The efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors in the maintenance treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: A single-center retrospective analysis.

Purpose: To explore the impact of PD-1 maintenance therapy on the relapse-free survival (RFS) of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients with DLBCL admitted to our center between January 2018 and July 2019 who achieved complete remission (CR) after induction chemotherapy. Forty-five patients who received PD-1 inhibitor maintenance therapy were considered the treatment group. Forty-five patients who did not undergo maintenance treatment during the same period were selected as the control group. The base levels of the two groups of patients were similar. The 2-year RFS rate of the two groups was compared. The correlation between the adverse prognosis factors of the patients and the RFS rate was performed subgroup analysis. Results: The 2-year RFS rates of the treatment and control groups were 86.7% VS 75.6% (P = 0.178), respectively, until July 2021. A single factor analysis showed that patients with International Prognostic Index (IPI) score ≥ 3, non-GCB DLBCL receiving PD-1 inhibitor maintenance treatment, can improve their 2-year RFS (72.2% VS 30.8%, P = 0.022; 88.5% VS 62.5%, P = 0.032). For non-GCB patients, the 2-year RFS of the treatment group can reach 88.5%, while the 2-year RFS of the control group is 62.5%, which is statistically significant (P = 0.032). In all patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors, the adverse reactions were all grade I-II, and there were no grade III-IV adverse reactions. There were no clear adverse events in the follow-up patients in the control group. Conclusion: Maintenance treatment with PD-1 inhibitors can improve the 2-year RFS rate of patients with IPI score of ≥3 and non-GCB DLBCL. This prompts the potential advantage of PD-1 inhibitors in DLBCL maintenance treatment. However, longer follow-ups remain needed to obtain more definite data.

Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio is associated with prognosis in patients with coronavirus disease-19.

Since December 2019, novel coronavirus infected pneumonia emerged in Wuhan city and rapidly spread throughout China. In severe novel coronavirus pneumonia cases, the number of platelets, their dynamic changes during the treatment, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were a concern. We sought to describe the platelet feature of these cases. Single-center case series of the 30 hospitalized patients with confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 in Huizhou municipal central hospital from January 2020 to February 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic, clinical, blood routine results, other laboratory results, and treatment data were collected and analyzed. Outcomes of severe patients and nonsevere patients were compared. Univariate analysis showed that: age, platelet peaks, and PLR at peak platelet were the influencing factors in severe patients, multivariate analysis showed that the PLR value at peak platelet during treatment was an independent influencing factor in severe patients. The average hospitalization day of patients with platelet peaks during treatment was longer than those without platelet peaks (P < .05). The average age of patients with platelet peaks during treatment was older than those without platelet peaks (P < .05). The patients with significantly elevated platelets during treatment had longer average hospitalization days. And the higher PLR of patients during treatment had longer average hospitalization days. Single-center case series of the 30 hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 in Huizhou Municipal Central Hospital, presumed that the number of platelets and their dynamic changes during the treatment may have a suggestion on the severity and prognosis of the disease. The patient with markedly elevated platelets and longer average hospitalization days may be related to the cytokine storm. The PLR of patients means the degree of cytokine storm, which might provide a new indicator in the monitoring in patients with COVID-19.

Synergistic effects of titania nanotubes and silicon to enhance the osteogenic activity.

In this study, titania nanotubes (TNTs) incorporating silicon (Si) were formed on Ti disks using anodization and electron beam evaporation (EBE) technology to improve the osteogenic activity. The amount of Si was exquisitely adjusted by controlling the duration of EBE to optimize the biofunctionality. As the Si was incorporated, the samples exhibited hydrophilic surfaces. Long lasting and controllable Si release was observed from the EBE-modified samples without cytotoxicity. Moreover, initial cell adhesion, spreading, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells were evaluated. The results showed a notable enhancement of spreading, osteogenesis and differentiation of cells on silicon-coated TNTs (Si-TNTs). In particular, samples with highest amount of silicon (∼5.93% Si) displayed greatest augmentation of ALP activity, osteogenic-related gene expression and mineralization compared to the others in the present study. It was indicated that the modification with TNTs and appropriated Si content resulted in enhanced osteoblastic spreading, proliferation and differentiation, and therefore has the potential for future applications in the field of orthopedics.

A novel open-porous magnesium scaffold with controllable microstructures and properties for bone regeneration.

The traditional production methods of porous magnesium scaffolds are difficult to accurately control the pore morphologies and simultaneously obtain appropriate mechanical properties. In this work, two open-porous magnesium scaffolds with different pore size but in the nearly same porosity are successfully fabricated with high-purity Mg ingots through the titanium wire space holder (TWSH) method. The porosity and pore size can be easily, precisely and individually controlled, as well as the mechanical properties also can be regulated to be within the range of human cancellous bone by changing the orientation of pores without sacrifice the requisite porous structures. In vitro cell tests indicate that the scaffolds have good cytocompatibility and osteoblastic differentiation properties. In vivo findings demonstrate that both scaffolds exhibit acceptable inflammatory responses and can be almost fully degraded and replaced by newly formed bone. More importantly, under the same porosity, the scaffolds with larger pore size can promote early vascularization and up-regulate collagen type 1 and OPN expression, leading to higher bone mass and more mature bone formation. In conclusion, a new method is introduced to develop an open-porous magnesium scaffold with controllable microstructures and mechanical properties, which has great potential clinical application for bone reconstruction in the future.

Adhesion of osteoblast-like cell on silicon-doped TiO2 film prepared by cathodic arc deposition.

Silicon-doped TiO2 (Si-TiO2) and pure TiO2 films were deposited on titanium substrates by cathodic arc deposition technique. The surface characteristics of the films, such as surface topography, elemental composition and wettability, were studied. About 4.6 % Si was incorporated into the Si-TiO2 films with a water contact angle of about 83°. The adhesive behaviors of osteoblast-like MG63 cells on both films were investigated through cell counting assay, immunocytochemistry, real-time PCR and western blotting analysis. Cells cultured on the Si-TiO2 films had a greater cellular viability, stronger cytoskeleton and focal adhesion, and more cellular spreading than those on the pure TiO2 films. Moreover, the expression levels of integrin ß1 and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) genes, FAK and the phosphorylation of FAK proteins were up-regulated in cells cultured on the Si-TiO2 films. These results indicated that the Si-TiO2 films possess significantly enhanced cytocompatibility and provide potential solutions for the surface modification of implants in the future.

Amorphous calcium phosphate/poly(D,L-lactic acid) composite nanofibers: electrospinning preparation and biomineralization.

Amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) has been recognized as an attractive biomaterial due to its bioactivity and biocompatibility. Electrospinning is a simple and low-cost way to fabricate polymer fibers. In this study, ACP nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 20 to 80 nm were synthesized using a simple precipitation method. ACP nanoparticles were hybridized with poly(D,L-lactic acid) (PDLLA) to form ACP/PDLLA composite nanofibers by electrospinning, and different architectures including the nanofibrous mesh and tube consisting of ACP/PDLLA composite nanofibers were obtained and characterized. The biomineralization and cytocompatibility of as-prepared ACP/PDLLA composite nanofibers were evaluated in vitro. Osteoblast-like MG63 cells were seeded on the ACP/PDLLA composite nanofiber meshes to perform the cytocompatibility evaluation. The ACP/PDLLA composite nanofibers exhibited a fast mineralization behavior in the simulated body fluid. The attachment of MG63 cells and cytotoxicity of ACP/PDLLA composite nanofibers were also evaluated, and the experiments indicated good biocompatibility and bioactivity of ACP/PDLLA composite nanofibers.

[Primary study on the antibacterial property of silver-loaded nano-titania coatings].

OBJECTIVE: To study the preparation and characteristics of silver-loaded nano-titania coating so as to develop a bioactive implant material with antibacterial property. METHODS: Plasma sprayed nano-titania coatings were immersed in 1%, 5%, and 9% AgNO3 solution to load silver. The loaded silver and its distribution were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). After optimizing the preparation process, the release rate of silver from the nano-titania coating was measured in deionized water, its corresponding in vitro cytotoxicity and antibacterial activity were also examined. RESULTS: The loaded silver was in proper quantity and distributed evenly on the nano-titania coatings after immersion in 5% AgNO3. A burst release of the silver could be detected. The quick release of silver from the titania coatings sustained about 12 days in deionized water, which had no obvious influence on the surface morphology of titania coatings. The loaded silver did not inhibit the osteoblast proliferation (P = 0.1) and alkaline phosphatase expression (P = 0.06), however, it effectively inhibited the survival and growth of Staphylococcus aureus for 12 days: the zone of inhibition reached 3.81 +/- 0.8 mm with a bacteria killing rate of 100%. CONCLUSIONS: It is economical and effective to prepare the silver-loaded nano-titania coatings by 5% AgNO3 solution. The loaded silver has good antibacterial function, and shows no obvious effect on the physical and biological properties of nano-titania coatings.

[In vitro comparison of antibacterial properties of plasma sprayed wollastonite coatings loading silver and gentamicin].

OBJECTIVE: To develop antibacterial coatings for orthopedic implants with a sustained release of drugs. METHODS: Wollastonite coatings were deposited on the titanium substrates by an atmospheric plasma spray system. After soaking in weight percent of 5% AgNO(3) solution for 24 h, the wollastonite coatings loading silver were obtained. Gentamicin were loaded on the wollastonite coatings by collagen grafting process. The release rates of drugs from wollastonite coatings were investigated by the in vitro solution soaking test. One strain of S. aureus was used in zone of inhibition test to evaluate the antibacterial properties of drug loaded wollastonite coatings, and the cell culture test was used to evaluate their cytotoxicity. RESULTS: Silver and gentamicin loaded wollastonite coatings were successfully prepared. The release of silver ions from the silver loaded wollastonite coatings lasted 50 d in deionized water, effectively inhibiting the growth of S. aureus for 40 d. While an initial burst release of gentamicin was found during the in vitro solution soaking test. The gentamicin released from gentamicin loaded wollastonite coatings can inhibit the growth of S. aureus for 18 d. Both the two kinds of antibacterial wollastonite coatings showed no adverse effect on cellular adhesion, proliferation and alkaline phosphatase expression. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with gentamicin loaded wollastonite coatings, silver loaded wollastonite coatings may have more promising clinical applications due to the even and long-time antibacterial agent release.