Lymphoepithelioma-Like Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma Associated with Epstein-Barr Virus and Hepatitis Virus: Case Report and a Literature Review.

Background: Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the liver is a rare primary malignancy of the liver. The identification of lymphoepithelioma-like cholangiocarcinoma is very limited as there are currently very few reports of such cases. Although previous studies have reported the lymphoepithelioma-like cholangiocarcinoma pathologic features, few studies have revealed the clinic features, imaging characteristics, and clinical course and outcomes. This study was analyzed from multiple aspects such as contrast-enhanced ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, and pathological characteristics, aiming to improve the comprehensive understanding of this rare subtype of disease. Case Presentation: A 43-year-old female with a history of hepatitis B for over 20 years presented with a lesion found in the right lobe of her liver. After discussion by a multidisciplinary team (MDT), malignant tumors cannot be excluded based on contrast-enhanced ultrasound and MRI. Thus, we decided to perform surgery for the patient. Postoperative pathology confirmed lymphoepithelioma-like intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. After 3 months of follow-up, the patient was still alive and no recurrence was observed. Conclusion: The purpose of this article is to describe a rare case of lymphoepithelioma-like intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and analyze its contrast-enhanced ultrasound and contrast-enhanced MRI features, which will be helpful for physicians in diagnosing this disease. From the perspective of CEUS, the wedge-shaped highly enhanced area around the lesion in the arterial phase appears to be inflammatory but looks malignant based on the extremely fast washout. The lesion showed a low signal on T1WI, a high signal on T2WI and DWI, and an abnormal perfusion shadow can be seen behind the lesion. In particular, this subtype of cholangiocarcinoma has a good prognosis, the clinician should improve the recognition of the disease to strive for early diagnosis and therapy.

Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Refractory or Relapsing Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma: A Meta-analysis and Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is an aggressive lymphoma that primarily affects the central nervous system. Current treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, and whole-brain radiotherapy, often fail to achieve satisfactory results. The prognosis for patients with refractory or relapsed (R/R) PCNSL is bleak. The optimal treatment for refractory or relapsed PCNSL is poorly defined due to a limited number of studies in this setting. Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors, as part of targeted therapy regimens, have undergone testing in several clinical trials against PCNSL and have shown promising results in the treatment of R/R PCNSL. In this meta-analysis, we aim to explore and critically appraise the evidence regarding the efficacy of BTK inhibitors in the treatment of refractory or relapsed PCNSL. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted on multiple databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, and CNKI, covering the period up to November 2023. The inclusion criteria for studies were patients with R/R PCNSL who received BTK inhibitors, and reported data on overall response rate (ORR) and complete remission (CR). The pooled rates were calculated using a random-effects or fixed-effects model with a double arcsine transformation, and 95% CIs were determined for all outcomes. RESULTS: In total, 1 studies involving 185 patients were identified and included in the meta-analysis. The pooled complete remission (CR) rate of BTK inhibitors-based treatment for R/R PCNSL was found to be 50%. Subgroup analysis revealed that the CR rates for BTK inhibitor monotherapy, BTK inhibitor combined with chemotherapy, and BTK inhibitor combined with radiotherapy for R/R PCNSL were 7%, 68%, and 80%, respectively. The ORR for BTK inhibitors-based treatment for R/R PCNSL was 70%. Subgroup analysis showed that the ORR rates for BTK inhibitor monotherapy and BTK inhibitor combined with chemotherapy for R/R PCNSL were 55% and 83%, respectively. The most common adverse events (AEs) reported were hematologic AEs, including neutropenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia. Severe nonhematologic AEs included rash, febrile neutropenia, increased levels of aspartate aminotransferase, and increased blood bilirubin. CONCLUSIONS: BTK inhibitors can be regarded as a safe and effective treatment option for R/R PCNSL, thereby providing a potential new avenue for R/R PCNSL treatment. However, it is important to note that further large-sample prospective randomized controlled trials are needed to validate these findings and establish their wider applicability.

Boundary-aware Dual Biaffine Model for Sequential Sentence Classification in Biomedical Documents.

Assigning appropriate rhetorical roles, such as "background," "intervention," and "outcome," to sentences in biomedical documents can streamline the process for physicians to locate evidence and resources for medical treatment and decision-making. While sequence labeling and span-based methods are frequently employed for this task, the former disregards a document's semantic structure, resulting in a lack of semantic coherence across continuous sentences. Span-based approaches, on the other hand, either necessitate the enumeration of all potential spans, which can be time-consuming, or may lead to the misclassification of sentences over extended spans. Consequently, an approach is required that models the semantic structure of documents explicitly and captures boundary information to achieve precise and effective sentence labeling in biomedical documents. To address these challenges, we propose a new approach, the boundary-aware dual biaffine model, which explicitly models the semantic structure of documents and incorporates boundary information via a dual biaffine layer. We introduce a dynamic programming algorithm to minimize missing labels and overlapping predictions, and achieve globally optimal decoding results. We evaluate our approach on three benchmark datasets, namely PubMed 20k RCT, PubMed-PICO and NICTA-PIBOSO. The experimental results demonstrate that our approach outperforms strong baselines and achieves state-of-the-art performance on PubMed 20k RCT and PubMed-PICO. Additionally, our method also achieves competitive results on NICTA-PIBOSO. Availability: Our codes and data will be available at: https://github.com/CSU-NLP-Group/Sequential-Sentence-Classification.

Ultrasound-guided lateral pterygoid muscle botulinum toxin: an injection for recurrent temporomandibular joint dislocation in a brain injury patient.

Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) injection using nerve stimulation or electromyography for recurrent temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dislocation has been reported for several years. However, using the available equipment like a nerve stimulator or an electromyograph is uncommon, and ultrasound guidance is convenient and requires no additional resources. In this report, we used ultrasound as a tool to achieve BTX-A injections in a patient with a traumatic brain injury to treat her TMJ dislocation. One week after the injections, she had no more dislocation. She remained symptom free during the 3 months of follow-up, and her clinical symptoms improved without significant complications. This is the first report using ultrasound guidance for BTX-A injections to treat recurrent TMJ dislocation. This treatment is an effective and safe technique that could be performed timely and locally without referral to a center with electromyography facilities.

Effects of polysorbates on stability of monoclonal antibody drugs / 中国生物制品学杂志

@#Objective To evaluate the effects of various polysorbates(PS)on the stability of different types of monoclonal antibody(mAb)drugs.Methods Three types of monoclonal antibodies mAbA(IgG1 proantibody drug),mAbB(IgG1 mAb)and mAbC(IgG1 mAb with Fc N297A mutation)were used as model proteins,and different kinds or contents of PS were added into the mAb formulations respectively to investigate the influencing factors.The effects of PS on the stability of mAb drugs were evaluated comprehensively by detecting the changes of quality attributes,such as protein aggregates and insoluble particles.Results PS20 and PS80 showed no significant difference in inhibiting the formation of aggregates and charge variants in the three mAbs(P>0.05),while the addition of PS80 in mAbB and PS20 in mAbC significantly inhibited the increase of insoluble particles respectively(P<0.05);The content of PS20 showed a significant effect on the detection indexes of charge variants and insoluble particles in mAbC(P<0.05).Conclusion Different types of mAbs have different sensitivities to various kinds and contents of PS.Therefore,when designing the formulation of mAbs,it is necessary to select appropriate kinds and contents of PS to further improve the stability of mAb drugs.

Detection of early-universe gravitational-wave signatures and fundamental physics.

Detection of a gravitational-wave signal of non-astrophysical origin would be a landmark discovery, potentially providing a significant clue to some of our most basic, big-picture scientific questions about the Universe. In this white paper, we survey the leading early-Universe mechanisms that may produce a detectable signal-including inflation, phase transitions, topological defects, as well as primordial black holes-and highlight the connections to fundamental physics. We review the complementarity with collider searches for new physics, and multimessenger probes of the large-scale structure of the Universe.

The Smad3-dependent microRNA let-7i-5p promoted renal fibrosis in mice with unilateral ureteral obstruction.

Renal fibrosis is a common feature of all types of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is tightly regulated by the TGF-ß/Smad3 pathway. Let-7i-5p belongs to the let-7 microRNA family with diverse biological functions. It has been reported that let-7i-5p suppresses fibrotic disease in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels, while the role of let-7i-5p in renal fibrosis remains limited. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of let-7i-5p in renal fibrosis in a mouse model of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and TGF-ß1-stimulated renal tubular cell line TCMK1. The RNA-targeting CRISPR/Cas13d system was used to knock down let-7i-5p. Renal injury and fibrosis were determined by histological analysis, RT-PCR, Western blot, and immunostaining. Our results have shown that in the kidneys after UUO, the expression of let-7i-5p was significantly increased along with notable tubular injury and interstitial fibrosis. Electroporation of let-7i-targeting Cas13d plasmid efficiently knocked down let-7i-5p in kidneys after UUO with reduced tubular injury, fibrotic area, and expression of fibrotic marker genes α-SMA, fibronectin, and Col1a1. In TGF-ß1-stimulated TCMK1 cells, knockdown of let-7i-5p by Cas13d plasmid transfection also blunted the expression of fibrotic marker genes. Most importantly, the genomic locus of let-7i showed enriched binding of Smad3 as revealed by chromatin immunoprecipitation. In TCMK1 cells, the overexpression of Smad3 can directly induce the expression of let-7i-5p. However, the deletion of Smad3 abolished TGF-ß1-stimulated let-7i-5p expression. Collectively, these findings suggest that let-7i-5p is a Smad3-dependent microRNA that plays a pathogenic role in renal fibrosis. Let-7i-5p could be a promising target for the treatment of CKD-associated renal fibrosis.

An odorant binding protein mediates Bactrocera dorsalis olfactory sensitivity to host plant volatiles and male attractant compounds.

Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) are believed to play critical roles in host-seeking behavior. However, little attention was paid to its different functions in male and female. The antenna-specific OBP gene from Bactrocera dorsalis, BdorOBP13, was cloned and its expression profile was examined. The results showed that BdorOBP13 was exclusively expressed in male and female adults, which exhibited a high transcript level in antennae. After injection of BdorOBP13 dsRNA, its transcript level in males and females decreased significantly. Electrophysiological responses of RNAi-injected flies to, methyl eugenol (male attractant) and γ-octalactone (female attractant) decreased significantly. However, no significant changes in the electrophysiological response were observed in RNAi-injected flies to benzothiazole, (+),dipentene, and ethyl tiglate. The behavioral bioassay showed that males treated with RNAi significantly reduced their preference to methyl eugenol, while RNAi-injected females showed a significantly lower preference to γ-octalactone, suggesting that BdorOBP13 may have different functions between males and females: it may be involved in the detection of methyl eugenol in males but is involved in the detection of γ-octalactone in females. These findings improve our understanding of insect OBPs and their roles in insect chemosensation, which may provide us with new molecular targets in the management of B. dorsalis.

[Analysis of Gene Mutation Characteristics and Prognosis of Elderly Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics of gene mutation in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and its effect on prognosis. METHODS: The clinical and laboratorial characteristics of 54 AML patients (≥60 years old) in Department of Hematology, Tangdu Hospital were analyzed retrospectively during April 2016 to October 2019. Thirty-four AML/myelodysplastic syndrome/myeloproliferative neoplasm related mutant genes were detected by second-generation sequencing technology, and their clinical characteristics, treatment effect, and influence on prognosis were analyzed. RESULTS: All the patients received DAC+CAG induction treatment, after 1-2 couses of treatment, 36 cases (66.7%) achieved complete response, with a total effective rate of 75.9%, and the median survival time was 17 months. The most frequent mutant genes were TET2 (33.3%), CEBPA (31.5%), DNMT3A (18.5%), ASXL1 (16.7%), NRAS (14.8%), RUNX1 (14.8%), FLT3-ITD (12.9%), TP53 (12.9%), NPM1 (12.9%), and IDH2 (12.9%). Among 7 patients with TP53 mutation, 6 cases obtained complete response after 1-2 courses of induction treatment, but there was no statistically significant difference in the effect on prognosis. Patients with FLT3-ITD and NRAS mutations had shorter overall survival time compared with who had no mutation (P=0.47, P=0.48). Multivariate analysis showed that FLT3-ITD and NRAS mutations were poor prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: The incidence of TET2 gene mutation is high in elderly AML patients. AML patients with TET2 and TP53 mutations may benefit from Decitabine-based chemotherapy. However, patients with FLT3-ITD and NRAS mutations have a short survival time, and may have a poor prognosis.

[Community structure and diversity formation of fermentation fungi in traditional Shaoxing Huangjiu]. / ä¼ ç»Ÿç»å ´é»„é ’é ¿é€ çœŸèŒç¾¤è½ä¸Žå¤šæ ·æ€§å‘ç”Ÿæœºåˆ¶.

To reveal the formation mechanism of fungal community and diversity during the production of Shaoxing Huangjiu, we examined fungal communities in the samples of Linfanjiumu, Maiqu and fermentation mash based on Illumina MiSeq PE300 high-throughput sequencing platform. A total of 136000, 215283, 166150, and 143624 sequences were obtained from the samples of Linfanjiumu, Maiqu, initial mash and mature mash, respectively. After clustering, 32, 133, 107 and 84 OUT (operational taxonomic units) were obtained, respectively. The diversity and richness of fungi were in order of Maiqu > initial mash > mature mash > Linfanjiumu. At the level of phylum, Ascomycota were dominant in all samples. At genus level, Saccharomyces was dominant in Linfanjiumu, Aspergillus was dominant in Maiqu, and Saccharomyces and Aspergillus were the dominant fungi in the initial and mature mash. With the extension of the fermentation time, the proportion of Saccharomyces gradually increased in the mash, while other fungal groups including Aspergillus showed a decreasing trend. According to the results of PCoA analysis and similarity cluster analysis, the structure of fungi community in Linfanjiumu, initial mash and mature mash was much similar, while the fungal resources in Maiqu were quite different from other samples. The analysis of fungal community characteristics in the initial mash showed that the Linfanjiumu and Maiqu affected fungal diversity in Shaoxing Huangjiu. The dominant species of saccharification and fermentation starter (Linfanjiumu and Maiqu) played a leading role in driving community assembly of fermentation fungi.

Structural Genomic Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Coronaviruses.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of the structural genes of SARS-CoV-2 and other CoVs. We found that the sequence of the E gene was the most evolutionarily conserved across 200 SARS-CoV-2 isolates. The E gene and M gene sequences of SARS-CoV-2 and NC014470 CoV were closely related and fell within the same branch of a phylogenetic tree. The absolute diversity of E gene and M gene sequences of SARS-CoV-2 isolates was similar to that of common CoVs (C-CoVs) infecting other organisms. The absolute diversity of the M gene sequence of the KJ481931 CoV that can infect humans was similar to that of SARS-CoV-2 and C-CoVs infecting other organisms. The M gene sequence of KJ481931 CoV (infecting humans), SARS-CoV-2 and NC014470 CoV (infecting other organisms) were closely related, falling within the same branch of a phylogenetic tree. Patterns of variation and evolutionary characteristics of the N gene and S gene were very similar. These data may be of value for understanding the origins and intermediate hosts of SARS-CoV-2.

[Clinical Characteristics and Prognosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients with ASXL1 Gene Mutation].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia(AML) patients with ASXL1 mutation. METHODS: The clinical data of 229 newly diagnosed AML patients treated in our hospital from April 2016 to October 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. The next-generation sequencing technology was used to detect gene mutations in all the patients, the clinical characteristics of the patients with ASXL1 mutation were analyzed. RESULTS: ASXL1 gene mutation was detected out in 45 patients(19.6%). Among these patients, the frameshift mutation (n=22,48.9%) was most common, followed by missense mutation (n=15, 33.3%) and nonsense mutation (n=8,17.8%), respectively, all of them were located at exon 12. The median mutation rate was 32.47%(range, 2.74%-53.50%). The median age of the patients with ASXL1 mutation was 54(range, 14-74) years old, and most of the patients were male, and most of them with the history of MDS or MPN, and low white blood cell count at the initial diagnosed (P<0.05). Patients with ASXL1 mutation showed a lower CR rate than that of without ASXL1 mutation. Patients with or without ASXL1 mutation showed a statistically significant difference in survival at 20 months (P=0.042), while there was no significant difference between the patients in the two groups over 20 months (P=0.505). All the 6 patients with ASXL1 mutation in low-risk group were survived, while the median OS time was 16 months in the high-risk group(P=0.034). Multivariate analysis showed that the history of MDS or MPN and CR rate from induction therapy were the independent risk factors affecting survival of the patients. CONCLUSION: Frameshift mutation is commonly in AML patients with ASXL1 gene mutation, and ASXL1 mutation were more often in men, the history of MDS or MPN, and low white blood cell count. The CR rate of the patients with ASXL1 mutation was lower than that of the AML patients without ASXL1 mutations, AML patients with ASXL1 mutation showed poor short-term efficacy, but there was no significant difference between the two groups in long-term survival over 20 months.

Ultrastructure of the Olfactory Sensilla across the Antennae and Maxillary Palps of Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae).

The sensilla on the antennae and maxillary palps are the most important olfactory organs, via which the insect can perceive the semiochemicals to adjust their host seeking and oviposition behaviors. The oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is a major agricultural quarantine pest infesting more than 250 different fruits and vegetables. However, the sensilla involved in olfaction have not been well documented even though a variety of control practices based on chemical communication have already been developed. In this study, the ultrastructure of the sensilla, especially the olfactory sensilla on the antennae and maxillary palps of both males and females, were investigated with field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Three types of olfactory sensillum types including trichodea, basiconica, and coeloconica, and two non-olfactory sensilla including both chaetica and microtrichia, were observed. Each of these three types of olfactory sensilla on the antennae of B. dorsalis were further classified into two subtypes according to the morphology and number of receptor cells. For the first time, the pores on the sensilla trichodea and basiconica cuticular wall were observed in this species, suggesting they are involved in semiochemical perception. This study provides new information on B. dorsalis olfaction, which can be connected to other molecular, genetic, and behavioral research to construct an integral olfactory system model for this species.

Implications for First-Order Cosmological Phase Transitions from the Third LIGO-Virgo Observing Run.

We place constraints on the normalized energy density in gravitational waves from first-order strong phase transitions using data from Advanced LIGO and Virgo's first, second, and third observing runs. First, adopting a broken power law model, we place 95% confidence level upper limits simultaneously on the gravitational-wave energy density at 25 Hz from unresolved compact binary mergers, Ω_{CBC}<6.1×10^{-9}, and strong first-order phase transitions, Ω_{BPL}<4.4×10^{-9}. The inclusion of the former is necessary since we expect this astrophysical signal to be the foreground of any detected spectrum. We then consider two more complex phenomenological models, limiting at 25 Hz the gravitational-wave background due to bubble collisions to Ω_{pt}<5.0×10^{-9} and the background due to sound waves to Ω_{pt}<5.8×10^{-9} at 95% confidence level for phase transitions occurring at temperatures above 10^{8} GeV.

Comprehensive treatment of rare multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is a rare hereditary disorder caused by mutations of the MEN1 gene. It is characterized by hyperparathyroidism and involves the pancreas, anterior pituitary, duodenum, and adrenal gland. Here, we report a 40-year-old male patient with MEN1 who first manifested as thymic carcinoid, then primary hyperparathyroidism and prolactinoma, and a decade later pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor. CASE SUMMARY: The patient underwent a thymectomy because of the thymic carcinoid 10 years prior and a prolactinoma resection 2 years prior. His sister suffered from prolactinoma. His parents displayed a typical triad of amenorrhea, galactorrhea, and infertility. Computed tomography revealed a strong signal in the upper portion of the left lobes and posterior portion of the right lobes of the thyroid and irregular soft tissue densities of the pancreatic body. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging further showed strong 18F-flurodeoxyglucose uptake in the tail of the pancreatic body and segment IV of the liver. The patient underwent pancreatic body tail resection, pancreatic head mass enucleation, and ultrasound-guided radio-frequency ablation for liver cancer. Pathology results reported neuroendocrine tumor grade 2. Whole exome sequencing revealed a verified pathogenic mutation c.378G>A (p.Trp126*) in the MEN1 gene. The diagnosis of MEN1 was confirmed. At the 1.5-year follow-up, the patient appeared healthy without any sign of reoccurrence. CONCLUSION: The present case may add some insight into the diagnosis and treatment of patients with MEN1.

Clinical outcome of open surgery versus laparoscopic surgery for cirrhotic hepatocellular carcinoma patients: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Open surgery remains the major approach to treat hepatocellular carcinoma, and laparoscopy-assisted liver resection has been recommended as a superior treatment. However, the efficacy of laparoscopic surgery versus open surgery for cirrhotic patients is under debate. Therefore, the aim of this meta-analysis was to compare the clinical outcomes of laparoscopic and open resection of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched for eligible literature updated on November 2018. After rigorous review of quality, the data were extracted from eligible trials. All the data were pooled with the corresponding 95% confidence interval using RevMan software. Sensitivity analyses and heterogeneity were quantitatively evaluated. RESULTS: Fourteen trials met the inclusion criteria. According to the pooled result of surgery duration, laparoscopic surgery was associated with significantly shorter hospital stay [STD mean difference (SMD) = -0.61, 95% confidence interval -0.89 to -0.32; P < 0.0001], lower intraoperative blood loss (SMD = -0.56, 95% confidence interval -0.99 to -0.12; P = 0.01), fewer complications (odds ratio = 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.28 to 0.52; P < 0.00001) and lower transfusion rate (odds ratio = 0.58, 95% confidence interval 0.36-0.93; P = 0.02). Nevertheless, there was no remarkable difference in operative time (SMD = 0.17, 95% confidence interval -0.25 to -0.59; P = 0.42) between the two groups. The pooled analysis of overall survival showed that laparoscopic surgery did not achieve benefit compared with open surgery (P = 0.02). Moreover, the pooled results of three subgroups indicated that laparoscopic surgery was associated with significantly better disease-free survival (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The current analysis indicates that laparoscopic liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma improved intraoperative and disease-free survival, with similar overall survival compared to the open procedure. Laparoscopic surgery may serve as a safe and feasible alternative for selected hepatocellular carcinoma patients with cirrhosis.

Naringenin inhibits proliferation, migration, and invasion as well as induces apoptosis of gastric cancer SGC7901 cell line by downregulation of AKT pathway.

The preliminary anti-cancer activity of Naringenin (Nar) has been proven in several cancers. However, the therapeutic activity of Nar on gastric cancer SGC-7901 cell line is not yet well understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect and mechanisms of Nar on proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of SGC-7901 cells. In this in vitro study, SGC-7901 cells were treated with Nar at serial concentrations. Our data showed that Nar efficiently inhibited SGC-7901 cell proliferation in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, as well as downregulated proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) levels in a concentration-dependent manner. Meanwhile, the cell migration and invasion also dramatically decreased after Nar incubation, and the expressions of MMP2 and MMP9 were significantly downregulated. In addition, a strong proapoptotic effect was observed in the SGC-7901 cells after Nar treatment. Apoptosis-related proteins Bax and cleaved caspase-3 were up-regulated, whereas Bcl-2 and Survivin were downregulated. After administration with Nar, we found that phosphorylation of AKT was inhibited, and this inhibitory action could be mildly enhanced by the combination treatment of Nar and AKT inhibitor LY294002. In conclusion, our study confirmed that Nar could inhibit SGC-7901cell proliferation, migration, and invasion as well as induces apoptosis, and Nar might provide a new potential therapeutic strategy for treating gastric cancer.

Characterization of the expression of the stress-responsive PpERS1 gene from peach and analysis of its promoter using transgenic tomato.

The PpERS1 gene, which encodes an ethylene receptor and responds to abiotic and biotic stresses, was cloned from peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch cv Okubao). The genomic DNA sequence of PpERS1 comprises seven exons which are separated by six introns, interestingly alternative splicing of the first intron produced three different PpERS1 transcripts. In addition, a 2.8-kb sequence including the promoter of PpERS1 was isolated and analyzed by placing expressing of the GUS reporter gene under its control. Several putative cis-elements were identified in the promoter of PpERS1, including two ethylene-responsive elements (EREs), five W boxes, and four putative binding sites for MYB-type transcription factors. Deletion analysis indicated the presence of an enhancer element in the PpERS1 promoter. Temporal and spatial expression analysis of the PpERS1 promoter using histochemical GUS staining showed GUS activity in all tissues examined throughout the development of transgenic tomato plants. Exposure to various stresses caused similar changes in expression patterns in peach and transgenic tomato plants. Overall, our results suggested that PpERS1 gene might play important roles in response to multiple stresses via signal transduction mediated by ethylene receptors. The characterization of the PpERS1 promoter contributes to our understanding of the transcriptional regulation of this ethylene receptor in peach.

[Chiral separation of fourteen amino alcohols by nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis].

We developed a new method for chiral separation of fourteen amino alcohols by nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis (NACE) with the D-(+)-gluconic acid δ-lactone-boric acid complex as chiral selector. In order to achieve good enantioseparation, the effects of D-(+)-gluconic acid δ-lactone and boric acid concentrations, triethylamine concentration, as well as capillary temperature were systematically investigated. The optimized conditions were identified as follows: an uncoated fused silica capillary of 50 µm ID with a total length (L(tot)) of 55 cm and an effective length (L(eff)) of 45 cm; 200 mmol·L(-1) D-(+)-gluconic acid δ-lactone, 80 mmol·L(-1) boric acid, and 57.4 mmol·L(-1) triethylamine in methanol; positive pressure injection at 2.9 psi for 2 s; capillary temperature, 25 ± 0.2 ℃; applied voltage, +15 k V; detection wavelength, 214 nm. Under the optimized conditions, a good chiral resolution was achieved in most of the tested drugs. This method provides a foundation for the development and application of new chiral selectors of polyhydroxy compound-boric acid complexes in chiral drugs analysis by NACE.