NK cells adjuvant therapy shows survival benefits in a gastric mixed signet ring cell carcinoma patient: A case report.

RATIONALE: Advanced signet ring cell (SRC) carcinoma has a worse prognosis. Therefore, early diagnosis and prevention is particularly important; SRC tumors have lower R0 resection rate and are thought to be less chemosensitive than non-SRCC. Consequently, a novel postoperative adjuvant treatment is urgently needed to improve clinical outcomes. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 41-year-old female with advanced gastric SRC carcinoma was treated with radical gastrectomy and oxaliplatin-based regimen for 6 cycles after surgery. She was suspected of recurrence with the high level of carbohydrate antigen (CA) 72-4. DIAGNOSES: The gastroscopy revealed SRC carcinoma of gastric antrum and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma in some areas. The diagnosis of postoperative pathology report was gastric cancer with stage III C (T4a, N3a, M0). INTERVENTIONS: The level of CA72-4 rapidly increased during the 2 follow-up after the completion of conventional treatment, ex vivo-cultured allogeneic natural killer (NK) cell infusion was offered to prevent recurrence. OUTCOMES: Intravenous injections of NK cells combination with surgical treatment and chemotherapy showed therapeutic effects in this patient with possible relapse. The patient remained disease-free 46 months after the infusion of NK cells until the latest follow-up. LESSONS: CA72-4 appeared to be the most sensitive and specific marker in the gastric cancer patient, and the high level of CA72-4 may indicate the risk of recurrence. This case report provide rationale for NK cell infusion following the rapid increase of CA72-4 to prevent recurrence.

Diversity of culturable root-associated/endophytic bacteria and their chitinolytic and aflatoxin inhibition activity of peanut plant in China.

A total of 72 isolates of root-associated/endophytic (RAE) bacteria were isolated from peanut plants grown in the main producing areas of 6 provinces in China. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of these isolates were determined and phylogenetic analyses revealed that 72 isolates belonged to the classes Bacilli (49 isolates) and Gammaproteobacteria (23 isolates). The majority of RAE bacteria in Bacilli belonged to 2 genera, Bacillus and Lysinibacillus (48 and 1) while those in Gammaproteobacteria belonged to the genera Enterobacter, Serratia, Stenotrophomonas, and Pseudomonas (7, 11, 3 and 2 isolates, respectively). This is the first report of Lysinibacillus xylanilyticus isolate as biocontrol agent against AFs. All of the selected RAE bacteria showed inhibitory activities against Aspergillus parasiticus (A. parasiticus) growth and/or aflatoxins (AFs) production by visual agar plate assay and tip culture method. Most of the RAE bacteria strains (96 % strains) were determined to have decreased mycelia growth or AFs production levels by >50 % (p < 0.05). Bacterial isolates were further characterized for chitinolytic activity and 22 strains (30 % strains) of identified RAE bacteria degraded colloidal chitin on the chitin medium plate. Ten selected chitinolytic RAE bacteria were tested for antifungal activity on peanuts and most of them significantly decreased mycelial growth and AFs production levels by >90 %. These results showed a wide distribution of biological control bacteria against AFs in Chinese peanut main producing areas and the selected RAE bacteria could potentially be utilized for the biocontrol of toxicogenic fungi.

[Changes of serum alkaline phosphatase and electrolytes during 21 d head down bed-rest].

Objective. To investigate the effect of simulated weightlessness on serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), calcium, magnesium, chlorine and phosphorus. Method. 6 healthy males, aged 24.8 +/- 6.1, were exposed to -6 degrees HDT bed rest for 21 d. Activity of serum alkaline phosphatase, serum contents of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), chlorine (Cl) and phosphorus (P) ions were assayed before HDT (d-3), on the 3rd, 10th and 21st day during HDT and after HDT (d+2). Ca was measured by methyl thymol blue method, P was determined with ultraviolet spectrophotography, determination of Mg and Cl were made with enzyme method, ALP was examined with 4-nitrobenzene phosphate method. Result. Serum Ca2+ levels were significantly higher at d10, d2l and d+2 than the value of d-3 (P<0.01). P3+ levels declined significantly on d2l as compared with d-3 (P<0.01). During the HDT and after HDT, Mg2+ declined to a level below that before HDT (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Cl- were significantly higher at d2l and d+2 than the value of d-3 (P<0.01). ALP level was higher on d2l than on d-3 (P<0.01). Conclusion. 21 d HDT induced increase of Ca, Cl, ALP, and decline of Mg and P. The changes may reflect the imbalance of metabolism.