The efficacy of pemetrexed and bevacizumab intrapleural injection for malignant pleural mesothelioma-mediated malignant pleural effusion.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pemetrexed chemotherapy combined with intrapleural injection of pemetrexed and bevacizumab in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM)‑mediated malignant pleural effusion, and analyze the objective response rate (ORR), the median progression‑free survival (PFS) and the median overall survival (OS). METHODS: We analyzed the clinical data of 23 MPM patients with pleural effusion who were treated with a combination chemotherapy of pemetrexed at 500 mg/m2, on day 1 plus cisplatin (DDP) at 20 mg/m2 on day 1–5 of each 21 days cycle, and concurrently, intrapleural injection of pemetrexed 0.5 g and bevacizumab 300 mg was administered on day 3 or day 4 after complete effusion drainage. ELISA test was applied to detect the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level in the pleural effusion and serum, and assess the ORR and survival. RESULTS: In the 23 evaluable patients, the VEGF level in the pleural effusion and serum was significantly decreased, P < 0.01, pleural effusion of 20 patients (86.96%) was controlled effectively. There were 8 complete responses, 7 partial responses, 5 stable disease and 3 progressive disease, the ORR was 65.21%, the disease control rate was 86.96%, the median PFS was 6 months, the median OS was 14.5 months, and the 1‑year survival rate was 41.22%. Toxicities were generally mild and manageable; the major toxicities included myelosuppression, fatigue, and anemia, mainly were grade 1–2 which could be managed by symptomatic treatments. CONCLUSION: The combination of pemetrexed chemotherapy with intrapleural injection of pemetrexed and bevacizumab is efficacious and safe for MPM pleural effusion, and results of the present study demonstrate some improvement in the PFS and OS. The expression of VEGF in the pleural effusion and serum plays a guiding role in monitoring the efficacy of bevacizumab in the treatment of malignant pleural effusion.

Comparative proteomic analysis of the nucleus accumbens during extinction and reinstatement of morphine dependence / Análisis proteómico comparativo del núcleo accumbens durante laextinción y recaída de la dependencia a la morfina

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to detect differentially expressed proteins in the nucleus accumbens between the states of extinction and reinstatement of morphine addiction. Numerous studies on the neurobiological mechanisms concerning drug craving and relapse have been reported to date, but data on their relationship with the underlying key molecular mechanisms involved remain limited. METHODS: In this study, 40 male SpragueDawley rats were equally randomized into a saline group and a morphine group. Both groups received drug selfadministration training, after which extinction models were established naturally. The groups were further divided into two subgroups for extinction and reinstatement tests. Cerebral nucleus accumbens masses were measured for total protein extraction. Twodimensional electrophoresis was performed to determine differential protein spots. These differential proteins were then enzymolysed and identified using mass spectrography. RESULTS: The proteins were classified as fatty acidbinding protein, serine/threonine protein phosphatase 2A catalytic subunit beta isoform, serine/threonine protein phosphatase 2A catalytic subunit alpha isoform, serine/threonine protein phosphatase 2A regulatory subunit B² subunit gamma or heat shock protein 90 cochaperone CDC37. CONCLUSION: Significant changes in five proteins were detected between extinction and reinstatement. These proteins are correlated with phosphorylation and the tricarboxylic acid cycle.

ANTECEDENTES: El objetivo de este estudio fue detectar las proteínas diferencialmente expresadas en el núcleo accumbens entre los estados de extinción y recaída de la adicción a la morfina. Hasta la fecha se han reportado numerosos estudios en relación con los mecanismos neurobiológicos del deseo incontenible y recaída en el consumo de drogas, pero los datos sobre su relación con los mecanismos moleculares fundamentales subyacentes implicados, siguen siendo limitados. MÉTODO: En este estudio, 40 ratas machos SpragueDawley fueron por igual asignadas de manera aleatoria a un grupo salino y un grupo de morfina. Ambos grupos recibieron entrenamiento de autoadministración de drogas, después de lo cual se establecieron modelos de extinción de manera natural. A su vez, los grupos fueron luego subdivididos en dos subgrupos para realizar pruebas de extinción y recaída. Se procedió a medir las masas cerebrales del núcleo accumbens para la extracción total de proteína. Se realizó una electroforesis bidimensional para determinar manchas proteicas diferenciales. Estas proteínas diferenciales fueron entonces sometidas a enzimólisis e identificadas mediante espectrografía de masa. RESULTADOS: Las proteínas fueron clasificadas como proteína de unión a ácidos grasos, isoforma beta de la subunidad catalítica serinatreonina proteína fosfatasa 2A, isoforma alfa de la subunidad catalítica serinatreonina proteína fosfatasa 2A, subunidad gamma subunidad B" de la serinatreonina proteína fosfatasa 2A, o la proteína CDC37 cochaperona 90 de choque térmico. CONCLUSIÓN: Se detectaron cambios significativos en cinco proteínas entre la extinción y la recaída. Estas proteínas están correlacionadas con la fosforilación y el ciclo del ácido tricarboxílico.

Mitochondrial DNA and STR analyses for human DNA from maggots crop contents: A forensic entomology case from central-southern China

Insect larvae and adult insects found on human corpses can provide important forensic evidence however it is useful to be able to prove evidence of association. Without this, it could be claimed that the insect evidence was a contaminant or had been planted on the body. This paper describes how mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and STR analysis of the crop contents of larvae of the blowfly Aldrichina grahami collected from separated body parts was used to provide evidence of association.

The effects of temperature, light and water upon the hatching of the ova of Schistosoma japonicum.

Eggs of Schistosoma japonicum were obtained from infected patients' feces from Yujiang City, China to observe the effects of temperature, light and water on the hatching of eggs. The temperature of water and light played important roles on the hatching of S. japonicum, but the type of water did not. A constant temperature of 28 degrees C and electrical light produced the highest rate of hatching, and reproducible results, whereas a temperature of 4 degrees C or 37 degrees C, and the absence of light inhabited the hatching of eggs. The percentage of eggs hatched during the first 8 hours of 24 hours incubation was 94.90%, so that using the hatching rate of the first 8 hours could approximate the total hatching rate of samples.

The effect of sodium crompromate in the prevention of exercise-induced asthma.

Sodium crompromate (SCP) is an isomer of disodium cromoglycate (DSCG). The two chemicals are pharmacologically similar but with different chemical synthesis. A comparative double-blind latin square study of the preventive effect of SCP and DSCG versus a placebo aerosol was carried out on a group of nine cases of exercise-induced asthma (EIA). Compared with the placebo, both SCP and DSCG were able to prevent asthma under exercise provocation, as monitored by chest auscultation and FEV1. There was no significant difference in the percentage fall of FEV1 on challenge. This suggests that SCP has a similar prophylactic effect as that of DSCG on EIA.