Competition and synergistic mechanisms of species in Phyllostachys edulis-Alsophila spinulosa association based on niche theory.

We examined the niche characteristics and interspecific covariant relationship of main species in Phyllostachys edulis-Alsophila spinulosa association in Chishui A. spinulosa National Nature Reserve under P. edulis disturbance condition, and analyzed the mechanism of competition and coexistence across different species. The results showed that there were 67 species from 53 genera and 40 families in the association. The importance values, Shannon niche breadth index (BS), and Levins niche breadth index (BL) of P. edulis were the largest, indicating its absolute dominant status in association. The importance value and BL of A. spinulosa ranked the second, while BS was the third. There were 190 pairs of 20 main species. The niche overlap between P. edulis and A. spinulosa was the largest, with niche overlap value of 0.64. 71.6% of species pairs had niche overlap of less than 0.2, indicating low niche overlap and high degree of niche differentiation among species. The overall association of main species in association was significantly positive, and the community was relatively stable. The correlation among the main species was not significant, the linkage was not strong, and the species were independent from each other. P. edulis showed significant positive correlation with A. spinulosa, Brassaiopsis glomerulata, Ficus virens, and Mallotus barbatus, while P. edulis showed significant negative correlation with Mallotus philippensis, Cinnamomum glanduliferum, and Machilus gamblei. Niche difference and fitness between P. edulis and natives affected the coexistence and competition among species. Controlling the expansion of P. edulis and limiting the size of species with negative correlation with A. spinulosa could create a favorable living environment for A. spinulosa.

Metabolomics analysis of visceral leishmaniasis based on urine of golden hamsters.

BACKGROUND: Leishmaniasis is one of the most neglected tropical diseases and is spread mainly in impoverished regions of the world. Although many studies have focused on the host's response to Leishmania invasion, relatively less is known about the complex processes at the metabolic level, especially the metabolic alterations in the infected hosts. METHODS: In this study, we conducted metabolomics analysis on the urine of golden hamsters in the presence or absence of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) using the ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) system tandem high-resolution mass spectrometer (HRMS). The metabolic characteristics of urine samples, along with the histopathological change and the parasite burden of liver and spleen tissues, were detected at 4 and 12 weeks post infection (WPI), respectively. RESULTS: Amino acid metabolism was extensively affected at both stages of VL progression. Meanwhile, there were also distinct metabolic features at different stages. At 4 WPI, the significantly affected metabolic pathways involved alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), histidine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism and tyrosine metabolism. At 12 WPI, the markedly enriched metabolic pathways were almost concentrated on amino acid metabolism, including tyrosine metabolism, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism and tryptophan metabolism. The dysregulated metabolites and metabolic pathways at 12 WPI were obviously less than those at 4 WPI. In addition, seven metabolites that were dysregulated at both stages through partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) tests were screened to be of diagnostic potential. The combination of these metabolites as a potential biomarker panel showed satisfactory performance in distinguishing infection groups from control groups as well as among different stages of infection. CONCLUSION: Our findings could provide valuable information for further understanding of the host response to Leishmania infection from the aspect of the urine metabolome. The proposed urine biomarker panel could help in the development of a novel approach for the diagnosis and prognosis of VL.

Comparative study of pancreatic vessels and mesopancreas of rhesus monkeys and humans.

Introduction: With the introduction of the concept of mesopancreas defining the perineural structures that includes neurovascular bundle and lymph nodes extending from the posterior surface of the pancreatic head to behind the mesenteric vessels,Total Mesopancreas Excision (TMpE) based on this theory has facilitated the development of pancreatic cancer surgery in clinical practice in recent years. However, the existence of so called mesopancreas in the human body is still in debate and the comparative study of mesopancreas of rhesus monkey and human have not been well investigated. Purpose: The aim of our study is to compare the pancreatic vessels and fascia of human and rhesus monkeys in anatomical and embryological perspectives and to support the utilization of rhesus monkey as animal model. Methods: In this study, 20 rhesus monkey cadavers were dissected and their mesopancreas location, relationships and arterial distribution were analyzed. We compared the location and developmental patterns of mesopancreas in macaques and humans. Results: The results showed that the distribution of pancreatic arteries in rhesus monkeys was the same as that in humans, which is consistent with phylogenetic similarities. However, the morphological features of the mesopancreas and greater omentum is anatomically different from that of humans, including (1) the greater omentum is not connected to the transverse colon in monkeys. (2) The presence of the dorsal mesopancreas of the rhesus monkey suggests that it be an intraperitoneal organ. Comparative anatomical studies of mesopancreas and arteries in macaques and humans showed characteristic patterns of mesopancreas and similarities in pancreatic artery development in nonhuman primates, consistent with phylogenetic differentiation.

Ultrasound-Guided Dynamic Needle-Tip Positioning Method Is Superior to Conventional Palpation and Ultrasound Method in Arterial Catheterization.

Background: Dynamic needle-tip positioning (DNTP) was shown to improve arterial cannulation efficiency with fewer complications than conventional palpation and ultrasound methods by some studies. However, this is still controversial, and we performed this meta-analysis to comprehensively assess its value in arterial cannulation. Methods: A literature search of randomized controlled trials was conducted, and 11 studies were finally included. Efficiency outcomes (first-attempt success, overall success, and total cannulation time) and complications (hematoma, thrombosis, posterior wall puncture, and vasospasm) were separately analyzed. Subgroup analyses in different populations under cannulation were also performed. Results: DNTP was associated with increased first-attempt success (pooled RR = 1.792, p < 0.001), overall success (pooled RR = 1.368, p = 0.001), and decreased cannulation time (pooled SMD = −1.758, p = 0.001) than palpation. DNTP gained even more advantage in small children and infants. No significant difference in these outcomes between DNTP and conventional ultrasound method was detected. Fewer hematoma occurred in DNTP than palpation (pooled RR = 0.265, p < 0.001) or traditional ultrasound (pooled RR = 0.348, p < 0.001). DNPT was also associated with fewer posterior wall punctures (pooled RR = 0.495, p = 0.001) and vasospasm (pooled RR = 0.267, p = 0.007) than traditional ultrasound. Conclusions: DNTP was a better choice in artery cannulation than conventional palpation and ultrasound method, especially in small children and infants.

Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide inhibits the proliferation of leukemic cells through apoptosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the cytotoxic effect of polysaccharides derived from Ganoderma lucidum on T lymphocyte leukemia cells. METHODS: Water-soluble polysaccharides were extracted from the fruit bodies of G. lucidum, purified, and characterized using HPGPC-MALLS and NMR. The cytotoxicity of G. lucidum polysaccharide fraction 5 (GLP5) to T lymphocyte leukemia cell line Jurkat and human immortalized epidermal cell line HaCat was assessed using MTT assay. Apoptosis was assessed using flow cytometry. Expressions of apoptosis-related genes in the cells after being exposed to GLP5 were detected using Western blot assay. RESULTS: GLP5 was a ß-(1→3) and ß-(1→6) linked glucan. It inhibited the proliferation of Jurkat cells in a concentration-dependent manner and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was 34.5 mg/L but did not suppress the growth of HaCat cells. Apoptotic cells in Jurkat cells were detected to increase with increasing GLP5 concentrations. The expression levels of cleaved caspase-3 were significantly higher after the cells were exposed to 25 and 50 mg/L GLP5 when compared to non-exposed cells (Control). In addition, the expression levels of BAX and Bcl2 were significantly up- and down-regulated after treatment with GLP5 at 25 and 50 mg/L when compared with control (P<0.05), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: GLP5 has antiproliferative activity against Jurkat cells and the activity is likely mediated through the activation of apoptosis pathways.

A distributed and integrated control strategy for an islanded microgrid considering line loss and communication interruption.

To improve the stability and economic operation performance of multi-distributed energy resources in networked islanded microgrid, a distributed and integrated control strategy is designed in this study. The strategy is based on the communication network in an islanded microgrid, which is able to achieve minimal generation cost, reliable communication, and stable voltage and frequency. These targets are achieved through the following methods. Firstly, a power regulation part is combined with droop controller to constitute an improved primary control, which can take the line loss factor into account and adjust the output power of each distributed energy resource to its optimal value. Secondly, an optimal path reconstruction method and a Kalman filter estimation method with sliding mode controller are developed to address the communication interruption problem in communication channels and output channels, respectively. In the end, the secondary controller is used to regulate voltage and frequency, and a small signal model method is applied to analyze the impact on the whole system when these designs are applied. The effect of the proposed strategies has been verified by the related case studies.

Metabolic characterization and biomarkers screening for visceral leishmaniasis in golden hamsters.

A better understanding of the changes in metabolic molecules during visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is essential to develop new strategies for diagnosis and treatment. Previous metabolomics studies on Leishmania have increased our knowledge of leishmaniasis and its causative pathogen. As these studies were mainly carried out in vitro, to go further, we conducted this global metabolomics analysis on the serum of golden hamsters. Serum samples were detected over a time course of 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks post infection. Our results revealed that under extensively disturbed metabolomes between the infection group and controls, glycerophospholipid (GPL) metabolism was most affected over the infection time, followed by α-linoleic acid metabolism and arachidonic acid metabolism. Within GPLs, phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) were found to be significantly increased, while their enzyme-catalysed metabolites lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) showed no significant changes. Moreover, eight differential metabolites were selected. The ability of these metabolites to be used as a diagnostic biomarker panel was supported by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Our findings revealed that GPL metabolism might play an important role in the response of the host to Leishmania infection. The metabolism of PC and PE might be crucial in the in vivo progression of VL. The panel of eight potential biomarkers might contribute to the diagnosis of VL.

Genetic diversity analysis of Chinese Leishmania isolates and development of L. donovani complex-specific markers by RAPD.

BACKGROUND: Leishmaniasis is one of the most neglected tropical diseases in the world and remains endemic in some underdeveloped regions, including western China. The phylogeny and classification of Chinese Leishmania has not been completely clarified to date, especially within the Leishmania (L.) donovani complex, although phylogenetic analyses based on a series of gene markers have been performed. More analytic methods and data are still needed. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technology can sensitively identify slight intraspecific differences, and it is a powerful tool to seek species-specific markers. This work attempted to identify Chinese Leishmania isolates from diverse geographic regions at the genomic level. Meanwhile, specific markers of the L. donovani complex were also developed by RAPD. METHODS: RAPD was applied to 14 Chinese Leishmania isolates from diverse geographic regions and 3 WHO reference strains. The polymorphic sites of amplification were transformed into a data matrix, based on which genetic similarity was calculated, and a UPGMA dendrogram was constructed to analyse the genetic diversity of these Leishmania isolates. Meanwhile, the specific amplification loci of the L. donovani complex were TA-cloned, sequenced and converted into sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers, which were validated preliminarily in 17 available Leishmania strains in this study and analysed by bioinformatics. RESULTS: The cluster analyses showed that the three Leishmania sp. isolates SC10H2, SD and GL clustered together and apart from others, the strains of the L. donovani complex clearly divided into two clades, and the three isolates Cy, WenChuan and 801 formed a subclade. Three specific SCAR markers of the L. donovani complex, i.e., 1-AD17, 2-A816 and 3-O13, were successfully obtained and validated on 17 available Leishmania strains in this study. Through bioinformatic analyses, Marker 1-AD17 may have more specificity for PCR detection of VL, and Marker 3-O13 has the potential to encode a protein. CONCLUSIONS: The RAPD results verified that the undescribed Leishmania species causing visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in China was a unique clade distinguished from L. donovani and revealed that there was genetic differentiation among Chinese L. donovani. The identification of L. donovani-specific markers may help to provide a foundation for future research attempting to develop new specific diagnostic markers of VL and identify specific gene functions.

A case report of fungal infection associated acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonitis.

BACKGROUND: Acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonitis (AFOP) is an uncommon variant of acute lung injury, characterized by intra-alveolar fibrin and organizing pneumonia. Proposed etiologies include connective tissue diseases, infections, occupational exposure, drug reactions, and autoimmune disease. Here we present a rare case of fungal infection associated AFOP in patient with diabetes mellitus (DM) and review the relevant literature. CASE PRESENTATION: A 67-year-old man complained of cough, fever, dyspnea and hemoptysis. Patient experienced a rapidly progressive course exhibit diffuse predominant consolidation, ground glass opacities, and multifocal parenchymal abnormalities on chest computed tomography (CT). Antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral treatments were ineffective. A CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsy was performed. Histologically, the predominant findings were as follows: alveolar spaces filled with fibrin and organizing loose connective tissues involving 70% of the observed region, pulmonary interstitial fibrosis, and small abscesses and epithelioid cell granuloma in the focal area. Result of periodic acid-silver methenamine stain was positive. The fungal pathogen from the sputum culture was identified as P. citrinum repeatedly over 3 times. Patient was diagnosed with DM during hospitalization. Corticosteroids combined with an antifungal therapy were effective. Follow-up for 4 months showed complete radiological resolution. CONCLUSIONS: As this common "contaminant" can behave as a pathogen in the immunocompromised host, both clinicians and microbiologists should consider the presence of a serious and potentially fatal fungal infection on isolation of P. citrinum. Based on this case, it could be speculated that AFOP may be associated with fungal infection including P. citrinum.

Integrated aquaculture contributes to the transfer of mcr-1 between animals and humans via the aquaculture supply chain.

BACKGROUND: Since its discovery in 2015, the mobile colistin resistance gene mcr-1 has been reported in bacteria from >50 countries. Although aquaculture-associated bacteria may act as a significant reservoir for colistin resistance, systematic investigations of mcr-1 in the aquaculture supply chain are scarce. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the presence of colistin resistance determinants in the aquaculture supply chain in south China and determined their characteristics and relationships. METHODS: A total of 250 samples were collected from a duck-fish integrated fishery, slaughter house, and market in Guangdong Province, China, in July 2017. Colistin-resistant bacteria were isolated on colistin-supplemented CHROMagar Orientation plates, and the species were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight assay. The presence of mcr genes was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction analysis. We examined the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 16 antimicrobial agents against the isolates using agar diffusion and broth microdilution methods. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was used to explore the molecular characteristics and relationships of mcr-1-positive Escherichia coli (MCRPEC). RESULTS: Overall, 143 (57.2%) colistin-resistant bacteria were isolated, of which, 56 (22.4%, including 54 Escherichia coli and two Klebsiella pneumoniae) and four Aeromonas species were positive for mcr-1 and mcr-3, respectively. The animal-derived MCRPEC were significantly more prevalent in integrated fishery samples (40.0%) than those in market (4.8%, P<0.01) samples but not in slaughter house (28.0%, P=0.164). All MCRPEC were highly resistant to ampicillin, tetracycline, and compound sulfamethoxazole (>90%) but were susceptible to carbapenems and tigecycline. WGS analysis suggested that mcr-1 was mainly contained on plasmids, including IncHI2 (29.6%), IncI2 (27.8%), IncX4 (14.8%), and IncP (11.1%). Genomic analysis suggested mcr-1 transmission via the aquatic food chain. CONCLUSIONS: MCRPEC were highly prevalent in the aquaculture supply chain, with the isolates showing resistance to most antibiotics. The data suggested mcr-1 could be transferred to humans via the aquatic food chain. Taking the "One Health" perspective, aquaculture should be incorporated into systematic surveillance programs with animal, human, and environmental monitoring.

Occupational Factors Causing Pain Among Nurses in Mainland China.

BACKGROUND Pain is a common problem affecting the wellbeing of nurses. This study investigated physical pain of nurses and their pain self-management in mainland China. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 2458 full-time nurses working in 18 hospitals across mainland China were studied from May 2016 to July 2016, of which a total of 1269 nurses (51.63%) experienced pain during the duration of this study. RESULTS Of the nurses reporting pain, most had general chronic pain (936 cases, 73.8%). Many nurses also had moderate to severe pain (904 cases, 71.2%). Another type of pain that was common was back and lower-limb pain (740 cases, 58.3%). Of the diagnosable symptoms, lumbar spondylosis was the most prominent, with 258 cases (33.1%). Nearly 50% of the nurses reported that their lives and sleep had been disrupted by pain, and 33.9% of the subjects are unsatisfied with their level of self-management of pain. Only 13.4% said that they would seek formal medical attention after feeling pain. Multivariate logistical analysis showed that factors such as the level of the hospital, years of experience, and shift schedule have a strong correlation with the incidence of pain among nurses. CONCLUSIONS The main cause of pain among nurses in mainland China is occupational factors, and the current status of this problem is not satisfactory.

Diagnosis status and pathological diagnosis derived treatment of elderly lung cancer patients over 75 years old.

BACKGROUND: The number of lung cancer in the elderly is increasing. However, a disturbing number of elderly patients failed to get pathological diagnosis and therapeutic outcomes are worse than the young. This study is conducted to explore the diagnosis and treatment status of lung cancer in patients over 75 years old. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with lung cancer between September 1, 2010 and October 30, 2017 were continuously screened. The pathological diagnosis must be based on the cytology or histology diagnosis. The clinical diagnosis must be built on both typical imaging features and increased tumor markers. Clinical features and survival information were obtained and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 338 primary lung cancer inpatients were finally included with an age of 78.02±2.94 years. The most frequent comorbidities were hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular disease; 290 of all these patients were pathologically diagnosed while the other 48 patients only got a clinical diagnosis. Among the pathological diagnosis, adenocarcinoma, squamous carcinoma and small cell lung cancer counted for 91.72%. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) detection was performed in 126 patients and 41 of them were sensitive mutated. Among all included patients, 150 were treated by the best supportive treatment (BST). Anti-cancer treatment is significantly associated with better survival than BST (P<0.001). Definite sensitive mutation is associated with improved survival than undetected patients in EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) treatment patients (P=0.039). CONCLUSIONS: Pathological diagnosis of lung cancer in elderly patients is relatively deficient. Pathologic and molecular pathological diagnosis derived anti-cancer treatment is effective in improving survival.

Carcinoembryonic antigen in pleural effusion of patients with lung adenocarcinoma: a predictive marker for EGFR mutation.

BACKGROUND: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) can reflect tumor growth, recurrence and metastasis, and also predict the clinical efficacy of the epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKI). In the present study, we investigated the association between CEA in serum and pleural effusion (PE) and EGFR mutations in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated 114 lung adenocarcinoma patients with malignant pleural effusion (MPE). CEA levels in serum and MPE were measured by immunoradiometric assay, we analysed the correlation between CEA and EGFR mutation status. RESULTS: Fifty-three cases had EGFR mutation (46.5%). EGFR mutations were more common in females, patients with high levels of PE (≥107.2 ng/mL) and serum CEA (≥87 ng/mL). There was no significant difference in EGFR mutation rate between in tumor tissue and PE samples (49.3% vs. 41.9%, P=0.440). The result of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) indicated that the cut off value of CEA in MPE was 107.2 ng/mL, which had the highest sensitivity (SEN) and specificity (SPE) for predicting EGFR mutation [SEN 66%, and SPE 62.3%, AUC =0.668, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.569-0.767, P=0.025]. The combination of gender, smoking history, serum and MPE CEA level had a higher calculated AUC (0.718, 95% CI: 0.622-0.813, P=0.000). Moreover, multivariate analysis showed that CEA level in MPE but not in serum was confirmed as the only independent factor associated with EGFR gene mutation status (P=0.026) with an odds ratio of 2.885 (95% CI: 1.137-7.317). CONCLUSIONS: MPE CEA can probably serve as a predictive marker for EGFR mutation in advanced lung adenocarcinoma. Combining gender, smoking history, and CEA has a relatively better predictive value. However, detecting EGFR mutations in lung adenocarcinomas is necessary for determining EGFR-TKI treatment in clinic.

Predictive and prognostic value of serum periostin in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

Periostin is an extracellular matrix protein involved in tumorigenesis and metastasis. However, the role of serum periostin as a surrogate marker for treatment efficacy is still unknown. In 122 advanced non-small cell lung cancer cases, 37 patients with benign lung disease and 40 healthy controls, serum periostin was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The associations of serum periostin levels with the clinic-pathological parameters, chemotherapy response, and clinical outcomes of non-small cell lung cancer patients were analyzed. Serum periostin levels were significantly higher in non-small cell lung cancer patients, and it was related significantly to bone metastasis ( p = 0.021). Serum periostin of 65 non-small cell lung cancer patients were detected before and after two cycles of chemotherapy. The patients with and without periostin response had significant difference in objective response to chemotherapy ( p = 0.001). For the 122 non-small cell lung cancer patients, the median progression-free survival was 5 months. In a multivariate analysis, performance status (hazard ratio, 1.71; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-2.67), baseline periostin (hazard ratio, 1.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-1.01), and periostin response (hazard ratio, 0.50; 95% confidence interval, 0.29-0.86) were significantly correlated with prognosis. In conclusion, serum periostin was elevated in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients. Baseline periostin and periostin responses appeared to be reliable surrogate markers to predict chemotherapy response and survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Long intergenic noncoding RNA 00673 promotes non-small-cell lung cancer metastasis by binding with EZH2 and causing epigenetic silencing of HOXA5.

Metastasis of cancer cells is a key impediment to favorable outcomes of cancer treatment. Functional roles of long noncoding RNAs in several biological processes, including metastasis, have recently been discovered. In our previous work, we reported a positive correlation of increased expression of linc00673 in NSCLC tissues with tumor size, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, and increased proliferation of NSCLC cells, both, in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we demonstrate that ectopic expression of linc00673 promotes migration and invasion of NSCLC cells. Furthermore, our results indicate that linc00673 could silence HOXA5 expression by recruiting epigenetic repressor, EZH2, at its promoter regions. HOXA5 was identified as a tumor suppressor gene, which inhibited NSCLC cell metastasis by regulating cytoskeletal remodeling. To summarize, we for the first time identified the role of lin00673 in promoting invasion and migration of NSCLC cells. Insights from this study may help to identify novel therapeutic targets for NSCLC.

The pulmonary nodule "discovered" by pneumonia: a case report.

The number of patients diagnosed with pulmonary nodules increased as more patients with high risk of lung cancer choose low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans for the screening of cancer. Clinicians might get two questions from the patients: what is the definite diagnosis of the nodule? What should we do? We have already got many guidelines trying to solve these problems. There are also several prediction models for pulmonary nodules. However, guidelines are not suitable for all types of patients, and the reality of patients is more complicated. Here we reported a 58-year-old man with a lung nodule in the right upper lobe, which was occasionally found during a period of pneumonia. We suggested two periods of follow-up, and the patient was also admitted to a clinical trial about circulating tumor cells (CTCs). He finally accepted surgical excision with a pathologic diagnosis of adenocarcinoma. This case suggests that: we might suggest CT surveillance for patients with solid nodules about 8 mm maximum diameter; three-dimensional reconstruction of CT scans could provide more information about the details of nodules; CTCs counts of peripheral blood could be considered as a potential clue for malignancy.

Assessing the clinical outcome of nab-paclitaxel in Chinese patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: Nab-paclitaxel [nab-P, 130-nm albumin-bound paclitaxel particles] is a new solvent-free paclitaxel that allows for high intratumoral concentration and has been approved for use in various solid tumours. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of nab-paclitaxel in the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer [NSCLC]. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We assessed 101 Chinese patients who were diagnosed with Stage IIIB or IV NSCLC from August 2009 to November 2014.The patients were injected with nab-paclitaxel [260 mg/m2 , day1] with or without platinum. Patients who completed more than two treatment cycles were assessed for response and survival. All patients were assessed for adverse events. RESULTS: The efficacy was evaluated in 79 patients; the overall response rate was 32.9%, and the disease control rate was 89.9%. Subgroup analysis found patients with squamous cell carcinoma, and combination therapies showed better outcomes. The median progression-free survival was 5.3 months [95%CI: 4.6-5.9], and the median overall survival was 8.9 months [95%CI: 6.1-11.6]. The main grades 3/4 adverse events were peripheral neuropathy [5.9%], leukopenia [5.0%], and anaemia [3.0%]. Additionally, severe abnormal hepatic function [2.0%], alopecia [2.0%], thrombocytopenia [1.0%] and fatigue [1.0%] could also be identified in some patients. CONCLUSION: The nab-paclitaxel chemotherapy could achieve significant tumour responses and encourage survival in advanced NSCLC patients with tolerable toxicities. Further clinical studies are needed to explore the optimal therapy regimen and target users.

Phylogenetic analysis of HSP70 and cyt b gene sequences for Chinese Leishmania isolates and ultrastructural characteristics of Chinese Leishmania sp.

Leishmaniasis is a worldwide epidemic disease caused by the genus Leishmania, which is still endemic in the west and northwest areas of China. Some viewpoints of the traditional taxonomy of Chinese Leishmania have been challenged by recent phylogenetic researches based on different molecular markers. However, the taxonomic positions and phylogenetic relationships of Chinese Leishmania isolates remain controversial, which need for more data and further analysis. In this study, the heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) gene and cytochrome b (cyt b) gene were used for phylogenetic analysis of Chinese Leishmania isolates from patients, dogs, gerbils, and sand flies in different geographic origins. Besides, for the interesting Leishmania sp. in China, the ultrastructure of three Chinese Leishmania sp. strains (MHOM/CN/90/SC10H2, SD, GL) were observed by transmission electron microscopy. Bayesian trees from HSP70 and cyt b congruently indicated that the 14 Chinese Leishmania isolates belong to three Leishmania species including L. donovani complex, L. gerbilli, and L. (Sauroleishmania) sp. Their identity further confirmed that the undescribed Leishmania species causing visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) in China is closely related to L. tarentolae. The phylogenetic results from HSP70 also suggested the classification of subspecies within L. donovani complex: KXG-918, KXG-927, KXG-Liu, KXG-Xu, 9044, SC6, and KXG-65 belong to L. donovani; Cy, WenChuan, and 801 were proposed to be L. infantum. Through transmission electron microscopy, unexpectedly, the Golgi apparatus were not observed in SC10H2, SD, and GL, which was similar to previous reports of reptilian Leishmania. The statistical analysis of microtubule counts separated SC10H2, SD, and GL as one group from any other reference strain (L. donovani MHOM/IN/80/DD8; L. tropica MHOM/SU/74/K27; L. gerbilli MRHO/CN/60/GERBILLI). The ultrastructural characteristics of Leishmania sp. partly lend support to the phylogenetic inference that Chinese Leishmania sp. is in close relationship with reptilian Leishmania.

Chloroquine inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis in malignant pleural effusion.

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is associated with a poor prognosis in lung cancer. Currently, no effective cure exists for MPE. Chloroquine (CQ) has been demonstrated to induce vascular normalization and inhibit tumor growth. The aim of this study was to assess whether CQ affects MPE. The xenografts mice were divided into normal saline (NS), CQ, or bevacizumab (BE) group. Tumor growth and microvascular density (MVD) were monitored. We explored the effect of CQ on the proliferation, survival, and proangiogenic signaling of tumor cells in vitro. We further evaluated the effects of CQ on the viability, migration, and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). A chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model was used to elucidate the effects of CQ on angiogenesis. Finally, an MPE mouse model were treated by CQ, BE, or NS. The volume of pleural effusion, tumor foci, and MVD was evaluated. CQ therapy group exhibited decreased tumor volume, tumor weight, and MVD in the mouse xenografts. CQ inhibited the proliferation of the tumor cells. However, the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor was not affected. Additionally, CQ inhibited the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of HUVECs and also restrained angiogenesis in the CAM. Western blot showed that CQ might suppress angiogenesis by downregulating p-Akt, Jagged1, and Ang2 in HUVECs. In MPE mice, the volume of the pleural effusion, the number of pleural tumor foci, and the MVD were significantly reduced in the CQ group. Our work demonstrated that CQ played the role of an efficient treatment for MPE.

Prognostic value of lymph node ratio in patients with pathological N1 non-small cell lung cancer: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with N1 disease have variable outcomes, and additional prognostic factors are needed. The number of positive lymph nodes (LNs) has been proposed as a prognostic indicator. However, the number of positive LNs depends on the number of LNs examined from the resection specimen. The lymph node ratio (LNR) can circumvent this limitation. The purpose of this study is to evaluate LNR as a predictor of survival and recurrence in patients with pathologic N1 NSCLC. METHODS: We systematically reviewed studies published before March 17, 2016, on the prognostic value of LNR in patients with pathologic N1 NSCLC. The hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to combine the data. We also evaluated heterogeneity and publication bias. RESULTS: Five studies published between 2010 and 2014 were eligible for this systematic review with meta-analysis. The total number of patients included was 6,130 ranging from 75 to 4,004 patients per study. The combined HR for all eligible studies evaluating the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of N1 LNR in patients with pathologic N1 NSCLC was 1.53 (95% CI: 1.22-1.85) and 1.64 (95% CI: 1.19-2.09), respectively. We found no heterogeneity and publication bias between the reports. CONCLUSIONS: LNR is a worthy predictor of survival and cancer recurrence in patients with pathological N1 NSCLC.