[Acupoint application for Hashimoto's thyroiditis with liver-qi stagnation: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of acupoint application for Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) with liver-qi stagnation. METHODS: One hundred and fifty patients of HT with liver-qi stagnation were randomly divided into an acupoint application group (75 cases, 11 cases were excluded, 5 cases dropped out) and a control group (75 cases, 12 cases excluded, 3 cases dropped out). Based on the health education combined with conventional western medicine treatment, the patients in the acupoint application group were treated with acupoint application, while the patients in the control group were treated with placebo acupoint application. Shenque (CV 8), bilateral Yongquan (KI 1), Yeshi, and ashi point were selected in both groups, with Yeshi treated once a week and the remaining acupoints treated every other day, for a total of 4 weeks. The serum levels of thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), as well as the thickness of thyroid left lobe, right lobe, and isthmus, TCM symptom score, hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) score, and MOS 36-item short form health survey (SF-36) score were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. Adverse reactions in both groups were observed. RESULTS: Compared with before treatment, in the acupoint application group, the serum levels of TgAb and TPOAb were reduced after treatment (P<0.05), and the scores of role physical (RP), body pain (BP), vitality (VT), role emotional (RE), and mental health (MH) in SF-36 were increased after treatment (P<0.01, P<0.001). The thickness of the thyroid isthmus after treatment was smaller than that before treatment (P<0.05), and the TCM symptom scores and HADS anxiety (HADS-A) scores after treatment were lower than those before treatment (P<0.001, P<0.01) in both groups. In the control group, the scores of physical function (PF), RP, BP, VT, and RE in SF-36 after treatment were higher than those before treatment (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in serum FT3, FT4, and TSH levels within the groups (P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the above indexes between the two groups (P>0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions in the acupoint application group and the control group was 20.0% (15/75) and 10.7% (8/75) respectively, with skin allergy being the main adverse reaction. CONCLUSION: Acupoint application could reduce the serum levels of TgAb and TPOAb in patients of HT with liver-qi stagnation, alleviate thyroid enlargement, improve TCM symptoms and anxiety, and improve quality of life, with safe and reliable clinical efficacy.

Efficacy and safety of Trastuzumab Emtansine in treating human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive metastatic breast cancer in Chinese population: a real-world multicenter study.

Background: Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) has been approved worldwide for treating metastatic breast cancer (mBC) in patients who have received first-line therapy, shown disease progression, and are human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive. T-DM1 received approval in China to treat early-stage breast cancer (BC) in 2020 and for mBC in 2021. In March 2023, T-DM1 was included in medical insurance coverage, significantly expanding the eligible population. Materials and methods: This post-marketing observational study aimed to assess the safety and effectiveness of T-DM1 in real-world clinical practice in China. This study enrolled 31 individuals with HER2-positive early-stage BC and 70 individuals with HER2-positive advanced BC from 8 study centers in Shandong Province, China. The T-DM1 dosage was 3.6 mg/kg injected intravenously every 3 weeks until the disease advanced or the drug toxicity became uncontrollable, whichever occurred earlier. Additionally, efficacy and safety information on T-DM1 were collected. Results: During the 7-month follow-up period, no recurrence or metastases were observed in patients who had early-stage BC. The disease control rate was 31.43% (22/70) in patients with advanced BC. The most common adverse effect of T-DM1 was thrombocytopenia, with an incidence of 69.31% (70/101), and the probability of Grade ≥ 3 thrombocytopenia was 11.88% (12/101). Conclusion: This real-world study demonstrated that T-DM1 had good efficacy and was well tolerated by both HER2-positive early-stage BC and mBC patients.

Two binuclear Ni-inserted polyoxotantalates based on {NiTa10O32} units with catalytic activity.

Two Ni-inserted polyoxotantalates, K5.5Na2H0.5[Ni(H2O)2{NiTa10O30(OH)2}]·21H2O (1) and K6Na4[Ni(en){NiTa10O32}]·22H2O (2, en = ethanediamine), were synthesized in this work. Crystallographic data analyses reveal that 1 and 2 have similar configurations. A minor difference between these two structures is that the {Ni(H2O)2} unit in 1 is replaced by {Ni(en)} unit in 2. Notably, the other Ni in 1 and 2 is located as a heteroatom at the center of the {Ta10} unit, which is reported in POTas for the first time. Moreover, 2 exhibits excellent catalytic performance in transesterification reactions in a preliminary exploration of the catalytic ability of the synthesized POTas.

The adverse events of CDK4/6 inhibitors for HR+/ HER2- breast cancer: an umbrella review of meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials.

Background: The clinical selection of three CDK4/6 inhibitors presents a challenging issue, owing to the absence of distinct clinical case characteristics, biomarkers, and their comparable clinical benefits in progression-free survival and overall survival To inform clinical treatment decisions, we conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the adverse events associated with CDK4/6 inhibitors in combination with endocrine therapy for hazard ratio+/HER2-breast cancer. Methods: We searched Cochrane, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases from their inception until 1 August 2022. The results were summarized narratively, and we assessed the methodological quality, reporting quality, and evidence quality of AEs by AMSTAR-2, PRISMA, and GRADE. Results: Our analysis included 24 meta-analyses systematic reviews that evaluated the quality of AEs in 13 cases of early breast cancer (EBC) and 158 cases of advanced breast cancer The addition of CDK4/6 inhibitors was found to significantly increase AEs of any grade and AEs of grade 3 or higher in early breast cancer, along with a significant increase in the risk of treatment discontinuation. In advanced breast cancer, high and moderate-quality evidence indicated that CDK4/6 inhibitors significantly increased AEs across all grades, including grade 3/4 AEs, leucopenia, grade 3/4 leucopenia, neutropenia, grade 3/4 neutropenia, anemia, grade 3/4 anemia, nausea, grade 3/4 constipation, fatigue, pyrexia, venous thromboembolism abdominal pain, and cough. However, they did not significantly elevate the incidence of grade 3/4 diarrhea. Subgroup analysis revealed that palbociclib primarily increased hematologic toxicity, particularly grade 3/4 neutropenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia. Ribociclib was mainly associated with grade 3/4 neutropenia, prolonged QT interval, and alopecia. Abemaciclib was closely linked with diarrhea and elevated blood creatinine levels. Conclusion: The AEs associated with CDK4/6 inhibitors vary, necessitating individualized and precise clinical selection for optimal management. This approach should be based on the patient's medical history and the distinct characteristics of different CDK4/6 inhibitors to improve the patient's quality of life. Systematic Review Registration: [https://systematicreview.gov/], identifier [CRD42022350167].

Efficacy of CDK4/6 inhibitors combined with endocrine therapy in HR+/HER2- breast cancer: an umbrella review.

BACKGROUND: The use of Cyclin-Dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors has profoundly changed the challenge of endocrine therapy (ET) resistance in hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/HER2-negative (HER2-) breast cancer. However, there is currently no comprehensive evaluation of the evidence for the efficacy of CDK4/6 inhibitors. We conducted an umbrella review to explore the impact of CDK4/6 inhibitor combined with ET on breast cancer by summarizing and assessing the meta-analysis (MA) and systematic review (SR) evidence. METHODS: Cochrane, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched from inception to August 1st, 2022. Eligible studies were assessed for methodological quality, report quality, and evidence quality using the AMSTAR-2 scale, PRISMA 2020, and GRADE grading systems, respectively. We summarized all efficacy outcomes of CDK4/6 inhibitors for breast cancer and reported them in narrative form. RESULTS: Our study included 24 MAs and SRs. The strongest evidence demonstrated that CDK4/6 inhibitor combined with ET significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) in advanced breast cancer (ABC). A large body of moderate to high evidence showed a significant association between combination therapy and objective response rate (ORR), and clinical benefit response (CBR) benefit in ABC. Low evidence suggested some degree of benefit from combination therapy in second progression-free survival (PFS2) and time to subsequent chemotherapy (TTC) outcomes in ABC and invasive disease-free survival (IDFS) outcomes in early breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Based on current evidence, CDK4/6 inhibitors combined with ET have great confidence in improving PFS, OS, ORR, and CBR outcomes in patients with ABC, which provides more rational and valid evidence-based medicine for CDK4/6 inhibitor promotion and clinical decision support.

Granulomatous lobular mastitis co-existing with ductal carcinoma in situ: Report of three cases and review of the literature.

Granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) is a benign and infrequent chronic breast ailment. Although this lesion can be clinically and radiographically mistaken for early-onset breast cancer, it is a rare occurrence for the two to coexist. This report describes three such cases. In all three patients, the primary signs and symptoms were related to the formation of diffuse breast masses or abscesses. Breast ultrasound and MRI revealed glandular edema and dilated breast ducts. The biopsies of all lesions exhibited both granulomatous inflammation confined to the lobules of the breast, abundant interstitial inflammatory cell infiltrates, and apparently cancerous cells located in dilated ducts with intact basement membranes. The surgically excised specimens confirmed the diagnosis of GLM and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in all three patients who underwent breast mass resection. By clinical imaging and clinical manifestations, GLM may obscure a concurrent DCIS, as highlighted by the cases reported herein.

ß-eudesmol inhibits cell proliferation and induces ferroptosis via regulating MAPK signaling pathway in breast cancer.

The aim of this study was to explore the influences and underlying mechanisms of ß-eudesmol on breast cancer (BC). Different concentrations of ß-eudesmol (0, 10, 20, and 40 µM) were taken to treat BC cells. Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation assay, and flow cytometry were performed to evaluate the influences of ß-eudesmol on cell viability, proliferation, and apoptosis. To assess the influences of ß-eudesmol on cell ferroptosis, the change of ROS, SOD, MDA, and intracellular iron and Fe2+ were determined. The protein changes of apoptosis, ferroptosis, and MAPK pathway (Bcl-2, Bax, cleaved caspase-3, SLC7A11, GPX4, SLC40A1, Transferrin, MEK1, and ERK1/2) were checked utilizing Western blot. In a concentration-dependent manner, ß-eudesmol restrained cell viability and proliferation. ß-eudesmol promoted cell apoptosis, as evidenced by the decline level of Bcl-2 and the raised level of Bax and cleaved caspase-3. ß-eudesmol enhanced the level of ROS, MDA, iron, Fe2+, and Transferrin, and lessened SOD activity and the protein expression of SLC7A11, GPX4, SLC40A1, MEK1, and ERK1/2. Moreover, ferroptosis inhibitor Fer-1 and MEK1 overexpression both reversed the changes on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and ferroptosis induced by ß-eudesmol. ß-eudesmol inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis and ferroptosis via regulating MAPK pathway in BC.

Hexameric polyoxotantalate with proton conduction properties.

The first Fe-implanted polyoxotantalate (POTa), K12Na14H7.4[Fe10.7Ta1.3O8(OH)8(H2O)2(Ta6O19)6]·114.5H2O (1), has been obtained by self-assembly in alkaline solution. The polyanion consists of six Lindqvist-type {Ta6} units linked together by {Fe10.7Ta1.3}. The compound not only possesses the highest nuclearity transition metal-oxygen cluster, but also has the highest degree of polymerization in the POTa field to date. And 1 possesses remarkable proton conduction.

Discovery and Isolation of Two Arsenotungastate Species: [As4W48O168]36- and [As2W21O77(H2O)3]22.

Two novel arsenotungstate species, [As4W48O168]36- (1a) and [As2W21O77(H2O)3]22- (2a), have been successfully isolated under a one-pot synthetic method. 1a is the second largest arsenotungstate cluster and is constructed from four {AsW12} clusters combined together. 2a can be described as lacunary sites of {As2W19} filled by {W2O8} units. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibit proton conductivity properties, and the conductivity value of 1 is 5.0 × 10-3 S cm-1 at 98% relative humidity and 75 °C. This work proves that the lattice water molecules and polyoxoanions can participate in the formation of a hydrogen bond, acting as effective pathway for intermolecular proton conduction.

Gastric Cancer Growth Modulated by circSNTB2/miR-6938-5p/G0S2 and PDCD4.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) is the third most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Increasing studies have indicated that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play critical roles in cancer progression. However, the precise mechanism and functions of most circRNAs are still unknown in gastric cancer. METHODS: In the present study, we aim to uncover the mechanism by which circRNAs regulate gastric cancer tumorigenesis. By analyzing the microarray data, we screened differential expressed circRNAs in the gastric cancer group and identified a down-regulated circRNA, hsa_circ_0040039 (circSNTB2). Mechanically, circSNTB2 served as a sponge for the miR-6938-5p and up-regulated its expression. RESULTS: Meanwhile, G0/G1 switch gene 2 (G0S2) and programmed cell death gene 4 (PDCD4) were identified to be the aim genes of miR-6938-5p, constructing circSNTB2/miR-6938-5p/G0S2 and PDCD4 pathways. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our findings demonstrated that circSNTB2 plays an essential role in gastric cancer by regulating miR-6938-5p through G0S2 and PDCD4 genes. CircSNTB2 could be a promising biomarker for GC diagnosis and targeted therapy.

2D Windmill-like Ln-Containing Organophosphonate-Based Polyoxomolybdates: Synthesis, Characterization, Fluorescence, and Magnetism.

By integration of {Ln(H2O)6}3+ into organophosphonate-based polyoxometalates, three Ln-containing organophosphonate-functionalized polyoxomolybdates Na1.5H1.5[{Ln(H2O)6}2{(Mo3O8)(O3PC(C3H6NH3)OPO3)}4]·(CH3CO2)·43H2O (Ln = Eu (1), Tb (2), and Dy (3)) are successfully prepared and systematically characterized. The X-ray crystallography analyses display complexes 1-3 crystallize in the C2/c space group of the monoclinic system and compose several distinctive tetramer windmill-like compounds that further assemble into two-dimensional (2D) frameworks associated with the {Ln(H2O)6}3+ core. The fluorescence spectra of 1-3 show red, green, and chartreuse emissions, respectively, originating in the typical f-f transitions of Ln3+ ions. More interestingly, complex 3 shows the field-induced single-molecule magnet (SMM) properties, resulting from the fact that [(Mo3O8)4{O3PC(C3H6NH3)OPO3}4]8- offers excellent magnetic isolation for Dy3+ ions by the nearest Dy1···Dy2 distance of 11.207 Å. The study demonstrates that the incorporation of {Ln(H2O)6}3+ into organophosphonate-based polyoxomolybdates is an effective synthetic strategy in implementing late-model opto-magnetic materials.

Oxalate-bridging NdIII-based arsenotungstate with multifunctional NIR-luminescence and magnetic properties.

Oxalate bridged Nd-based arsenotungstate, K14Na6H4[{(As2W19O67(H2O))Nd(H2O)2}2(C2O4)]·64H2O (1), was obtained from the reaction of K14[As2W19O67(H2O)], oxalic acid, and NdCl3·6H2O in mildly acidic aqueous solution. The polyanion exhibits a dimeric structure in which the fully deprotonated oxalate ligands bridge two NdIII cations and the arsenotungstate anions act as blocking ligands. The photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of 1 shows the characteristic emission peak of NdIII in the near-infrared (NIR) region. However, the O → W charge-transfer transitions of arsenotungstate cannot effectively sensitize the emission of NdIII cations as confirmed by the emission spectrum, due to the mismatch of the energy gap between 3T1u → 1A1g (21.57 × 103 cm-1) of arsenotungstate components and 4F3/2 → 4I9/2 (11.43 × 103 cm-1) of NdIII cations. Magnetic studies of 1 demonstrate its field-induced single-molecule magnet (SMM) behavior. Direct current magnetic susceptibility studies imply the weak ferromagnetic couplings present between the two neighboring NdIII cations. In addition, the synergy between the coordination configuration of NdIII cations and the intramolecular magnetic interaction was discussed.

Luminescent Dimeric Oxalate-Bridged Eu3+/Tb3+-Implanted Arsenotungstates: Tunable Emission, Energy Transfer, and Detection of Ba2+ Ion in Aqueous Solution.

Two cases of lanthanide (Ln)-implanted arsenotungstates, K17Na2H5[{(As2W19O67(H2O))Ln(H2O)2}2(C2O4)]·87H2O (Ln = Eu (1), Ln = Tb (2)) and their codoped derivatives EuxTb1-x-POM (x = 0.01 (3), x = 0.04 (4), x = 0.1 (5), x = 0.2 (6)) were prepared and further characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, infrared spectra, and thermogravimetric analyses. An X-ray structural analysis of 1 and 2 indicates that they both present a dimeric oxalate-bridged Ln3+-implanted lanthanide arsenotungstate polyanion structure. Under the O → W LMCT excitation at 265 nm of arsenotungstate polyanions, the emissions of Ln3+ ions in 1 and 2 are sensitized and the lifetimes are prolonged. Codoped compounds 3-6 demonstrate a color-tunable emission from green to red by adjusting the Eu3+/Tb3+ ratio. Emission spectra and time-resolved emission spectroscopic studies were performed for 3 to further authenticate the energy transfer processes from excited arsenotungstates to the Eu3+ and Tb3+ metal ions and also between the Eu3+ and Tb3+ centers. More interestingly, 1 is an effective fluorescent probe for the recognition and detection of Ba2+ ions in aqueous solution. The optical properties of the Ln-implanted arsenotungstate compounds not only expressly reveal distinctive energy transfer processes in those compounds but also broaden the application of POM-based materials in the fluorescence sensing field.

Treatment of bilateral granulomatous lobular mastitis during lactation with traditional Chinese medicine: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) is a type of benign chronic inflammatory disease that poses therapeutic challenges to healthcare providers. The diagnosis of GLM relies on tissue biopsy, and incorrect treatment may lead to delayed diagnosis, considerable aesthetic damage, and even mastectomy. CASE SUMMARY: We report the case of a 37-year-old Chinese woman who was lactating and had GLM in both breasts. At the time of treatment, the right breast had a mass of approximately 15 cm × 11 cm, which was hard and had poor mobility. Multiple skin ulcerations and pus spills were also observed on the surface of the breast. The left breast had a mass of about 13 cm × 9 cm, which was hard and had poor mobility. CONCLUSION: Herein, we report a case of bilateral GLM in a lactating woman that was successfully treated with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), without the requirement for surgery or other treatments. Therefore, TCM may have advantages in the nonsurgical treatment of GLM.

H-shaped oxalate-bridging lanthanoid-incorporated arsenotungstates.

Three oxalate-bridging lanthanide-based polyoxometalates (Ln-POMs) K17Na2H5[{(As2W19O67(H2O))Ln(H2O)2}2(C2O4)]·50H2O. [Ln = Sm3+ (1), Pr3+ (2), and Ce3+ (3)] were successfully synthesized. The structures were further characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses, Raman spectroscopy, elemental analyses, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), IR spectra, UV/vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The structural characterization study reveals that Ln-POMs 1-3 crystallize in the form of the triclinic space group P1[combining macron] and consist of an oxalate bridging di-Ln3+-incorporated H-shaped dimer, which can also be viewed as a combination of two half-units {Ln(As2W19O67(H2O))(H2O)2}222- related by an inversion center. It is worth noting that the opening angle (33.01°) from the [As2W19O67(H2O)]14- fragment in 1-3 is less than that of the [As2W19O67(H2O)]14- precursor (40.99°). Furthermore, the stability of 1-3 in aqueous solution and their solid-state photoluminescence properties have also been investigated in this work.

Magnetic field and dilution effects on the slow relaxation of {Er3} triangle-based arsenotungstate single-molecule magnets.

A triangular {Er3} cluster containing polyoxometalate (POM), [Er3(µ3-OH)(H2O)8(AsW9O33)(AsW10O35(dl-mal))]222- (1) (mal = malate), has been obtained via one-pot reactions. Structural analyses demonstrate that three Er3+ ions bridged one µ3-OH to generate a rare µ3-OH-capped triangular {Er3} cluster, which connects two different vacant polyanions to form an unsymmetrical sandwich-type subunit, and adjacent sandwiched subunits are linked through mal ligands to give the targeted dimer. When the Er3+ ions are substituted in whole or in part with Y3+ ions, the diamagnetic yttrium analogue [Y3(µ3-OH)(H2O)8(AsW9O33)(AsW10O35(dl-mal))]222- (2) and diluted sample [Er0.15Y2.85(µ3-OH)(H2O)8(AsW9O33)(AsW10O35(dl-mal))]222- (Er@2) have also been synthesized. Magnetic studies reveal that 1 exhibits field-induced two-step magnetic relaxation processes; the slow relaxation process may arise from intramolecular magnetic interactions, whereas the fast one is likely to originate from the intermolecular dipole-dipole interactions supported by the magnetic results of Er@2. From ab initio calculations, it is found that although the magnetic anisotropies of 1 mainly originate from individual Er3+ fragments, the Er3+-Er3+ interactions have a considerable influence on their slow magnetic relaxation processes.

Well-tuned white-light-emitting behaviours in multicenter-Ln polyoxometalate derivatives: A photoluminescence property and energy transfer pathway study.

White light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) are of scientific significance in terms of their wide applications, and few uminescent materials based on white-light-emitting polyoxometalate (POM) derivatives have been reported till now. Herein, a series of organic chromophores modified POM derivatives [N(CH3)4]3K2Ln(C7H5O2)(H2O)2(α-PW11O39)]·11H2O (Ln3+ = Eu3+ (1), Tb3+ (2), Tm3+ (3), Lu3+ (4)) and multicenter-Ln analogues [N(CH3)4]3K2EuxTbyTm1-x-y(C7H5O2)(H2O)2(α-PW11O39)·11H2O (5-11) were synthesized successfully and were characterized by various physico-chemical analysis. The investigations indicate the white-light-emitting behavior can be well tuned by adjusting the molar ratio of Eu3+/Tb3+/Tm3+ = 0.06:0.10:0.84 in 9. The energy transfer process from organic benzoic and POM ligands to Eu3+, Tb3+ and Tm3+ emitting centers were detected through time-resolved emission spectroscopy (TRES) and the comparison of excitation of single-, double-, treble-Ln3+ mixed, indicating the energy can transfer from the photoexcitation O → M LMCT state of POM components and π → π* transition of organic ligand to sensitize the emissions of Ln3+ ions via intramolecular energy transition mechanism. The energy transfer between Eu3+ and Tb3+, Tm3+ and Eu3+, Tm3+ and Tb3+ ions also have been recorded and carefully studied by TRES and variations of Tm3+ luminescence lifetime in this context, and the results show a low-effectively process of energy transfer between Tm3+/Eu3+, Tm3+/Tb3+ ions and a relatively good energy transfer efficiency between Eu3+/Tb3+ ions.

Foxg1 Directly Represses Dbx1 to Confine the POA and Subsequently Regulate Ventral Telencephalic Patterning.

During early development, signaling centers, such as the cortical hem and the preoptic area (POA), are critical for telencephalic patterning. However, the mechanisms underlying the maintenance of signal centers are poorly understood. Here, we report that the transcription factor Foxg1 is required to confine the POA, a resource of Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) that is pivotal for ventral telencephalic development. Cell-specific deletion of Foxg1 achieved by crossing Foxg1fl/fl with Dbx1-cre or Nestin-CreER combined with tamoxifen induction results in a dramatic expansion of the POA accompanied by the significantly increased activity of the Shh signaling pathway. Ventral pattern formation was severely impaired. Moreover, we demonstrated that Foxg1 directly represses Dbx1 to restrict the POA. Furthermore, we found that the ventral pallium was expanded, which might also contribute to the observed patterning defects. These findings will improve our understanding of the maintenance of signal centers and help to elucidate the mechanisms underlying ventral telencephalic patterning.

Multi-targeting chemoprevention of Chinese herb formula Yanghe Huayan decoction on experimentally induced mammary tumorigenesis.

BACKGROUND: Development of safe and effective chemopreventive agents is a winning strategy in reducing the morbidity and mortality of breast cancer. The current study was to investigate the mechanism-based chemopreventive potential of a Chinese herb formula Yanghe Huayan (YHHY) Decoction on the classical 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) induced rat mammary carcinogenesis model. METHODS: Female Sprague-Dawley rats at 42 days of age were orally administered with a human equivalent dose of YHHY Decoction at 0.02 ml/g (10 mg/ml) once daily, starting 1 wk. before and 4 wks following DMBA treatment. Mammary tumor occurrence was monitored every day. The length of time before palpable tumor is examined is defined as tumor-free survival time. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses were adopted to identify major chemical compositions of the decoction. Following bioinformatics data mining and experimental analyses were performed to demonstrate the underlying mechanism of action. RESULTS: DMBA animals receiving YHHY Decoction exhibited a significant delay (P = 0.014) and in some animals prevention (P = 0.046) of tumor occurrence without obvious toxicity. Oncogenic myc activation was significantly suppressed in the DMBA-induced rats by the YHHY treatment. Eight major chemical compositions of the decoction were identified and were shown to interfere with multiple tumorigenic pathways simultaneously in the mammary tumors, including inducing tumor apoptosis and up-regulating pro-apoptotic protein Bax and down-regulating anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2; suppressing abnormal cell proliferation and the MAPK/ERK, PI3K/AKT signalings; blocking neo-angiogenesis and the VEGF/KDR signaling, and inhibiting oxidative stress in the mammary tumors. CONCLUSION: The multi-components and multi-targeting properties of the YHHY Decoction support its use as a potent chemopreventive drug in breast cancer.

Institute collection and analysis of Nanobodies (iCAN): a comprehensive database and analysis platform for nanobodies.

BACKGROUND: Nanobodies are single-domain antibodies that contain the unique structural and functional properties of naturally-occurring heavy chain in camelidae. As a novel class of antibody, they show many advantages compared with traditional antibodies such as smaller size, higher stability, improved specificity, more easily expressed in microorganisms. These unusual hallmarks make them as promising tools in basic research and clinical practice. Although thousands of nanobodies are known to be published, no single database provides searchable, unified annotation and integrative analysis tools for these various nanobodies. RESULTS: Here, we present the database of Institute Collection and Analysis of Nanobodies (iCAN). It is built for the aim that addressing the above gap to expand and accelerate the nanobody research. iCAN, as the first database of nanobody, contains the most comprehensive information to date on nanobodies and related antigens. So far, iCAN incorporates 2391 entries which include 2131 from patents and 260 from publications and provides a simple user interface for researchers to retrieve and view the detailed information of nanobodies. In addition to the data collection, iCAN also provides online bioinformatic tools for sequence analysis and characteristic feature extraction. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, iCAN enables researchers to analyze nanobody features and explore the applications of nanobodies more efficiently. iCAN is freely available at http://ican.ils.seu.edu.cn .