing the available drug and reduce systemic toxicity.

EGFR and K-RAS mutations and ERCC1, TUBB3, TYMS, RRM1 and EGFR mRNA expression in non-small cell lung cancer: Correlation with clinical response to gefitinib or chemotherapy.

Personalizing medicines has refined the traditional treatments for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In the present study, efforts towards personalizing delivery of care based on the status of EGFR and K-RAS mutations, and mRNA expression levels of ERCC1, TUBB3, TYMS, RRM1 and EGFR by choosing appropriate treatments for 52 patients with NSCLC were discussed. Among these 52 NSCLC patients, there were 14 patients treated with gefitinib. Ten patients with EGFR exon 21 point mutations or exon 19 deletions had better treatment outcomes following gefitinib treatment (71.4%). There were 38 patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. Docetaxel-platinum based chemotherapy was chosen as the first-line treatment when the patients had low or median ERCC1/TUBB3 expression and gemcitabine-platinum based chemotherapy was chosen when the patients had low or median ERCC1/RRM1 expression. In total, 26 cases had mRNA expression levels of ERCC1/TUBB3 or ERCC1/RRM1 that could be used to predict the treatment outcomes of chemotherapy (68.4%). The present results indicated that the mutation status of EGFR, as well as the mRNA expression levels of ERCC1, TUBB3 and RRM1, could be used as predictors of the response to gefitinib or chemotherapy.