Performance of eye sign combined with increased interleukin-6 in cerebrospinal fluid in patients with neuropsychiatric lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVES: To ascertain whether microvascular alterations of eye sign combined with intrathecal concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) can predict the development of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE). METHODS: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples of IL-6 were collected and measured at the same time for patients with SLE who were consecutively enrolled. Patients with a diagnosis of NPSLE were identified. Eye sign examinations according to our criteria were performed and scored for all SLE patients. Demographic and clinical parameters were compared between groups to identify potential predictors for NPSLE using multivariable logistic regression analysis. The performance of potential predictors from eye sign along with IL-6 in the CSF was assessed. RESULTS: A total of 120 patients with SLE were enrolled; 30 with NPSLE and 90 with non-NPSLE. No significant positive correlation was observed between CSF level and serum level of IL-6. CSF IL-6 was significant higher in the NPSLE group than the non-NPSLE (P < 0.001) group. Multivariable logistic analysis revealed that total score, ramified loops, and microangioma of eye sign were predictors for NPSLE after adjusting for SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) and antiphospholipid antibody (APL). Total score, ramified loops, microangioma of eye sign, and SLEDAI remain significant predictors for NPSLE after adjusting for CSF IL-6. Using receiver operating characteristics curve analysis, the cut-off point of potential predictors was applied in multivariable logistic analysis; APL, total score, ramified loops, and microangioma of eye sign remain significant predictors for NPSLE after adjusting for CSF IL-6. CONCLUSION: Specific microvascular alterations of eye sign are predictors for the development of NPSLE in addition to increased IL-6 in the CSF.

Evaluation of Laccase Activities by Three Newly Isolated Fungal Species in Submerged Fermentation With Single or Mixed Lignocellulosic Wastes.

Three newly isolated fungal species, namely, Cerrena unicolor Han 849, Lenzites betulina Han 851, and Schizophyllum commune Han 881, isolated from their native habitats in Wulingshan National Nature Reserve of Hebei Province of northern China, were screened for laccase production with single or mixed lignocellulosic wastes. C. unicolor Han 849 was found to express the highest levels of laccase with single or mixed lignocellulosic wastes compared with L. betulina Han 851 and S. commune Han 881. The highest laccase activity from the mixed fungal culture of C. unicolor Han 849 and S. commune Han 881 or L. betulina Han 851 on Firmiana platanifolia was 1,373.12 ± 55.93 and 1,144.85 ± 34.97 U/L, respectively, higher than that from other tested conditions. L. betulina Han 851 or S. commune Han 881 mixed with other species was also helpful for accelerating laccase secretion due to reach maximum enzyme activity quickly. The treatment of mixing different species, including the mixture of two or three species, was obviously conducive to the improvement of laccase activity on Firmiana platanifolia. These results revealed that the fungal co-culture and the mixed lignocellulosic wastes contribute to the improvement of laccase activities and enhance laccase activities within a short period. These findings would be helpful for providing a new method for rapid production of low-cost laccase and for optimization of integrated industrial laccase production.

Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase predicts survival and response to interferon-α in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Metastasis and recurrence contribute to poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recently, we reported that interferon-α (IFN-α) can suppress metastasis of HCC; however, the underlying mechanism has not been fully described. In this study, we demonstrated that expression of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPYD), a pyrimidine catabolic enzyme, was dose-dependently downregulated by IFN-α in HCC tissues from nude mice. Notably, DPYD expression was found to be significantly increased in HCC cell lines with higher metastatic potentials compared with their controls. Moreover, upregulation of DPYD in HCC cells could promote in vitro migration, invasion, and in vivo lung metastasis, and inducing changes characteristic of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In contrast, knockdown of DPYD inhibited these processes. Mechanistically, DPYD functioned as a positive regulator of EMT in HCC by targeting the p38/NF-κB/Snail1 pathway. Clinically, tissue microarray analysis showed that high DPYD expression was positively associated with aggressive tumor characteristics, including larger tumor size, tumor recurrence, and advanced tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage, and independently correlated with poorer overall survival times after curative resection. HCC patients with low DPYD expression have better response to IFN-α therapy. Taken together, our findings elucidate that IFN-α could downregulate DPYD expression to inhibit EMT and HCC metastasis, and suggest that DPYD might be a potential prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target for HCC.

Curative Analysis of Several Therapeutic Methods for Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Portal Vein Tumor Thrombus.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate the efficacy of different therapeutic methods for finding a promising treatment to this satanic disease and determined the prognostic factors affecting the survival time. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective study was carried out on 589 patients who underwent different treatment for Primary hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus from January, 2005 to June, 2013. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to the initial treatment: Group A (N = 48), conservative treatment; Group B (N = 86), chemotherapy; Group C (N = 122), surgical resection; and Group D (N = 333), surgical resection with postoperative chemotherapy. RESULTS: There was no significant differences in clinical information (i.e., the number of tumor, the size of tumor, and the state of portal vein tumor thrombus) among the 4 groups (P > 0.05). Both surgical resection and chemotherapy can improve the survival rate of the patients, and comprehensive treatments are of greater effect over surgical resection or chemotherapy alone. Univariate and multiple analyses revealed that the levers of AFP(p=.001), the size of tumor (p < .001), the number of tumor(p < .001), the state of portal vein tumor thrombus(p < .001), and the number of chemotherapy(p = .000) affected the conditions of prognosis: CONCLUSIONS: Positive operation treatment is the most effective therapeutic strategy for this advanced disease. Surgical resection followed by postoperative chemotherapy would increase the survival rate.