Towards a rigorous understanding of societal responses to climate change.

A large scholarship currently holds that before the onset of anthropogenic global warming, natural climatic changes long provoked subsistence crises and, occasionally, civilizational collapses among human societies. This scholarship, which we term the 'history of climate and society' (HCS), is pursued by researchers from a wide range of disciplines, including archaeologists, economists, geneticists, geographers, historians, linguists and palaeoclimatologists. We argue that, despite the wide interest in HCS, the field suffers from numerous biases, and often does not account for the local effects and spatiotemporal heterogeneity of past climate changes or the challenges of interpreting historical sources. Here we propose an interdisciplinary framework for uncovering climate-society interactions that emphasizes the mechanics by which climate change has influenced human history, and the uncertainties inherent in discerning that influence across different spatiotemporal scales. Although we acknowledge that climate change has sometimes had destructive effects on past societies, the application of our framework to numerous case studies uncovers five pathways by which populations survived-and often thrived-in the face of climatic pressures.

KAT8-catalyzed lactylation promotes eEF1A2-mediated protein synthesis and colorectal carcinogenesis.

Aberrant lysine lactylation (Kla) is associated with various diseases which are caused by excessive glycolysis metabolism. However, the regulatory molecules and downstream protein targets of Kla remain largely unclear. Here, we observed a global Kla abundance profile in colorectal cancer (CRC) that negatively correlates with prognosis. Among lactylated proteins detected in CRC, lactylation of eEF1A2K408 resulted in boosted translation elongation and enhanced protein synthesis which contributed to tumorigenesis. By screening eEF1A2 interacting proteins, we identified that KAT8, a lysine acetyltransferase that acted as a pan-Kla writer, was responsible for installing Kla on many protein substrates involving in diverse biological processes. Deletion of KAT8 inhibited CRC tumor growth, especially in a high-lactic tumor microenvironment. Therefore, the KAT8-eEF1A2 Kla axis is utilized to meet increased translational requirements for oncogenic adaptation. As a lactyltransferase, KAT8 may represent a potential therapeutic target for CRC.

Five-year long-term comparison of robotic and laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer: a large single-center cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Robotic gastrectomy (RG) has been reported to be technically feasible and safe for patients with gastric cancer. However, 5-year long-term survival and recurrence outcomes for advanced gastric cancer have rarely been reported. This study aimed to compare the long-term oncologic outcomes between RG and laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) for gastric cancer. METHODS: The general clinicopathological data of 1905 consecutive patients who underwent RG and LG were retrospectively collected at the Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital between November 2011 and October 2017. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to match groups. The primary endpoints were 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: After PSM, a well-balanced cohort of 283 patients in the RG group and 701 patients in the LG group were included in the analysis. The 5-year cumulative DFS rates were 67.28% in the robotic group and 70.41% in the laparoscopic group. The 5-year OS rate was 69.01% in the robotic group and 69.58% in the laparoscopic group. No significant differences in Kaplan-Meier survival curves for DFS (HR = 1.08, 95% CI 0.83-1.39, Log-rank P = 0.557) and OS (HR = 1.02, 95% CI 0.78-1.34, Log-rank P = 0.850) were observed between the 2 groups. In the subgroup analyses for potential confounding variables, there were no significant differences in 5-year DFS and 5-year OS survival between the 2 groups (P > 0.05), except for patients with pathological stage III and pathological stage N3 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: For patients with early gastric cancer, robotic and laparoscopic approaches have similar long-term survival. For patients with advanced gastric cancer, further studies need to be conducted to assess the long-term survival outcomes of RG.

Development of HPLC-MS/MS assay for quantitation of ensartinib in human plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetics study in Chinese patients.

Ensartinib is a novel anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor with potent activity against a broad range of known crizotinib-resistant ALK mutations and is developed to treat patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. This study was the first to develop and validate a rapid and sensitive HPLC-MS/MS method for the determination of ensartinib in human plasma. The plasma samples were extracted using liquid extraction, and chromatographic separation was performed using a Phenomenex, Luna phenyl-hexyl column (50 × 2.0 mm, 5 µm). Electrospray ionization in positive-ion mode and multiple reaction monitoring were used to monitor ion transitions at m/z 561.3 → 257.1 (ensartinib) and 565.2 → 261.2 (internal standard: X-396-d4), respectively. The method yielded excellent linearity in the range of 0.5-500 ng/ml with the lowest quantification of 0.5 ng/ml. Both intra- and inter-run precisions (relative standard deviation %) were less than 15%, with accuracy (relative error %) between ±15%. Extraction recovery, matrix effect, selectivity, and stability were also validated and found to be satisfactory. Finally, the validated method was successfully applied in a phase I clinical study of ensartinib in Chinese subjects with advanced ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer.

Defining the impact of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio on patient survival with gastric neuroendocrine neoplasm: a retrospective cohort analysis.

BACKGROUND: Gastric neuroendocrine neoplasm (g-NEN) is a rare but heterogeneous neoplasm, with an increasing incidence yearly. Conventional prognostic markers of g-NEN remain limited which could only be detected after surgery. There is an urgent need to explore new prognostic markers for g-NEN patients. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of platelet-to-lymphocyte, ratio (PLR) and the association between PLR and body mass index (BMI) in patients with gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms (g-NEN). METHODS: A retrospective cohort of patients with g-NEN from January 2001 through June 2016 was examined. The prognostic significance of PLR was determined by multiple regression analysis in different models. Stratified analysis was performed to examine the prognostic value of PLR at different BMI levels. RESULTS: In total, 238 patients were enrolled. Those with higher PLRs tended to undergo open surgery, had larger tumor sizes, were diagnosed more frequently with neuroendocrine carcinoma, and had higher tumor grades. PLR was significantly associated with the survival of patients with g-NEN. With PLR increased per standard deviation, the all-cause mortality risk of patients with g-NEN increased by 67%, 63%, and 54% in the crude (HR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.32-2.12, P < 0.001), minimally adjusted (HR = 1.63, 95% CI 1.28-2.08, P < 0.001), and fully adjusted (HR = 1.54, 95% CI 1.202-1.98, P = 0.001) models, respectively. Patients with higher PLR (quartile 4, ≥ 187) had a 1.8-fold increase in all-cause mortality risk compared with those with lower PLR (quartile 1-3, < 187). Furthermore, there was a significant interaction effect between BMI subgroups and PLR in predicting the survival of patients with g-NEN (PLR regarded as a continuous variable: all P for interaction < 0.05 in the crude, minimally adjusted, and fully adjusted models; PLR regarded as a categorical variable: P for interaction < 0.05 in the fully adjusted model). Patients with g-NEN with the characteristics of higher PLR (quartile 4, ≥ 187) and non-obesity (BMI < 25 kg/m2) had worse survival than others (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The inflammation marker PLR has an independent prognostic value for patients with g-NENs, and high PLR combined with non-obesity increases the mortality risk of these patients.

Effects of 25(OH)D3 supplementation during late gestation on the serum biochemistry and reproductive performance of aged sows and newborn piglets.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of diet type (normal or low Ca and P diets) and 25(OH)D3 supplementation (with or with not 2000 IU/kg 25(OH)D3 ) during late gestation on the serum biochemistry and reproductive performance of aged sows and newborn piglets. A total of 40 sows, which are at their 7th parity, were divided into four groups: control group (standard diet), low Ca group, 25(OH)D3 group and low Ca plus 25(OH)D3 group respectively (10 in each group). The blood of sows on day 100 and 114 of gestation and newborn piglets was collected for serum biochemical analyses. Results showed that the reproductive performance of sows was not influenced by diet type or 25(OH)D3 supplementation (p > 0.05). And the addition of 25(OH)D3 to diet low Ca group caused that the content of serum TG in sows on day 100 of gestation was not different from that of the control group (p > 0.05). The addition of 25(OH)D3 significantly decreases the content of serum TG in sows on day 114 of gestation (p < 0.05). The addition of 25(OH)D3 significantly increased the content of serum UREA and CREA in newborn piglets (p < 0.05). Overall, feeding 2000 IU/kg 25(OH)D3 to aged sows at late gestation had no effects on reproductive performance, but partly contributed to keeping serum TG balance in sows and may indicate increased pressure on kidneys in newborn piglets.

Stearoyl-CoA-desaturase-1 regulates gastric cancer stem-like properties and promotes tumour metastasis via Hippo/YAP pathway.

BACKGROUND: Stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1) is reported to play essential roles in cancer stemness among several cancers. Our previous research revealed significant overexpression of SCD1 in primary gastric cancer stem cells (GCSCs), with its functional role still unknown. METHODS: We stably established three primary GCSCs by sphere-forming assays and flow cytometry. Protein quantification and bioinformatics analysis were performed to reveal the differential protein pattern. Lentivirus-based small-interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown and pharmacological inhibition approaches were used to characterise the function and molecular mechanism role of SCD1 in the regulation of GC stemness and tumour metastasis capacity both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: SCD1 was found to increase the population of GCSCs, whereas its suppression by an SCD1 inhibitor or knockdown by siRNA attenuated the stemness of GCSCs, including chemotherapy resistance and sphere-forming ability. Furthermore, SCD1 suppression reversed epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and reduced the GC metastasis probability both in vitro and in vivo. Downregulation of SCD1 in GCSCs was associated with the expression of Yes-associated protein (YAP), a key protein in the Hippo pathway, and nuclear YAP translocation was also blocked by the SCD1 decrease. CONCLUSIONS: SCD1 promotes GCSC stemness through the Hippo/YAP pathway. Targeting SCD1 might be a novel therapeutic strategy, especially to suppress GC metastasis and sensitise chemotherapy.

Laparoscopy versus conventional laparotomy in the management of abdominal trauma: a multi-institutional matched-pair study.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopy is being increasingly applied as either a diagnostic or therapeutic intervention in the management of abdominal trauma. However, its outcomes in comparison with conventional laparotomy remain unclear, especially in terms of therapeutic management. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included patients from three trauma centers in Beijing, China. Fifty-four patients undergoing laparoscopic interventions for abdominal trauma by experienced laparoscopists were enrolled in the laparoscopy group (LP group). Another 54 patients who underwent laparotomy (LT group) were matched according to the patients' baseline characteristics, causes of injury, and hemodynamic parameters. Perioperative clinical parameters and short-term survival were compared between these two groups. RESULTS: The baseline characteristics were comparable between these two groups (LP vs. LT: Age, p = 0.112; Sex, p = 0.820; Injury severity score, p = 0.158; Cause distribution, p = 0.840). The most common cause was traffic accident (36.1%) and the most frequent surgical intervention was bowel repair/resection (34.3%) in our study. The operation time was similar in these two groups (LP vs. LT: 202.2 ± 72.58 vs. 194.11 ± 82.95 min, p = 0.295) while post-operative complication rate was slightly reduced in LP group (7.7% vs. 13.5%) with no statistical significance (p = 0.383). Opioid use was lower in the LP than LT group (11.67 ± 4.08 vs. 26.0 ± 13.42 morphine equivalents (MEQ), p = 0.034). The hospital stay was significantly shorter in the LP group (13.48 ± 10.9 vs. 18.64 ± 14.73 days, p = 0.021). One patient in the LT group died of an intra-abdominal abscess and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome 19 days postoperatively, while all patients in the LP group recovered and were discharged. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopy is feasible and safe in treating abdominal trauma patients in hemodynamically stable conditions performed by experienced surgeons. Laparoscopy might have the advantages of reduced pain and quicker recovery with similarly favorable clinical outcomes.

Comparison of robotic- and laparoscopic-assisted gastrectomy in advanced gastric cancer: updated short- and long-term results.

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence has demonstrated that either laparoscopic-assisted gastrectomy (LAG) or robotic-assisted gastrectomy (RAG) could be adopted as standard treatment for early gastric cancer. However, the long-term survival and recurrence rate after LAG or RAG for locally advanced gastric cancer (AGC) has seldom been reported. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data from 339 patients who underwent LAG and 163 patients who underwent RAG from a prospectively established database in the Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital. We compared the short- and long-term oncological outcomes of the RAG group versus the LAG group in the entire cohort, and in a propensity score-matched cohort. RESULTS: Before propensity score matching (PSM), the two groups revealed comparable 3-year overall survival rates (OS, RAG vs. LAG: 76.1 vs. 81.7%, p = 0.118), and recurrence-free survival rates (RFS, RAG vs. LAG: 73.0 vs. 67.6%, p = 0.297). Similar results were obtained in the propensity score-matched cohort; the respective overall survival rates in the propensity score-matched RAG and LAG groups were 76.1 and 79.8% (p = 0.552), and the respective RFS rates were 73.0 and 68.7% (p = 0.386). After PSM, RAG was still associated with a significantly longer mean operating time (249.46 ± 63.26 vs. 232.17 ± 65.39 min, p = 0.008) and higher total costs (133.38 ± 41.62 vs. 95.34 ± 29.39 103 RMB, p < 0.001) than LAG; the two groups did not significantly differ in other surgical and oncological characteristics. CONCLUSION: Although there were some differences in the outcomes of RAG versus LAG in AGC patients, both RAG and LAG were similar in short-term recovery and long-term oncological outcomes.

Robot-Assisted Versus Laparoscopy-Assisted Proximal Gastrectomy for Early Gastric Cancer in the Upper Location: Comparison of Oncological Outcomes, Surgical Stress, and Nutritional Status.

BACKGROUND: An increasing amount of attention has been paid to minimally invasive function-preserving gastrectomy, with an increase in incidence of early gastric cancer in the upper stomach. This study aimed to compare oncological outcomes, surgical stress, and nutritional status between robot-assisted proximal gastrectomy (RAPG) and laparoscopy-assisted proximal gastrectomy (LAPG). METHODS: Eighty-nine patients were enrolled in this retrospective study between November 2011 and December 2013. Among them, 27 patients underwent RAPG and 62 underwent LAPG. Perioperative parameters, surgical stress, nutritional status, disease-free survival, and overall survival were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: Sex, age, and comorbidity were similar in the RAPG and LAPG groups. There were also similar perioperative outcomes regarding operation time, complications, and length of hospital stay between the groups. The reflux esophagitis rates following RAPG and LAPG were 18.5% and 14.5%, respectively ( P = .842). However, patients in the RAPG group had less blood loss ( P = .024), more harvested lymph nodes ( P = .021), and higher costs than those in the LAPG group ( P < .001). With regard to surgical stress, no significant differences were observed in C-reactive protein concentrations and white blood cell count on postoperative days 1, 3, and 7 between the groups ( Ps > .05). There appeared to be higher hemoglobin levels at 6 months ( P = .053) and a higher body mass index at 12 months ( P = .056) postoperatively in patients in the RAPG group compared with those in the LAPG group, but this difference was not significant. Similar disease-free survival and overall survival rates were observed between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: RAPG could be an alternative to LAPG for patients with early gastric cancer in the upper stomach with comparable oncological safety and nutritional status. Further well-designed, prospective, large-scale studies are needed to validate these results.

Randomized controlled trial comparing short-term outcomes of laparoscopic and open spleen-preserving splenic hilar lymphadenectomy for advanced proximal gastric cancer: An interim report.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We compared the clinical outcomes of laparoscopic and open spleen-preserving splenic hilar lymphadenectomy (LSPL and OSPL) for gastric cancer. METHODS: We performed a single-center, randomized, controlled trial to compare the short-term surgical outcomes between LSPL and OSPL. The study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02980861). RESULTS: A total of 222 patients were enrolled (114 in the LSPL group and 108 in the OSPL group). There were no significant differences between the two groups in operative time (P = 0.152), a number of harvested lymph nodes (P = 0.669) including no. 10 lymph nodes (2.1 ± 1.4 vs 2.3 ± 1.2, P = 0.713). The time taken for no. 10 lymph node dissection was similar in both groups (13.9 ± 10.4 vs 15.2 ± 9.4 minutes, P = 0.217); however, the LSPL group experienced less total blood loss (P < 0.001) and less blood loss during no. 10 lymph node dissection compared with the OSPL group (15.3 ± 37.8 vs 29.5 ± 36.4 mL, P < 0.001). The postoperative complication rates of LSPL and OSPL were 18.3% and 16.1%, respectively (P = 0.331). CONCLUSION: LSPL is a safe and feasible surgical procedure in no. 10 LN dissection for patients with advanced proximal gastric cancer. Thus, this prospective trial is continuing.

Minimally invasive surgery as a treatment option for gastric cancer with liver metastasis: a comparison with open surgery.

BACKGROUND: As minimally invasive techniques advances, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has emerged as an alternative modality for advanced gastric cancer. In this study, we compared the short- and long-term surgical outcomes of MIS and conventional open surgery for gastric cancer liver metastasis (GCLM) in terms of safety, feasibility, and efficacy. METHODS: This retrospective study used data from a prospective database at the Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital. From January 2006 to June 2016, 53 gastric cancer patients with synchronous liver metastasis accepted radical gastrectomy combined with either or both hepatectomy and radiofrequency ablation for liver metastases. The 53 patients enrolled in the study were divided into two groups: a conventional open surgery group (n = 42) and an MIS group (n = 11). Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to overcome possible bias. RESULTS: With PSM performed at a 1:3 ratio, 11 patients who received MIS were compared with 33 open surgery cases. Mean operation time was significantly longer for the MIS group compared with the open surgery group (301 vs. 236 min, P = 0.032), while the open surgery group had a larger estimated blood loss than the MIS group (421 vs. 196 ml, P = 0.019). Time to first flatus and postoperative complications, including Clavien-Dindo classification, were similar in the two groups. However, patients undergoing MIS had a significantly shorter time to first sips of water (P = 0.020) and soft diet (P = 0.020) compared with open surgery counterparts. Long-term outcomes were comparable between groups (P = 0.090) after adjustment by PSM analysis. CONCLUSIONS: MIS achieved superior short-term outcomes and comparable long-term outcomes compared with open surgery in GCLM patients. For experienced surgeons, both laparoscopic and robotic methods of MIS are reasonable approaches for the management of highly selected GCLM patients.

Customizing the coefficients of urban domestic pollutant discharge and their driving mechanisms: Evidence from the Taihu Basin, China.

Discharge of urban domestic pollution has risen sharply during China's extensive urbanization. Together with understanding the complexity of influencing factors underpinning this rise, it has become a pressing issue to estimate total discharge and illustrate its driving mechanism scientifically. This paper reports on the monitoring of discharge from 36 sampling sites in selected residential districts in the heavily polluted Taihu Basin, China. The data were used to estimate the total amount of discharge, to develop corresponding urban domestic pollutant discharge coefficients and to analyse associated spatial patterns. Data from a questionnaire survey of over 1000 households in downtown, suburb and market town areas were then used to apply an econometric model in order to distinguish driving mechanisms. The urban domestic pollutant discharge coefficients developed in this paper are generally smaller than those reported nationally for China, based on more generalised data, decaying from city centres to the urban periphery. This study quantifies the amount of discharge and also demonstrates that urban domestic pollutant discharge is driven by multiple factors. For example, urban domestic pollution discharge rates were positively correlated with income and female-dominated households also tend to discharge more wastewater. Other factors were found to have negative correlations, such as sewage treatment rates, awareness of environmental protection, age and degree of education. As well as providing new and refined data on urban pollution discharge characteristics, the research in this paper also demonstrates the utility of combining household questionnaire and sample monitoring data in order to yield greater insights into the causes of typical polluting behaviour in Chinese neighbourhoods.

Expression and clinicopathologic significance of TUFM and p53 for the normal-adenoma-carcinoma sequence in colorectal epithelia.

BACKGROUND: Evidence indicates that most cases of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) develop from adenoma. A previous study demonstrated that mitochondrial Tu translation elongation factor (TUFM) might serve as an independent prognostic factor for colorectal cancer. However, the expression and function of TUFM in the normal-adenoma-cancer sequence have not been reported. In this study, we investigated the clinicopathologic significance of TUFM and p53 expression for the normal-adenoma-carcinoma sequence in colorectal epithelia and evaluated the roles of TUFM during the progression of colorectal tumors. METHODS: Paraffin-embedded specimens from 261 colorectal normal mucosa samples, 157 adenomas, and 104 early carcinomas were analyzed for TUFM and p53 expression by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Expression of TUFM and p53 was significantly increased during the colorectal normal-adenoma-carcinoma sequence (all P < 0.05). The expression of TUFM and p53 was associated with histologic type of adenomas (P = 0.028; P = 0.001) and grade of dysplasia (all P = 0.001). Expression of TUFM was positively correlated with that of p53 (r = 0.319, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Upregulated TUFM expression may play an important role in the transformation from colorectal normal mucosa to carcinoma through adenoma. Combined immunohistochemical detection of TUFM and p53 may be useful for evaluating the biological behavior of colorectal adenoma.

Robotic versus laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer: comparison of short-term surgical outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Robot-assisted gastrectomy (RAG) is a new minimally invasive surgical technique for gastric cancer. This study was designed to compare RAG with laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy (LAG) in short-term surgical outcomes. METHODS: Between October 2011 and August 2014, 423 patients underwent robotic or laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer: 93 RAG and 330 LAG. We performed a comparative analysis between RAG group and LAG group for clinicopathological characteristics and short-term surgical outcomes. RESULTS: RAG was associated with a longer operative time (P < 0.001), lower blood loss (P = 0.001), and more harvested lymph nodes (P = 0.047). Only three patients in LAG group had positive margins, and R0 resection rate for RAG and LAG was similar (P = 0.823). The RAG group had postoperative complications of 9.8 %, comparable with those of the LAG group (P = 0.927). Proximal margin, distal margin, hospital stay, days of first flatus, and days of eating liquid diet for RAG and LAG were similar. In the subgroup of serosa-negative patients, RAG had a longer operation time (P = 0.003), less intraoperative blood loss (P = 0.005), and more harvested lymph nodes (P = 0.04). However, in the subgroup of serosa-positive patients, RAG had a longer operation time (P = 0.001), but no less intraoperative blood loss (P = 0.139) and no more harvested lymph nodes (P = 0.139). Similarly, in the subgroup of total gastrectomy patients, RAG had a longer operation time (P = 0.018), but no less intraoperative blood loss (P = 0.173). CONCLUSIONS: The comparative study demonstrates that RAG is as acceptable as LAG in terms of surgical and oncologic outcomes. With lower estimated blood loss, acceptable complications, and radical resection, RAG is a promising approach for the treatment of gastric cancer. However, the indication of patients for RAG is critical.

Increased Expression of 58-kDa Microspherule Protein (MSP58) in Human Gastric Cancer Promotes Cell Proliferation and Correlates with Poor Patient Survival.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most frequently occurring malignancies with poor prognosis because of its huge heterogeneity and limited available therapeutic options. The nucleolar 58-kDa microspherule protein (MSP58) is involved in a variety of cellular processes. Though MSP58 was identified as a candidate oncogene in many cancer types, it has both oncogenic and tumor suppressive properties. The oncogenic effect of MSP58 in GC is currently unclear. The present study identified MSP58 expression in GCs and investigated its role in tumor proliferation and patient survival. METHODS: MSP58 expression in GCs was identified using western blotting and immunochemistry methods and correlations with clinicopathological features. Patient survival was calculated by multivariate survival analysis. Small interference RNA transfection, CCK8, and clonogenic assays were performed to investigate the roles of MSP58 in cell proliferation. RESULTS: MSP58 was highly expressed in MGC803, BGC823, and NCI-N87 cell lines compared with normal gastric mucosa cells. The study thus provided evidence that knockdown of MSP58 expression significantly suppressed cell proliferation and colony-forming ability. Immunohistochemical analysis showed MSP58 was highly expressed in 51.5% of GC tissues and in 11.9% of normal corresponding mucosal tissues. Significant positive correlations between MSP58 expression and differentiation grade, depth of invasion, and pathological tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage was further identified. The overall 5-year survival rate for the MSP58-positive group was lower than that of the MSP58-negative group. Depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, and MSP58 expression were found to be independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggested that MSP58 plays an important role in tumorigenesis and progression and may help predict the prognosis of GC patients.

Interaction Between Gastric Carcinoma Cells and Neural Cells Promotes Perineural Invasion by a Pathway Involving VCAM1.

BACKGROUND: Perineural invasion (PNI) is one of the important routes for local spread of gastric carcinoma associated with poor prognosis. However, the exact cellular characteristics and molecular mechanisms of PNI are still unclear. AIM: To identify the interaction between gastric carcinoma cells and neural cells, and whether vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM1) is involved in this process. METHODS: We adopted in vitro cell coculture assays to investigate the cellular and molecular interaction between gastric cancer cells and neural cells. RESULTS: We find upregulation of VCAM1 in clinical gastric cancer tissue samples. In in vitro tumor-neural cell coculture system, gastric cancer cells with high level of VCAM1 promote proliferation of neural progenitor cells and induce the process outgrowth and branching of neural cells. Reciprocally, neural cells enhance neurotropic migration and mobility of tumor cells. Repressing VCAM1 function through VCAM1 blocking antibody can attenuate these effects. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that VCAM1 is significantly involved in tumor invasion via mediating nerve-tumor interaction, which is a mutually beneficial process. It is possible that interaction between neural cells and tumor cells might contribute to PNI of gastric carcinoma. Inhibiting the activity of VCAM1 could be a potential strategy targeting PNI in gastric carcinoma therapy.

A new apterous genus of Carventinae (Hemiptera: Aradidae) from China.

A new apterous aradid, Paramorphocoris henanensis Bai & Heiss Cai, gen. et sp. nov., from China is described and illustrated, including the diagnostic morphological features of the new taxon.

Prognostic role of EphA2 in various human carcinomas: a meta-analysis of 23 related studies.

The prognostic role of EphA2 in human carcinomas remains controversial. We systematically reviewed the evidence of assessment of EphA2 expression in cancers to help clarify this issue. PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases were searched to identify eligible studies to evaluate the association of EphA2 expression and overall survival (OS) of cancers. Hazard ratios (HRs) were pooled to estimate the effect. EphA2 overexpression was significantly correlated with poor OS of patients with cancer (HR: 1.94, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.65-2.28). Subgroup analysis also indicated a significant relation between EphA2 overexpression and OS in gastric cancer (HR: 1.95, 95% CI: 1.48-2.59). However, there was no significant relation between EphA2 overexpression and OS in lung cancer (HR: 1.30, 95% CI: 0.93-1.83). Our analyses demonstrate that EphA2 overexpression was effectively predictive of worse prognosis in various human carcinomas. For certain cancers, EphA2 might be a marker of poor prognosis in patients with cancer, except for lung cancer.

Mitochondrial genomes provide insights into the Euholognatha (Insecta: Plecoptera).

BACKGROUND: Euholognatha is a monophyletic group within stoneflies comprised by a superfamily Nemouroidea and a family Scopuridae. Based on morphological data, the family-level phylogenetic relationships within Euholognatha are widely accepted, but there is still controversy among different molecular studies. To better understand the phylogeny of all six extant euholognathan families, we sequenced and analyzed seven euholognathan mitogenomes. RESULTS: The sequence heterogeneity analysis observed a low degree of compositional heterogeneity in euholognathan mitogenomes. Meanwhile, leuctrid mitogenomes were more heterogeneous than other euholognathan families, which may affect the phylogenetic reconstruction. Phylogenetic analyses with various datasets generated three topologies. The Leuctridae was recovered as the earliest branching lineage, and the sister relationship of Capniidae and Taeniopterygidae was supported by most tree topologies and FcLM analyses. When separately excluding sparsely sampled Scopuridae or high heterogeneity leuctrid taxa, phylogenetic analyses under the same methods generated more stable and consistent tree topologies. Finally, based on the results of this study, we reconstructed the relationships within Euholognatha as: Leuctridae + (Scopuridae + ((Taeniopterygidae + Capniidae) + (Nemouridae + Notonemouridae))). CONCLUSION: Our research shows the potential of data optimizing strategies in reconstructing phylogeny within Euholognatha and provides new insight into the phylogeny of this group.