Nicotine Induces IL-8 Secretion from Pancreatic Cancer Stroma and Worsens Cancer-Induced Cachexia.

Smoking is highly associated with pancreatic cancer. Nicotine, the addictive component of tobacco, is involved in pancreatic cancer tumorigenesis, metastasis, and chemoresistance. This work aimed to describe the role of nicotine within the pancreatic cancer tumor microenvironment. Nicotine treatment was used in vitro to assess its effect on tumor-associated stromal cells and pancreatic cancer cells. Nicotine treatment was then used in a pancreatic cancer patient-derived xenograft model to study the effects in vivo. Nicotine induced secretion of interleukin 8 (IL-8) by tumor-associated stroma cells in an extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-dependent fashion. The secreted IL-8 and nicotine acted on the pancreatic cancer cell, resulting in upregulation of IL-8 receptor. Nicotine treatment of mice bearing pancreatic cancer patient-derived xenografts had significantly increased tumor mass, increased tumor-free weight loss, and decreased muscle mass. These represent important pathways through which nicotine acts within the tumor microenvironment and worsens pancreatic cancer-induced cachexia, potentially representing future therapeutic targets.

Cervical neoplastic lesions in relation to CD4 T-lymphocyte counts and antiretroviral therapy among women with clinical stage 1 HIV in Yunnan, China.

China lacks data demonstrating associations of cervical neoplastic lesions with CD4 T-lymphocyte (CD4 cell) counts and antiretroviral therapy (ART) among HIV-infected women, suggesting relevant investigations are needed. A total of 545 HIV-infected women were enrolled in Yunnan, China, between 2011 and 2013. CD4 cell counts and ART were measured via medical records and cervical neoplastic lesions were measured by professional pathologists. Multivariable logistic models, which treated cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 1+ and CIN2+ as outcomes, calculated adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of CD4 cell counts and ART. Subgroup analysis treating CIN1+ as the outcome was conducted by HIV infection duration (<4 vs ≥4 years), ethnicity (Han vs non-Han), and study site (Mangshi vs Kunming). The prevalence of CIN1+ and CIN2+ was 17.4% and 7.3%, respectively. Overall, 243 (44.6%) women had CD4 cell counts ≥500 cell/µL, 187 (34.3%) used ART for less than 2 years, and 236 (43.3%) used ART for at least 2 years. We found inverse associations of CIN1+ with CD4 cell counts (≥500 compared to <500 cells/µL: aOR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.27-0.79) and ART use (<2 years: aOR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.21-0.87; ≥2 years: aOR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.27-1.10). Point estimates did not change substantially for CIN2+ but aORs of ART became nonsignificant. No significant interaction was observed for HIV infection duration. We found significant interaction between CD4 cell counts and ethnicity and study site in relation to CIN1+. Our study suggests potential protective effects of high CD4 cell counts against cervical neoplastic lesions among HIV-infected women, whereas associations of ART are less consistent.

High-performance composite Ag-Ni mesh based flexible transparent conductive film as multifunctional devices.

Conventional fabrication methods for realization of metal mesh (MM) based transparent conductive film (TCF) are not economic and environmentally friendly. By combination of the scrape and selective electroplating techniques, a vacuum sputtering/evaporation-free process is explored for fabrication of high-performance MM based TCF. The fabricated TCF exhibits ultra-low sheet electrical resistance (Rs = 0.07 Ω sq-1) at average transmittance of 83% in visible region. The sample cannot only exhibit high heating temperatures (140 °C) at low input voltage (1.5 V) with fast and stable thermal response but provide high electromagnetic interference shielding efficiency (EMI SE) more than 43 dB in X-band. The processing chain provides a robust, powerful and scalable platform, which may open up a new avenue for realizing multifunctional TCF in diverse applications.

Effect of Lang-Chuang-Ding Decoction () on DNA Methylation of CD70 Gene Promoter in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Female Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Lang-chuang-ding Decoction (, LCD) on the expression of DNA methylation of CD70 gene promoter in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of females with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: PBMCs isolated from female patients with SLE or healthy donors were cultured and treated with LCD medicated serum or normal serum for 24 or 48 h. The mRNA expressions of CD70 gene in PBMCs were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR); the DNA methylation of the CD70 gene promoter region was detected by methylation-specific PCR. RESULTS: After treated with medicated serum for 48 h, the mRNA expression levels of CD70 in PBMCs of SLE patients were signifificantly higher than those of healthy donors (P<0.05); the DNA methylation levels of CD70 promoter region in PBMCs of SLE patients treated with medicated serum for 48 h were signifificantly higher than those treated with fetal bovine serum (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: LCD could inhibit CD70 gene expression in PBMCs of SLE patients by promoting the DNA methylation of CD70 gene promoter.

Identification of fetal cardiac anatomy and hemodynamics: a novel enhanced screening protocol.

BACKGROUND: Prenatal cardiac screening is of great importance as it contributes to appropriate neonatal management and helps parents to make a decision regarding their pregnancy. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficiency of a newly proposed screening protocol in the detection of fetal congenital heart disease (CHD). METHODS: This was a prospective study. A total of 52 cases of confirmed CHD fetuses and 248 cases of randomly selected normal fetuses were included in the study. Two sonographers with similar experience performed the cardiac screenings under two different protocols independently. The conventional protocol (Protocol A) paid greater attention to the four-chamber view and the outflow tract views. A 6-month training program was provided to sonographers performing scans under the new protocol (Protocol B), which emphasized systematically evaluating fetal cardiac anatomy and hemodynamics. Color Doppler was mandatory and some ultrasonic signs for special cardiac anomalies were also introduced into this protocol. RESULTS: Protocol B detected more cardiac anomalies than did Protocol A (96.2 % vs. 61.5 %, P < 0.01). Specifically, Protocol B was superior to Protocol A in detecting cardiac malpositions, abnormal systemic and pulmonary venous connection, right aortic arch, transposition of the great arteries, and congenital corrected transposition of the great arteries. By visualizing flow disturbance and retrograde flow with color Doppler, Protocol B was better than Protocol A in screening valvular associated malformations, such as pulmonary atresia, pulmonary stenosis, tricuspid dysplasia, etc. For the normal fetuses, Protocol B was better than Protocol A in reducing the false-positive detection of septal defects. CONCLUSIONS: The current study introduces an enhanced protocol for fetal cardiac screening, under which the obstetric screening sonographers systematically identify fetal cardiac anatomy and hemodynamics. A short-term training program makes it possible for the screening sonographers to become familiar with the new protocol, and its value has been confirmed due to improvements made in screening efficiency.

Synthesis, photophysical, electrochemical and electroluminescent properties of a novel iridium(III) complex based on 2-phenylbenzo[d]oxazole derivative.

A new phosphorescent iridium (III) complex based on 2-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-5-methylbenzo[d]oxazole as main ligand, i.e. bis(2-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-5-methylbenzo[d]oxazole-N,C(2'))iridium(acetylacetonate) [(tmbo)2Ir(acac)], was synthesized for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), and its photophysical, electrochemical and electroluminescent properties were investigated. The complex displayed strong phosphorescence emission, high decomposition temperature, short phosphorescent lifetime and reversible redox electrochemical behavior. The OLEDs based on (tmbo)2Ir(acac) as dopant emitter exhibited maximum luminance efficiency of 26.1cdA(-1) and high luminance of 16,445 cd m(-2). Interestingly, highly doped device based on (tmbo)2Ir(acac) showed high efficiency with negligible roll-off under a wide range of driving current density, which was mainly attributed to the effect of bulky steric hindrance of multi-methyl groups on this complex and its short phosphorescent lifetime.

The role of palliative chemotherapy for terminally ill patients with advanced NSCLC.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the conditions of palliative chemotherapy in terminally ill patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and to discuss the potential factors that affect the prognosis of these patients. METHODS: All 205 terminally ill patients with advanced NSCLC, who died in our hospital during the period from 2006 to 2010, were included in the study. Basic information was collected and details for the treatment of patients, related to overall survival, were evaluated. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-nine out of 205 patients (77.6%) were treated with palliative chemotherapy. Of these, 59.7% patients were treated with palliative chemotherapy in the last three months and 27.7% patients in the last one-month, prior to their expiration, respectively. In addition, 22.0% of the 159 patients were treated with palliative chemotherapy for the first time in the last three months and 10.1% in the last month of their final days. We have shown that patients treated with palliative chemotherapy in their last three and final month had a shorter overall survival rate than those patients who were not treated with palliative chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: A large proportion of patients with advanced NSCLC received palliative chemotherapy near the end of their life. However, our results were not in favor of palliative chemotherapy in the last three or final month of life.