NLRC3 High Expression Represents a Novel Predictor for Positive Overall Survival Correlated With CCL5 and CXCL9 in HCC Patients.

NLRC3 (NLR family caspase recruitment domain containing 3) has been reported as a factor of inhibiting inflammatory responses. It's role in HCC (hepatocellular carcinoma) is still unknown. In this study we firstly used the GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) database and mIHC (multiple immunohistochemical analysis) with TMAs (tumor tissue microarrays) of HCC patients to evaluate NLRC3 levels. The tumor-bearing mouse models were also established with NLRC3 over-expressing and knock-down Hepal-6 cells to assess its effect. The data showed high NLRC3 expression was related with favorable overall survival (P=0.0386) and disease-free survival (P=0.0458). In addition, NLRC3 expression showed a positive correlation between CD8+ T cells infiltration. In vivo, NLRC3-overexpressing Hepal-6 tumors showed increased CD8+ T cell infiltration. NLRC3-knockdown Hepa1-6 tumors displayed decreased CD8+ T cell infiltration. At the same time, we also found the positive correlations between NLRC3 and CCL5 (C-C motif chemokine ligand 5, P<0.0001, R2 = 0.2372) as well as CXCL9 (C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 9, P<0.0001, R2 = 0.2338) expressions. So NLRC3 high expression represents a novel predictor for positive survival outcomes in HCC patients, and NLRC3 is involved in CD8+ T cell infiltration, which is correlated with increased CCL5 and CXCL9 in TME (tumor microenvironment). This study implies that boosting NLRC3 is a promising treatment to enhance survival in HCC patients.

Performance evaluation of a prescription medication image classification model: an observational cohort.

Technology assistance of pharmacist verification tasks through the use of machine intelligence has the potential to detect dangerous and costly pharmacy dispensing errors. National Drug Codes (NDC) are unique numeric identifiers of prescription drug products for the United States Food and Drug Administration. The physical form of the medication, often tablets and capsules, captures the unique features of the NDC product to help ensure patients receive the same medication product inside their prescription bottle as is found on the label from a pharmacy. We report and evaluate using an automated check to predict the shape, color, and NDC for images showing a pile of pills inside a prescription bottle. In a test set containing 65,274 images of 345 NDC classes, overall macro-average precision was 98.5%. Patterns of incorrect NDC predictions based on similar colors, shapes, and imprints of pills were identified and recommendations to improve the model are provided.

Docetaxel and Cisplatin regimen for non-small-cell lung cancer.

The complexity of cancer chemotherapy requires pharmacists be familiar with the complicated regimens and highly toxic agents used. This column reviews various issues related to preparation, dispensing, and administration of antineoplastic therapy, and the agents, both commercially available and investigational, used to treat malignant diseases.Questions or suggestions for topics should be addressed to Dominic A. Solimando, Jr., President, Oncology Pharmacy Services, Inc., 4201 Wilson Blvd #110-545, Arlington, VA 22203, e-mail: OncRxSvc@aol.com; or J. Aubrey Waddell, Professor, University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy; Oncology Pharmacist, Pharmacy Department, Blount Memorial Hospital, 907 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN 37804, e-mail: waddfour@charter.net.

Quinazolinone-based fungal efflux pump inhibitors. Part 1: Discovery of an (N-methylpiperazine)-containing derivative with activity in clinically relevant Candida spp.

The discovery of a series of quinazolinone-based fungal efflux pump inhibitors by high-throughput screening for potentiation of fluconazole in C. albicans is described. Attempts to improve the aqueous solubility of screening hits led to the discovery of an analog with greatly improved physical properties and activity against clinically-relevant Candida spp.