Abstract Objective The aim of the study was to create two consensus nomograms for predicting Overall Survival (OS) and Cancer-Specific Survival (CSS) in adults with papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma (pRCC). Methods Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results databases, a retrospective analysis of 1,074 adults with pRCC from 2004 to 2015 was performed. These patients were then randomly divided into two independent cohorts with a ratio of 7:3 (training cohort: 752; validation cohort: 322). In a retrospective analysis of 752 patients from the training cohort, independent prognostic variables affecting OS and CSS were found. R software was used to create prognostic nomograms based on the findings of Cox regression analysis. The performance of the nomograms was assessed using the Concordance Index (C-index), the Area Under Curve (AUC), a calibration curve, and Decision Curve Analysis (DCA). Data from the 107 postoperative pRCC patients at the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University were used for external validation of the nomogram. Results For OS and CSS, the C-indices and AUCs of the training cohort and the validation cohort indicated that the model had excellent discrimination. The DCA demonstrated that the model was clinically applicable, and the calibration curves in the internal and external validations showed that the model's accuracy was high. Conclusion The authors developed and validated a prognostic nomogram that accurately predicted the 3-, 5-, and 8-year OS and CSS of adults with pRCC. Clinicians can use this knowledge to direct the clinical management and counseling of patients with pRCC. (OS CancerSpecific Cancer Specific (CSS . (pRCC) Surveillance Epidemiology databases 1074 1 074 1,07 200 201 performed 73 7 3 7: 322. 322 322) 75 found Cindex, Cindex C index , (C-index) AUC, AUC (AUC) curve DCA. (DCA) 10 Cindices indices discrimination applicable models s high 3, 3- 5, 5 5- 8year year 8 (pRCC 07 1,0 20 32 (C-index (AUC (DCA 0 1, 2

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to compare the clinical efficacy of an integrated approach to prevent and treat the recurrence of moderate-to-severe intrauterine adhesions (IUA) after hysteroscopic transcervical resection of adhesion (TCRA). METHODS: The study included a total of 70 patients with moderate-to-severe IUAs who underwent TCRA. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: treatment group (n=35) and control group n=35). In the treatment group, patients underwent balloon uterine stent placement and artificial cycle as well as received intrauterine perfusion of Danshen injection and oral Chinese medicine. In the control group, patients underwent balloon uterine stent placement and artificial cycle as well as received hyaluronic acid sodium and intrauterine device (IUD). Follow-up was performed after treatment of uterine cavity, menstruation and pregnancy. RESULTS: After 3 months of treatment, we observed a significantly lower rate of intrauterine re-adhesion (45.71% versus 77.14%, p=0.044) and significantly higher clinical efficiency (82.86% versus 77.14%, p=0.025) in the treatment group than those in the control group. After 6 months of treatment, we observed a significantly higher clinical efficiency in the treatment group than that in the control group (88.57% versus 68.57%, p=0.039). During the follow-up period, the pregnancy rate was 45.71% and 37.14% in the treatment group and control group, respectively, although the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.628). CONCLUSIONS: After surgical management of IUA, the integrated treatment combining a uterus stent placement and artificial cycle with Danshen injection and oral Chinese medicine can improve the condition of menstruation, and prevent and treat recurrence of IUA.

Abstract Background: Recent studies have confirmed that RASAL1 has an antitumor effect in many cancers, but its functional role and the molecular mechanism underlying in colon cancer has not been investigated. Results: We collected human colon cancer tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues, human colon cancer cell lines LoVo, CaCo2, SW1116, SW480 and HCT-116, and normal colonic mucosa cell line NCM460. RT-qPCR was used to detect the RASAL1 level in the clinical tissues and cell lines. In LoVo and HCT-116, RASAL1 was artificially overexpressed. Cell viability and proliferation were measured using CCK-8 assays, and cell cycle was detected via PI staining and flow cytometry analysis. RASAL1 significantly inhibited the cell proliferation via inducing cell cycle arrest, suppressed cell cycle associated protein expression, and decreased the lipid content and inhibited the SCD1 expression. Moreover, SCD1 overexpression induced and downregulation repressed cell proliferation by causing cell cycle arrest. Additionally, luciferase reporter assays were performed to confirm the direct binding between SREBP1c, LXRα and SCD1 promoter, we also demonstrated that RASAL1 inhibit SCD1 3’-UTR activity. RASAL1 inhibited tumor growth in xenograft nude mice models and shows inhibitory effect of SCD1 expression in vivo. Conclusion: Taken together, we concluded that RASAL1 inhibited colon cancer cell proliferation via modulating SCD1 activity through LXRα/SREBP1c pathway.

ABSTRACT This study aimed to describe a Bacillus subtilis expression system based on genetically modified B. subtilis. Abaecin, an antimicrobial peptide obtained from Apis mellifera, can enhance the effect of pore-forming peptides from other species on the inhibition of bacterial growth. For the exogenous expression, the abaecin gene was fused with a tobacco etch virus protease cleavage site, a promoter Pglv, and a mature beta-glucanase signal peptide. Also, a B. subtilis expression system was constructed. The recombinant abaecin gene was expressed and purified as a recombinant protein in the culture supernatant. The purified abaecin did not inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli strain K88. Cecropin A and hymenoptaecin exhibited potent bactericidal activities at concentrations of 1 and 1.5 µM. Combinatorial assays revealed that cecropin A and hymenoptaecin had sublethal concentrations of 0.3 and 0.5 µM. This potentiating functional interaction represents a promising therapeutic strategy. It provides an opportunity to address the rising threat of multidrug-resistant pathogens that are recalcitrant to conventional antibiotics.

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the effect of intravascular cooling on renal function after resuscitation. Methods: Twenty four pigs were randomized into three groups (n=8 in each group): therapeutic hypothermia group (TH group), normothermia group (NH group) and sham operation group (SHAM group). After 6 minutes of untreated VF, CPR was performed. Upon ROSC, the TH group received the intravascular cooling. The NH and SHAM group did not undergo therapeutic hypothermia. Haemodynamic parameters were recorded. The bloods were analyzed for serum creatinine (sCr), CysC and NGAL. The kidney was surgically removed observe pathologic changes under a light microscope. Results: The sCr increased in both TH and NH groups after ROSC, compared to baseline. Between two groups, the sCr and creatinine clearance (Cc) showed lower level in the TH group. The urine volume per hour in the TH group were higher during cooling. After resuscitation, NGAL and CysC in the NH group were higher than in the TH group. Under the light microscope, compared with the TH group, the renal injury was prominent in the NH group. Conclusion: Mild hypothermia had a protection to renal ischemia reperfusion injury after resuscitation.

Objective: Recent genome-wide association studies have identified a significant relationship between the NT5C2 variant rs11191580 and schizophrenia (SCZ) in European populations. This study aimed to validate the association of rs11191580 polymorphism with SCZ risk in a South Chinese Han population. The relationship of this polymorphism with the severity of SCZ clinical symptoms was also explored. Methods: A case-control study was performed in 462 patients with SCZ and 598 healthy controls. Rs11191580 was genotyped by the Sequenom MassARRAY iPLEX platform. A total of 459 SCZ patients completed the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) evaluation. Data were analyzed by PLINK software. Results: We confirmed an association of the rs11191580 polymorphism with SCZ risk in South Chinese Han under a dominant genetic model (ORadj = 0.769; 95%CIadj = 0.600-0.984; padj = 0.037). PANSS scores showed a significant association between variant rs11191580 and total score (padj = 0.032), lack of response scale score (padj = 0.022), and negative scale score (additive: padj = 0.004; dominant: padj = 0.016; recessive: padj = 0.021) after data were adjusted for age and sex. Conclusion: NT5C2 variant rs11191580 conferred susceptibility to SCZ and affected the clinical symptoms of SCZ in a South Chinese Han population.

Radix et Rhizoma Rhei has been recognized for centuries in traditional medicine for its multiple pharmacological actions. The free anthraquinones including physcion, chrysophanol, emodin, rhein, and aloe-emodin are the main bioactive components in Radix et Rhizoma Rhei. In the present study, a fast quantitative 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (q-HNMR) method for the determination and quantitation of five free anthraquinones in Radix et Rhizoma Rhei was developed. Validation of the quantitative method was performed in terms of specificity, accuracy, precision, and stability. The results showed that the solvent acetone-d6 enabled satisfactory separation of the signals to be integrated. Five anthraquinones in Radix et Rhizoma Rhei could be quantified accurately using featured signals from 1H NMR. This work implied that q-HNMR represents a feasible alternative to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-based methods for quantitation of anthraquinones in Radix et Rhizoma Rhei and is suitable for the quality control of Radix et Rhizoma Rhei.

Background: To identify the critical amino acid residues that contribute to the high enzyme activity and good thermostability of Yersinia enterocolitica subsp. palearctica (Y. NSN), 15 mutants of Y. NSN were obtained by site-directed mutagenesis in this study. And their enzyme activity and thermostability were assayed. Effect of several factors on the enzyme activity and thermostability of Y. NSN, was also investigated. Results: The results showed that the I203F and D264E mutants retained approximately 75% and 70% enzyme activity, respectively, compared to the wild-type enzyme. In addition to the I203F and D264E mutants, the mutant E202A had an obvious influence on the thermostability of Y. NSN. According to the analysis of enzyme activity and thermostability of Y. NSN, we found that Glu202, Ile203 and Asp264 might be the key residues for its high enzyme activity and good thermostability. Conclusions: Among all factors affecting enzyme activity and thermostability of Y. NSN, they failed to explain the experimental results well. One reason might be that the enzyme activity and thermostability of Y. NSN were affected not only by a single factor but also by the entire environment.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma experience highly variable outcomes despite receiving similar therapeutic regimens. Identifying biomarkers that predict survival and guide individualized therapy is urgently needed. Cystatin C has been explored as a valuable prognostic marker in several malignancies. We retrospectively assessed the relationship between serum cystatin C levels and nasopharyngeal carcinoma prognosis in a large cohort of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients receiving long-term follow-up. METHODS: A total of 1063 consecutive patients diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma from June 2006 to December 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. The serum levels of cystatin C at the time of diagnosis were collected. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate analyses using a Cox regression model were performed to assess the correlation of cystatin C levels with overall survival, progression-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival and loco-regional recurrence-free survival. RESULTS: The median follow-up duration was 68.3 months. The optimal cut-off value of cystatin C levels for predicting death was 0.945 mg/L. Compared with the low cystatin C group, the high cystatin C group experienced significantly shorter overall survival (hazard ratio=1.47, p=0.050), progression-free survival (hazard ratio=1.65, p=0.004), distant metastasis-free survival (hazard ratio=2.37, p<0.001) and loco-regional recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio=2.40, p=0.002). Based on multivariate analysis, a high cystatin C level was identified as a significant and independent negative predictor of overall survival (hazard ratio=1.47, p=0.050), progression-free survival (hazard ratio=1.65, p=0.004), distant metastasis-free survival (hazard ratio=2.37, p<0.001), and loco-regional recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio=2.40, p=0.002). CONCLUSION: Cystatin C levels are associated with the prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. A high cystatin C level is an independent indicator of poor prognosis for nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the gross tumor volume of resectable gastric adenocarcinoma on multidetector computed tomography could predict the presence of regional lymph node metastasis and could determine N categories. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 202 consecutive patients with gastric adenocarcinoma who had undergone gastrectomy 1 week after contrast-enhanced multidetector computed tomography were retrospectively identified. The gross tumor volume was evaluated on multidetector computed tomography images. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine whether the gross tumor volume could predict regional lymph node metastasis, and the Mann-Whitney U test was performed to compare the gross tumor volume among N categories. Additionally, a receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to identify the accuracy of the gross tumor volume in differentiating N categories. RESULTS: The gross tumor volume could predict regional lymph node metastasis (p<0.0001) in the univariate analysis, and the multivariate analyses indicated that the gross tumor volume was an independent risk factor for regional lymph node metastasis (p=0.005, odds ratio=1.364). The Mann-Whitney U test showed that the gross tumor volume could distinguish N0 from the N1-N3 categories, N0-N1 from N2-N3, and N0-N2 from N3 (all p<0.0001). In the T1-T4a categories, the gross tumor volume could differentiate N0 from the N1-N3 categories (cutoff, 12.3 cm3), N0-N1 from N2-N3 (cutoff, 16.6 cm3), and N0-N2 from N3 (cutoff, 24.6 cm3). In the T4a category, the gross tumor volume could differentiate N0 from the N1-N3 categories (cutoff, 15.8 cm3), N0-N1 from N2-N3 (cutoff, 17.8 cm3), and N0-N2 from N3 (cutoff, 24 cm3). CONCLUSION: The gross tumor volume of resectable gastric adenocarcinoma on multidetector computed tomography could predict regional lymph node metastasis and N categories.

The chemical structure and absolute configuration of a novel benzoic acid (1) which is the secondary metabolites from the marine fungus Penicillium chrysogenum SYP-F-2720, has been determined by experimental spectroscopic data and quantum chemical calculations of its electronic circular dichroism (ECD). The configurational assignments were further confirmed by the highly consistent spectra between natural compound and synthetic compound which from raw material with a definite configuration. Furthermore, The target compound exhibited more significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities than aspirin when administered at 100 mg/kg, however, it behaved no ulcerogenic effect.

Se determinó la estructura química y la configuración absoluta de un ácido benzoico novedoso (1), presente en los metabolitos secundarios del hongo marino Penicillium chrysogenum SYP-F-2720. La determinación se llevó a cabo mediante datos espectroscópicos experimentales y cálculos químicos cuánticos de su dicroísmo circular electrónico (DCE). La asignación de la configuración se confirmó mediante la comparación de los espectros del compuesto natural y el correspondiente compuesto sintético. Además, el compuesto aislado exhibe actividades anti-inflamatorias y analgésicas más significativas que la aspirina cuando se administró a una dosis de 100 mg / kg, y no mostró ningún efecto ulcerogénico

In this work, alginate-whey protein was used as wall materials for encapsulating Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus (L. bulgaricus). The characteristics of encapsulated and free L. bulgaricus showed that the free L. bulgaricus lost viability after 1 min exposure to simulated gastric fluid (SGF) at pH 2.0 and 2.5. However, the viability of encapsulated L. bulgaricus did not decrease in SGF at pH 2.5 for 2 h incubation. The viable numbers of encapsulated L. bulgaricus decreased less than 1.0 log unit for 2 h incubation in SGF at pH 2.0. For bile stability, only 1.2 log units and 2.0 log units viability of the encapsulated L. bulgaricus was lost in 1 and 2% bile for 1 h exposure, respectively, compared with no survival of free L. bulgaricus under the same conditions. Encapsulated L. bulgaricus was completely released from the microspheres in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF, pH 6.8) in 3 h. The viability of the encapsulated L. bulgaricus retained more 8.0 log CFU/g after stored at 4°C for four weeks. However, for free L. bulgaricus, only around 3.0 log CFU/mL was found at the same storage conditions. Results showed that the encapsulation could improve the stability of L. bulgaricus.

The reaction mechanism between cyclopropenylidene and ethylene has been systematically investigated employing the MP2/6-311+G* level of theory to better understand the cyclopropenylidene reactivity with unsaturated hydrocarbons. Geometry optimization, vibrational analysis, and energy property for the involved stationary points on the potential energy surface have been calculated. Energies of all the species are also further refined by the CCSD(T)/6-311+G* single-point calculations. Firstly, one important reaction intermediate (INTa) has been located via a transition state (TSa). After that, the common intermediate (INTb) for the two pathways (1) and (2) has been formed via TSb. At last, two different products possessing three- and four-membered ring characters have been obtained through two reaction pathways. In the reaction pathway (1), a three-membered ring alkyne compound has been obtained. As for the reaction pathway (2), a four-membered ring conjugated diene compound has been formed, which is the most favorable reaction to occur from the kinetic and thermodynamic viewpoints.

Bitespiramycin, a group of 4"-O-acylated spiramycins with 4"-O-isovalerylspiramycins as the major components, was produced by recombinantspiramycin-producing strain Streptomyces spiramyceticus harboring a 4"-O-acyltransferase gene. The experiment was initially performed in synthetic medium with 0.5 g l-1 Valine, Isoleucine or Leucine feeding at 36 h cultivation. When valine was fed, the biological titer of bitespiramycin was 45.3% higher than that of the control group, but the relative content of total isovalerylspiramycin components decreased by 22.5%. In the case of ilecine, the biological titer of bitespiramycin and the total isovalerylspiramycins alone were 85% and 72.1% of the control group, respectively. In contrast, the relative content of other acylated spiramycins increased by 54.41%. However, leucine feeding increased the relative content of total isovalerylspiramycins by 41.9% while the biological titer of bitespiramycin was nearly equal to that of the control group. The improvement effect of leucine on the biosynthesis of isovalerylspiramycins was further confirmed by feeding of 2.0 g l-1 leucine to the culture with complex medium. After batch feeding with a total amount of 2.0 g l-1 leucine to the culture from 70 h to 90 h, the biological titer of bitespiramycin was almost unreduced, and the final relative content of total isovalerylspiramycins increased from 31.1% to 46.9%.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) oil supplementation on the growth performance and lipid metabolism in geese and the fatty acid concentrations in their liver and muscle tissues. One hundred and ninety two one-day old geese were randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatments. The diet in Group A, the control, contained 2.5% soyabean oil, that in Group B 2.0% soyabean oil and 0.5% CLA, that in Group C 1.0% soybean oil and 1.5% CLA and that in Group D 2.5% CLA. The birds were fed for 56 days. No significant effects were observed in body weight and body weight gain between Groups B, C and the control, but these parameters were significantly lower in Group D compared to the control. The feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and abdominal fat percentage (AFP) were significantly lower in the groups receiving CLA in their diets compared with the control. Dietary CLA altered serum lipid concentrations by decreasing total cholesterol, triglyceride and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations, the atherogenic index and activity of lipoprotein lipase, and increased serum concentration of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol. The fatty acid composition of the liver and muscle tissues showed significant increases in the biologically active cis-9, trans-11 and trans-10, cis-12 CLA isomers in the geese fed increasing levels of CLA. The supplementation of CLA to the geese led to significant increases in saturated fatty acid concentrations and significant reductions in the monounsaturated fatty acid concentrations in liver and muscle tissues. The results clearly demonstrated that geese can successfully incorporate CLA in their liver and muscle tissues, thus producing a healthy food for humans.