Outcomes and prognostic factors for patients with cervical esophageal cancer undergoing definitive radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy.

Cervical esophageal cancer (CEC) is uncommon, accounting for less than 5% of all esophageal cancers. The management of CEC is controversial. This study investigated treatment outcomes and prognostic factors of survival in CEC patients undergoing definitive radiotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Ninety-one CEC patients were treated by intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT) between July 2007 and September 2017. The mean prescription dose was 64 Gy (range 54-70 Gy) delivered as 1.8-2.2 Gy per fraction per day, 5 days a week. Out of 91 patients, 34 received concurrent cisplatin-based chemotherapy (CT) including 18 patients who also received neoadjuvant CT. Overall survival (OS), locoregional failure-free survival (LRFFS), and progression-free survival (PFS) were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Prognostic factors of survival were determined in univariate (log-rank test) and multivariate (Cox proportional hazard model) analysis. Treatment-related toxicity was also assessed. Median follow-up time for all patients was 19 months. Two-year OS, LRFFS and PFS of all patients were 58.2%, 52.5% and 48.1%, respectively. Clinical stage was an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.03-5.37, p = 0.042), LRFFS (HR = 3.84, 95% CI: 1.38-10.69, p = 0.011), and PFS (HR = 2.68, 95% CI: 1.11-6.45, p = 0.028). Hoarseness was an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.05-4.19, p = 0.036). CCRT was independently associated with better LRFFS (HR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.14-0.79, p = 0.012). 3DCRT and IMRT with concurrent CT is well-tolerated and may improve local tumor control in CEC patients. Advanced clinical stage and hoarseness are adverse prognostic factors for OS, LRFFS, and PFS in CEC.

Phenotypic flexibility of thermogenesis in the hwamei (Garrulax canorus): responses to cold acclimation.

Cold acclimation in birds involves a comprehensive array of physiological and morphological adjustment ranging from changes in aerobic enzyme activity to metabolic rate and organ mass. In the present study, we investigated phenotypic variation in thermogenic activity in the hwamei (Garrulax canorus) under normal (35°C) or cold (15°C) ambient temperature conditions. Acclimation to an ambient temperature of 15°C for 4 wk significantly increased the body mass, basal metabolic rate (BMR), and energy intake, including both gross energy intake and digestible energy intake, compared with birds kept at 35°C. Furthermore, birds acclimated to 15°C increased the dry mass of their liver and kidneys, but not their heart and pectoral muscles, and displayed higher state-4 respiration in the liver, kidneys, heart, and pectoral muscles, and higher cytochrome-c oxidase (COX) activity in liver, kidney, and pectoral muscle, compared with those kept at 35°C. There was a positive correlation between BMR and state-4 respiration in all of the above organs except the liver, and between BMR and COX activity in all of the above organs. Taken together, these data illustrate the morphological, physiological, and enzymatic changes associated with cold acclimation, and support the notion that the hwamei is a bird species from temperate climates that exhibits high phenotypic flexibility of thermogenic capacity.

[Effects of temperature and photoperiod on body mass, energy budget and digestive tract morphology in Pycnonotus sinensis.] / æ¸©åº¦ä¸Žå ‰å‘¨æœŸå¯¹ç™½å¤´é¹Žä½“è´¨é‡ã€èƒ½é‡æ”¶æ”¯å’Œæ¶ˆåŒ–é“å½¢æ€çš„å½±å“.

Temperature and photoperiod are proximate environmental factors that have an important influence on the morphological, physiological and behavioral adjustments animals performance du-ring seasonal acclimatization. In this study, the effects of temperature and photoperiod on phenotypic flexibility in body mass, energy budget and digestive tract morphology in the Chinese bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis) were examined, and the relationship between energy budget and digestive tract morphology was analyzed. Twelve male and sixteen female Chinese bulbuls were randomly assigned into 4 experimental groups so that each group was comprised of three males and four females. The groups were: 1) a warm and long photoperiod (30 ℃, 16 light: 8 dark) group, 2) a warm and short photoperiod (30 ℃, 8 light: 16 dark) group, 3) a cold and long photoperiod (10 ℃, 16 light:8 dark) group, and 4) a cold and short photoperiod (10 ℃, 8 light: 16 dark) group. Each group was acclimated to its respective temperature and photoperiod for 4 weeks. Birds in the cold temperature and short photoperiod group underwent a significant increase in body mass, gross energy intake (GEI) and digestible energy intake (DEI) compared to the other three groups, and there was a significant interaction between temperature and photoperiod on gross energy intake and diges-tible energy intake. The mass of the stomach, small intestine, rectum, and total digestive tract, all increased significantly in cold temperature treatment groups compared to those acclimated to a relatively warm temperature. There was a significant, positive correlation between GEI and DEI resi-duals and those of the length and dry mass of the small intestine and total digestive tract. These results suggested that the Chinese bulbul met the increased energy demands of winter (colder tempe-ratures and reduced foraging time due to shorter day-length) by increasing its body mass, digestible energy intake and digestive tract size.

Reversal of Chemoresistance in Human Lung Cancer Cell Line A549/Taxol by Synthetic Second Mitochondria-Derived Activator of Caspase Peptide.

BACKGROUND: Chemoresistance is a leading cause of treatment failure in advanced lung cancer, including that with the extensively prescribed taxol. Recently, a series of structurally unique second mitochondria-derived activators of caspase (Smac) that act as antagonists of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) have been discovered, exhibiting the ability of inducing enhanced apoptosis of various cancer cell types when combined with chemotherapy. In the present study, we synthesized the second mitochondria-derived activator of caspase peptide (Smac-N7 for short) and explored its capacity in combination with taxol in vitro. METHODS: The sensitivity assay and reversal ability of Smac-N7 were tested by MTT. Flow cytometry was used to analyze apoptosis of cells with Annexin V/PI double staining technique. Cell cloning ability was performed to reflect its biological behavior in each group. RESULTS: Concentrations with inhibitory rates < 10% were selected as the reversal value of Smac-N7 peptide using MTT. The reversal folds were 2.52, 3.26, 3.67, and 5.4 in taxol + Smac-N7 (0.0390625, 0.078125, 0.15625, 0.3125 µg/mL, respectively), and concentrations of Smac-N7 and reversal folds appeared in an obvious positive correlation (r(s) = 1, p = 0.000). Apoptosis analyzed at 48 hours by flow cytometry showed the apoptotic rates in taxol and 0.0390625, 0.078125, 0.15625, and 0.3125 µg/mL Smac-N7 + taxol groups were 15.4 ± 1.09%, 20.8% ± 2.18%, 28.4% ± 4.17%, 37.64% ± 6.41%, and 46.6% ± 7.76%, respectively. Concentrations of Smac-N7 appeared to have negative correlations with PE and SF (r(s) = -1, p < 0.05), which showed that the cells' cloning ability in 0.3125 µg/mL Smac-N7 + taxol group was worse than that of other groups. CONCLUSIONS: When combined with taxol, 0.3125 µg/mL Smac-N7 peptide may significantly increase taxol-induced apoptosis in chemoresistant A549/taxol lung cells at 48 hours, and is potentially useful as a reversal agent in lung cancer therapy.