Microwave-assisted solid-state pretreatment for fabrication of hemp fibres using ethanolamine at low temperature.

Conventional methods faced challenges in pretreating natural cellulose fibres due to their high energy consumption and large wastewater drainage. This research devised an efficient solid-state pretreatment method for pretreating hemp fibres using ethanolamine (ETA) assisted by microwave (MW) heating. This method produced a notable removal rate of lignin (85.4 %) with the highest cellulose content (83.0 %) at a high solid content (30 %) and low temperature (70 °C). Both FT-IR and XRD analyses indicated that the pretreatment did not alter the structure of cellulose within the hemp fibres but increased crystallinity as the CrI increased from 84 % in raw hemp fibre to 89 % in pretreated fibre. As a result, it produced hemp fibres with impressive fineness (4.6 dtex) and breaking strength (3.81 cN/dtex), meeting the requirement of textile fibre. In addition, an improvement in glucose concentration (15.6 %) was observed in enzymatic hydrolysis of the MW pretreated hemp fibres compared to the fibres pretreated without MW. Furthermore, the FT-IR and NMR data confirmed that the amination of lignin occurred even at low temperature, which contributed to the high lignin removal rate. Thus, this study presents a potentially effective energy-saving, and environmentally sustainable solid-state method for pretreating hemp fibres.

In-situ electrospinning with precise deposition of antioxidant nanofiber facial mask loaded with Enteromorpha prolifera polysaccharides.

In order to fabricate a novel antioxidant nanofiber facial mask, a metal cone modified in-situ electrospinning with precise deposition was employed by utilizing Enteromorpha prolifera polysaccharides (EPPs). The metal cone could control the deposition area to achieve precise fabrication of facial mask on skin. The EPPs exhibited remarkable antioxidant ability, as evidenced by the half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 1.44 mg/mL and 0.74 mg/mL against DPPH and HO• free radicals, respectively. The antioxidant ability of the facial mask was improved by elevating the electrospinning voltage from 15 kV to 19 kV, due to the improved release capacity of EPPs by 7.09 %. Moreover, the facial mask demonstrated robust skin adhesion and moisture-retaining properties compared with commercial facial mask, which was benefited by the in-situ electrospinning technology. Furthermore, cytotoxicity assay, animal skin irritation test, and ocular irritation test collectively affirmed the safety of the facial mask. Thus, this research introduces a novel in situ electrospinning with precise deposition method and a natural antioxidant additive for preparing facial mask.

Cellular crosstalk of macrophages and therapeutic implications in non-small cell lung cancer revealed by integrative inference of single-cell transcriptomics.

Introduction: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) exhibits heterogeneity with diverse immune cell infiltration patterns that can influence tumor cell behavior and immunotherapy. A comprehensive characterization of the tumor microenvironment can guide precision medicine. Methods: Here, we generated a single-cell atlas of 398170 cells from 52 NSCLC patients, and investigated the imprinted genes and cellular crosstalk for macrophages. Subsequently, we evaluated the effect of tumor cells on macrophages and verified the expression of marker genes using co-culture experiments, flow cytometry and RT-qPCR assays. Results: Remarkable macrophage adaptability to NSCLC environment was observed, which contributed to generating tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). We identified 5 distinct functional TAM subtypes, of which the majority were SELENOP-positive macrophages, with high levels of SLC40A1 and CCL13. The TAMs were also involved in mediating CD8+ T cell activity and form intercellular interaction with cancer cells, as indicated by receptor-ligand binding. Indirect coculture of tumor cells SPC-A1 and THP-1 monocytes, produced M2-like TAMs that highly expressed several markers of SELENOP-positive macrophages. The abundance of this type TAMs seemed to be associated with poorer overall survival rates [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.98-1.83, p = 0.068] based on deconvolution of TCGA-LUAD dataset. Discussion: In summary, we provided a high-resolution molecular resource of TAMs, and displayed the acquired properties in the tumor microenvironment. Dynamic crosstalk between TAMs and tumor cells via multiple ligand-receptor pairs were revealed, emphasizing its role in sustaining the pro-tumoral microenvironment and its implications for cancer therapy.

Novel insights into IL-37: an anti-inflammatory cytokine with emerging roles in anti-cancer process.

Interleukin-37 (IL-37) is a newly discovered member of IL-1 family. The cytokine was proved to have extensive protective effects in infectious diseases, allergic diseases, metabolic diseases, autoimmune diseases and tumors since its discovery. IL-37 was mainly produced by immune and some non-immune cells in response to inflammatory stimulus. The IL-37 precursors can convert into the mature forms after caspase-1 cleavage and activation intracellularly, and then bind to Smad-3 and transfer to the nucleus to inhibit the production and functions of proinflammatory cytokines; extracellularly, IL-37 binds to cell surface receptors to form IL-37/IL-18Rα/IL-1R8 complex to exert immunosuppressive function via inhibiting/activating multiple signal pathways. In addition, IL-37 can attenuate the pro-inflammatory effect of IL-18 through directly or forming an IL-37/IL-18BP/IL-18Rß complex. Therefore, IL-37 has the ability to suppress innate and acquired immunity of the host, and effectively control inflammatory stimulation, which was considered as a new hallmark of cancer. Specifically, it is concluded that IL-37 can inhibit the growth and migration of tumor cells, prohibit angiogenesis and mediate the immunoregulation in tumor microenvironment, so as to exert effective anti-tumor effects. Importantly, latest studies also showed that IL-37 may be a novel therapeutic target for cancer monitoring. In this review, we summarize the immunoregulation roles and mechanisms of IL-37 in anti-tumor process, and discuss its progress so far and potential as tumor immunotherapy.

Clinical Characteristics of Severe COVID-19 Patients During Omicron Epidemic and a Nomogram Model Integrating Cell-Free DNA for Predicting Mortality: A Retrospective Analysis.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors of death in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the epidemic of Omicron variants, assess the clinical value of plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA), and construct a prediction nomogram for patient mortality. Methods: The study included 282 patients with severe COVID-19 from December 2022 to January 2023. Patients were divided into survival and death groups based on 60-day prognosis. We compared the clinical characteristics, traditional laboratory indicators, and cfDNA concentrations at admission of the two groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors for death in patients with severe COVID-19. A prediction nomogram for patient mortality was constructed using R software, and an internal validation was performed. Results: The median age of the patients included was 80.0 (71.0, 86.0) years, and 67.7% (191/282) were male. The mortality rate was 55.7% (157/282). Age, tracheal intubation, shock, cfDNA, and urea nitrogen (BUN) were the independent risk factors for death in patients with severe COVID-19, and the area under the curve (AUC) for cfDNA in predicting patient mortality was 0.805 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.713-0.898, sensitivity 81.4%, specificity 75.6%, and cut-off value 97.67 ng/mL). These factors were used to construct a prediction nomogram for patient mortality (AUC = 0.856, 95% CI: 0.814-0.899, sensitivity 78.3%, and specificity 78.4%), C-index was 0.856 (95% CI: 0.832-0.918), mean absolute error of the calibration curve was 0.007 between actual and predicted probabilities, and Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed no statistical difference (χ2=6.085, P=0.638). Conclusion: There was a high mortality rate among patients with severe COVID-19. cfDNA levels ≥97.67 ng/mg can significantly increase mortality. When predicting mortality in patients with severe COVID-19, a nomogram based on age, tracheal intubation, shock, cfDNA, and BUN showed high accuracy and consistency.

Clinical data analysis of 86 patients with invasive infections caused by Malassezia furfur from a tertiary medical center and 37 studies.

Objective: Malassezia furfur (M. furfur) is a lipophilic, conditionally pathogenic yeast that mainly causes skin infections, but the reports of related invasive infections are increasing. The aim of this study is to provide clinical data to assist physicians in the management of patients with invasive infections caused by M. furfur. Methods: A case of pulmonary infection caused by M. furfur in a hematopoietic stem cell transplant patient for aplastic anemia was reported. In addition, the literature on invasive infection by M. furfur published in PubMed and Web of Science in English until 31 July 2022 was reviewed. Results: Clinical data analysis of 86 patients (from 37 studies and our case) revealed that most of them were preterm (44.2%), followed by adults (31.4%). M. furfur fungemia occurred in 79.1% of the 86 patients, and 45 of them were clearly obtained from catheter blood. Other patients developed catheter-related infections, pneumonia, peripheral thromboembolism, endocarditis, meningitis, peritonitis and disseminated infections. Thirty-eight preterm infants had underlying diseases such as very low birth weight and/or multiple organ hypoplasia. The remaining patients had compromised immunity or severe gastrointestinal diseases. 97.7% of patients underwent invasive procedures and 80.2% received total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Fever, thrombocytopenia and leukocytosis accounted for 55.8%, 38.4% and 24.4% of patients with M. furfur invasive infections, respectively. 69.8% of the patients received antifungal therapy, mainly amphotericin B (AmB) or azoles. Of 84 patients with indwelling catheters, 58.3% underwent the removal of catheters. TPN were discontinued in 30 of 69 patients. The all-cause mortality of 86 patients was 27.9%. Conclusions: M. furfur can cause a variety of invasive infections. These patients mostly occur in premature infants, low immunity and severe gastrointestinal diseases. Indwelling catheters and TPN infusion are major risk factors. AmB, l-AmB and azoles are the most commonly used agents, and simultaneous removal of the catheter and termination of TPN infusion are important for the treatment of M. furfur invasive infections.

[Distribution and Drug Sensitivity Analysis of Pathogenic Bacteria Isolated from Patients in Hematology Department].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the distribution and drug sensitivity of pathogenic bacteria isolated from patients in hematology department, in order to provide evidence for rational use of antibiotics in clinic. METHODS: The distribution of pathogenic bacteria and drug sensitivity data of patients in the hematology department of The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from 2015 to 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, and the pathogens isolated from different specimen types were compared. RESULTS: A total of 2 029 strains of pathogenic bacteria were isolated from 1 501 patients in the hematology department from 2015 to 2020, and 62.2% of which were Gram-negative bacilli, mainly Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Acinetobacter baumannii. Gram-positive coccus accounted for 18.8%, mainly Coagulase-negative staphylococcus (CoNS) and Staphylococcus aureus. Fungi (17.4%) were mainly candida. The 2 029 strains were mainly isolated from respiratory tract (35.1%), blood (31.8%) and urine (19.2%) specimens. Gram-negative bacilli were the main pathogenic bacteria in different specimen types (>60%). K. pneumoniae, S. maltophilia and A. baumannii were the most common pathogens in respiratory specimens, E. coli, CoNS, K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa were common in blood samples, and E. coli and Enterococcus were most common in urine samples. Enterobacteriaceae had the highest susceptibility to amikacin and carbapenems (>90.0%), followed by piperacillin/tazobactam. P. aeruginosa strains had high sensitivity to antibiotics except aztreonam (<50.0%). The susceptibility of A. baumannii to multiple antibiotics was less than 70.0%. The antimicrobial resistance rates of E. coli and K. pneumoniae in respiratory tract specimens were higher than those in blood specimens and urine specimens. CONCLUSION: Gram-negative bacilli are the main pathogenic bacteria isolated from patients in hematology department. The distribution of pathogens is different in different types of specimens, and the sensitivity of each strain to antibiotics is different. The rational use of antibiotics should be based on different parts of infection to prevent the occurrence of drug resistance.

tRNA-derived fragment tRF-Glu49 inhibits cell proliferation, migration and invasion in cervical cancer by targeting FGL1.

A transfer RNA (tRNA)-derived fragment (tRF) was found to be a new possible biological marker and target in carcinoma therapy. However, the effect exerted by tRFs on cervical carcinoma remains unclear. In the present study, the potential tumor suppressor gene tRF-Glu49 was identified in cervical carcinoma through tRF and tiRNA microarray investigation. A reverse transcription-quantitative PCR assay then demonstrated that tRF-Glu49 was downregulated in the cervical carcinoma tissue. Further clinicopathological analysis proved that tRF-Glu49 was associated with less aggressive clinical features and improved prognosis. Cell Counting Kit-8 tests, Transwell and Matrigel tests, and xCELLigence system tests revealed that tRF-Glu49 inhibited cervical cell proliferation, migration and invasion processes. Mechanistic investigation revealed that tRF-Glu49 directly regulated the oncogene, fibrinogen-like protein-1 (FGL1). In general, according to the result achieved in the present study, tRF-Glu49 can modulate cervical cell proliferation, migration, and invasion processes through the target process for FGL1, and tRF-Glu49 is likely to be a possible prognostic biological marker in patients with cervical carcinoma.

Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors for in-Hospital Mortality in 240 Cases of Infective Endocarditis in a Tertiary Hospital in China: A Retrospective Study.

Purpose: This study aimed (i) to investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors related to in-hospital mortality in patients with infective endocarditis (IE) and (ii) to compare the differences in three age groups. Methods: A total of 240 IE cases diagnosed using the modified Duke criteria between January 2016 and December 2019 were included and retrospectively studied. Patients were stratified into three age groups: < 50 y, 50-65 y, and > 65 y. Results: The mean age of the patients was 51 ± 14 y, and 154 patients (64.2%) were male. In addition, 136 (56.7%) patients with IE had no previous cardiac disease. Congenital heart disease (CHD, 21.3%) was the most common underlying heart disease, followed by rheumatic heart disease (RHD, 8.8%). Streptococcus was found in 55 (22.9%) patients and was the most common causative pathogen, comprising 52.9% of all positive blood cultures. Echocardiography showed the presence of vegetations in 88.3% of cases and the predominant involvement of the left heart valves. Fever and cardiac murmur were the most frequent presentations, with no significant differences among age groups. Compared with younger patients, elderly patients had a lower operation rate and higher in-hospital mortality. The independent risk factors of in-hospital mortality were age > 65 y, intracranial infection, splenic embolization, cerebral hemorrhage, NYHA class III-IV, and prosthetic valve infection. Conclusion: CHD replaces RHD as the most common underlying heart disease in IE patients. Patients without previous cardiac disease are at increased risk of IE. Streptococcus is still the primary causative pathogen of IE. Elderly patients present with more comorbidities and complications, in addition to a more severe prognosis than younger patients. Age older than 65 y, intracranial infection, splenic embolization, cerebral hemorrhage, NYHA class III-IV, and prosthetic valve infection showed poorer in-hospital outcomes.

Septic Shock, Renal Abscess, and Bacteremia Due to Peptoniphilus asaccharolyticus in a Woman with Nephrosis and Diabetes Mellitus: Case Report and Literature Review.

Peptoniphilus asaccharolyticus is a Gram-positive anaerobic coccus, which forms part of the normal flora and the human commensals of the skin, genitourinary system, and gut. It can cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients and is frequently isolated as part of polymicrobial spectra. Severe monomicrobial infections caused by the genus rarely occur. In this study, we report on septic shock, renal abscess, and bacteremia due to P. asaccharolyticus in a woman with nephrosis and diabetes mellitus. To the best of our knowledge, this report is the first to describe P. asaccharolyticus isolated from both renal abscess and blood cultures purely. The underlying diseases of the host and the removal of the double J tube were significant predisposing factors in this infection.

Cutaneous Protothecosis with Meningitis Due to Prototheca wickerhamii in an Immunocompetent Teenager: Case Report and Literature Review.

Human protothecosis is a rare infection caused by Prototheca spp., which are environmental achloric algae ubiquitously existing in nature. Members of the genus of Prototheca usually cause localized infection that affects the skin or wounds. Systemic infection is extremely rare and tends to occur in immunocompromised patients. Here, we report a case of cutaneous protothecosis and meningitis due to Prototheca wickerhamii in an immunocompetent teenager who obtained full-body tattoos at the time of infection. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of P. wickerhamii isolated from both skin tissue and cerebrospinal fluid. The data contained in this report will increase our understanding of this pathogen and elucidate the most optimal treatment.

Characterization of Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae ST15 Clone Coproducing KPC-2, CTX-M-15 and SHV-28 Spread in an Intensive Care Unit of a Tertiary Hospital.

OBJECTIVE: Nosocomial infection caused by carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) is a great threat to severely ill patients. Here we report an outbreak of K. pneumoniae ST15 isolates co-producing KPC-2, CTX-M-15, and SHV-28 in the cardiac surgery intensive care unit (CSICU) of a tertiary hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From November 2019 to August 2020, all non-duplicated CRKP isolates were collected from the CSICU. The VITEK-2 compact system was used for bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Clinical data were retrieved from electronic case records. All strains were also subjected to antibiotic resistance genes detection. Clonal relationships were analyzed by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). RESULTS: A total of 28 non-duplicated CRKP isolates were collected, including 23 strains belonging to ST15 and 5 strains belonging to ST11. All ST15 isolates were susceptible to amikacin, tigecycline, polymyxin B and ceftazidime/avibactam, but resistant to carbapenems, cephalosporins, quinolones, tobramycin and gentamicin. The detection of resistant determinants showed that 21 strains of ST15 CRKP co-harboured blaKPC-2, blaCTX-M-15, blaSHV-28, blaTEM-1, blaOXA-1 and aac(6')-Ib-cr. All the 28 CRKP isolates were classified into five PFGE patterns (A, B, C, D and E), of which type A and B belonged to ST15 and type C, D and E belonged to ST11. PFGE type A was the predominant clonotype of this nosocomial infection and belonged to ST15. CONCLUSION: K. pneumoniae ST15 co-producing KPC-2, CTX-M-15, SHV-28, TEM-1, OXA-1 and aac(6')-Ib-cr is the predominant clone spread in the CSICU. Surveillance and comprehensive infection control measures should be strengthened in clinical practice.

False-Negative Serum Cryptococcal Antigen Lateral Flow Immunoassay Result for a Patient with Disseminated Cryptococcal Disease.

Cryptococcus neoformans (C. neoformans) is an opportunistic fungal pathogen to humans, which can be acquired from environmental sources. Its most important virulence factor is its polysaccharide capsule, which can be used for diagnostic tests that identify the cryptococcal antigen (CrAg). The CrAg lateral flow assay (LFA) is a dipstick immunochromatographic assay with high sensitivity and specificity; however, several false-negative cases have been reported. Here, we present a case of a false-negative serum CrAg LFA, in which the blood culture from a matched sample was positive for C. neoformans, thus demonstrating the postzone phenomenon.

Upregulated miR-665 expression independently predicts poor prognosis of lung cancer and facilitates tumor cell proliferation, migration and invasion.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the leading causes of global cancer-associated mortality. Aberrant microRNAs (miRs) have been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of various cancer types. The present study aimed to investigate the expression profile and prognostic value of miR-665 in patients with NSCLC, and to analyze its functional role in tumor progression using NSCLC cells. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was used to estimate the expression levels of miR-665. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression analysis were performed to evaluate the prognostic value of miR-665. The effects of miR-665 on NSCLC cell proliferation, migration and invasion were examined by cell transfection, and the target gene of miR-665 was explored. miR-665 expression was elevated in the tissue and cell samples of NSCLC. This increased miR-665 expression was associated with lymph node metastasis and TNM stage. An independent association between miR-665 and overall survival was identified in patients with NSCLC. When regulating the expression levels of miR-665 in vitro, NSCLC cell proliferation, migration and invasion were enhanced by overexpression of miR-665, but were inhibited by knockdown of miR-665. The luciferase activity results indicated that the protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type B (PTPRB) was a direct target of miR-665 in NSCLC cells. The present study provided evidence for the clinical significance of a decreased expression of miR-665 in the prognosis of NSCLC. Upregulation of miR-665 contributed to tumor cell proliferation, migration and invasion by targeting PTPRB, suggesting the potential of miR-665 as a candidate therapeutic target for NSCLC treatment.

Non-O1, Non-O139 Vibrio cholerae (NOVC) Bacteremia: Case Report and Literature Review, 2015-2019.

Non-O1, non-O139 Vibrio cholerae (NOVC) does not agglutinate with O1 and O139 antisera and can cause intestinal and extraintestinal infections in immunocompromised individuals. NOVC bacteremia has the highest mortality among NOVC infections, and the number of reports has increased in recent years. Nevertheless, some clinicians are poorly informed about this disease. Herein, we describe a documented case of NOVC bacteremia in a male patient with impaired liver function. Blood cultures revealed the presence of V. cholerae, but this strain showed self-coagulation on the serum agglutination test. To our knowledge, this phenomenon is unreported among cases of NOVC infections. This pathogen was finally confirmed as NOVC via PCR. Because the patient worked as a garbage transporter, he was likely infected after contact with contaminated water through a foot wound. The patient developed septic shock shortly after admission and ultimately died from the illness. This paper reviews 23 cases of NOVC bacteremia from 2015 to 2019. To improve the accuracy of identifying NOVC and analyze its virulence factors, relevant detection methods were reviewed and analyzed.

A Confirmed Catheter-Related Blood Stream Infection (CRBSI) in an Immunocompetent Patient Due to Myroides odoratimimus: Case Report and Literature Review.

The genus Myroides are gram-negative bacilli which are completely aerobic, non-motile, non-fermenting and yellow-pigmented with a characteristic fruity odor. Myroides species are widely found in the environment, especially in water and soil, and are considered as low-grade opportunistic pathogens for humans. Myroides infections are most commonly seen in immunocompromised patients and only rarely occur in immunocompetent patients. We here report the first confirmed catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) due to Myroides odoratimimus in an immunocompetent patient. We also review the literature related to Myroides infections.

Characterization Of bla NDM-5-Positive Escherichia coli Prevalent In A University Hospital In Eastern China.

PURPOSE: The emergence and spread of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae deserves special concern worldwide. Unlike the epidemiological characteristics reported in other studies, we found that the production of New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase 5 was the main mechanism for the resistance of Escherichia coli to carbapenems. METHODS: All carbapenem-resistant strains were collected from July 2017 to July 2018 of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. The presence of carbapenemase-encoding genes was detected using PCR and gene sequencing. Genetic relatedness of the bla NDM-5-positive E. coli strains was determined with PFGE and MLST. Susceptibility profiles were measured with broth microdilution method and E-test strips. Transferability features of bla NDM-5 gene were assessed by conjugation experiments, S1-PFGE, southern blotting and PCR-based replicon typing methods. The genetic structures surrounding bla NDM-5 were acquired by whole genome sequencing and PCR mapping. RESULTS: Among the 28 carbapenem-resistant E. coli strains, 18 (64%) were verified as NDM-5 producers. The 18 bla NDM-5-positive E. coli strains showed high resistance to most antibiotics, but 100% were sensitive to colistin and tigecycline. In addition, the 18 bla NDM-5-positive E. coli strains belonged to eight STs, among which ST167, ST410 and ST101 were found to cause clonal spread in the hospital. Further studies found that the bla NDM-5 gene was located on an IncX3-type plasmid, and all plasmids harbored an IS3000-ΔISAba125-IS5-bla NDM-5-bleMBL-trpF-dsbC-IS26 structure. CONCLUSION: The clonal spread of bla NDM-5-positive E. coli strains and horizontal dissemination via the pNDM-MGR 194-like plasmids should draw more attention. Appropriate infection control operations should be performed to prevent the further spread of bla NDM-5.

Liquid biopsy for non-invasive assessment of liver injury in hepatitis B patients.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B is a major public health problem in China. Accurate liver injury assessment is essential for clinical evidence-based treatment. Liver biopsy is considered the gold standard method to stage liver disease, but it is not widely used in resource-limited settings. Therefore, non-invasive liquid biopsy tests are needed. AIM: To assess liver injury in hepatitis B patients using quantified cell free DNA combined with other serum biomarker as a liquid biopsy-based method. METHODS: A cohort of 663 subjects including 313 hepatitis B patients and 350 healthy controls were enrolled. Ultrasound-guided liver biopsies followed by histopathological assessments were performed for the 263 chronic hepatitis B patients to determine the degree of liver injury. Cell-free DNA was quantified using a novel duplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. RESULTS: Compared with healthy controls, patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection had significantly higher plasma DNA, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), bilirubin, and HBV DNA levels (P < 0.01). Serum ALT, AST, bilirubin, and plasma DNA levels of patients with marked-severe inflammation were significantly higher than those with mild-moderate inflammation (P < 0.01). There was a statistically significant correlation between hepatocyte inflammation severity and serum bilirubin (R 2 = 0.673, P < 0.01) or plasma DNA (R 2 = 0.597, P < 0.01) levels. The areas under the curves of serum ALT, bilirubin, plasma DNA, and their combination to distinguish between patients with mild-moderate and marked-severe inflammation were 0.8059, 0.7910, 0.7921, and 0.9564, respectively. CONCLUSION: The combination of plasma DNA, serum ALT, and bilirubin could be a candidate liquid biopsy for non-invasive assessment of liver injury in hepatitis B patients.

Plasma CADM1 promoter hypermethylation and D-dimer as novel metastasis predictors of cervical cancer.

AIM: Cervical cancer (CC) is the fourth malignant tumor in women worldwide. The metastasis is still the major reason for the treatment failures of most CC patients. Cell adhesion molecule 1 (CADM1) promoter methylation and plasma D-dimer levels have been reported to be increased in many types of cancers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the value of combinatorial assay of plasma CADM1 promoter hypermethylation and D-dimer as a metastasis marker in CC. METHODS: Two hundred and ninety-two patients with newly diagnosed cervical diseases and 70 healthy women were enrolled. A validation set comprised 36 Stage I CC patients and followed for 3 years. Plasma CADM1 promoter methylation and D-dimer levels were detected. RESULTS: The total coincidence rate of CADM1 promoter methylation status was 93.3% between 45 pair-matched tissue and plasma samples. Plasma CADM1 methylation levels in CC patients were higher than other benign disease groups (P = 0.000). Plasma CADM1 methylation levels had statistically differences between CC patients with and without lymph node metastasis (P = 0.049) or in CC patients with and without distant metastasis (P = 0.000). Similarly, plasma D-dimer levels in CC patients were higher than other benign disease groups (P < 0.05). D-dimer levels were only statistically different between CC patients with and without distant metastasis (P = 0.003). Combined assay of the two parameters for metastasis prediction has high sensitivity (80.4%) and specificity (90.5%). CONCLUSION: Combinatorial assay of plasma CADM1 methylation and D-dimer is a promising metastasis marker in cervical cancer.

Young age increases risk for lymph node positivity but decreases risk for non-small cell lung cancer death.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) prognosis and risk of lymph node positivity (LN+) are reference points for reasonable treatments. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of age on LN+ and NSCLC death. Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry were used to identify 82,253 patients with NSCLC diagnosed between 1988 and 2008. All the patients underwent standard lung cancer surgery with lymph node examination. Demographic and clinicopathological parameters were extracted and compared among each age group. Impact of age on LN+ and NSCLC death was evaluated by the Cochran-Armitage trend test and logistic univariate and multivariate analyses for all T stages. Overall, 22,711 (27.60%) patients of the entirety had lymph node metastasis and 28,968 (35.22%) patients died of NSCLC within 5 years. With the increase in age, LN+ rates decreased regardless of T stages (P<0.001), whereas NSCLC-specific mortality increased in stages T1-T3 (P<0.001). Controlling other covariates in multivariable logistic regression, age remained an independent risk factor for LN+ in all T stages (P<0.05) and in stages T1-T3 (P<0.05). Our SEER analysis demonstrated a higher rate of LN+ and lower mortality in younger patients with NSCLC, after accounting for other covariates.