Feature-Based Molecular Network-Assisted Cannabinoid and Flavonoid Profiling of Cannabis sativa Leaves and Their Antioxidant Properties.

Cannabis sativa (C. sativa) leaves are rich in cannabinoids and flavonoids, which play important antioxidant roles. Since the environmental factors may influence the accumulation of antioxidants in herbal medicines, which affects their activity, this study aimed to investigate the correlation between the chemical composition of C. sativa leaves and their geographical origin and antioxidant activity. Firstly, a high-resolution mass spectrometry method assisted by semi-quantitative feature-based molecular networking (SQFBMN) was established for the characterization and quantitative analysis of C. sativa leaves from various regions. Subsequently, antioxidant activity analysis was conducted on 73 batches of C. sativa leaves, and a partial least squares regression (PLS) model was employed to assess the correlation between the content of cannabinoids and flavonoids in the leaves and their antioxidant activity. A total of 16 cannabinoids and 57 flavonoids were annotated from C. sativa, showing a significant regular geographical distribution. The content of flavonoid-C glycosides in Sichuan leaves is relatively high, and their antioxidant activity is also correspondingly high. However, the leaves in Shaanxi and Xinjiang were primarily composed of flavonoid-O glycosides, and exhibited slightly lower antioxidant activity. A significant positive correlation (p < 0.001) was found between the total flavonoids and cannabinoids and the antioxidant activity of the leaves, and two flavonoids and one cannabinoid were identified as significant contributors.

From Black Liquor to Green Energy Resource: Positive Electrode Materials for Li-O2 Battery with High Capacity and Long Cycle Life.

Black liquor has caused a tremendous degree of pollution and waste. Exploring the utilization of lignin, which is the major component of black liquor, has become a key factor in dealing with the problem. In this study, lignin derived from black liquor was used as a raw material to prepare carbon materials through different activation methods including KOH, H3PO4, and steam activation. The structure and properties of obtained samples were characterized as well as electrochemical performance when applied on a lithium-oxygen battery. Results of N2 adsorption/desorption showed that all obtained samples possessed high surface area of over 1000 m2/g. XRD, Raman, and XPS also indicated that obtained samples possessed a large defect area and many functional groups. Electrochemical measurements illustrated that all obtained samples exhibited a high discharge capacity over 2.8 mAh/cm2 at 0.02 mA/cm2, while LKAC exhibited the highest discharge capacity of 7.2 mAh/cm2. Cycling tests of all obtained samples indicated a long cycle life of at least 300 cycles. LSAC maintained a 100% retention rate of capacity and stable terminal voltage even after 800th cycle, and its cycling performance was investigated further by XRD and EIS. This study demonstrated excellent performance for lignin-based carbon materials, and provided alternative materials for positive electrode of lithium-oxygen battery.

Prognostic factors, treatment, and outcomes in combined small cell lung cancer: a SEER survey from 2004 to 2015.

BACKGROUND: The epidemiological characteristics of combined small cell lung cancer (C-SCLC) are still unclear. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the prognostic factors and treatment modalities for C-SCLC. METHODS: The clinical data from patients with primary C-SCLC from 2004 to 2015 were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Next, we applied the 8th edition of the TNM classification. A Cox regression model was used to identify the relevant variables and treatment modalities which affected the overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). RESULTS: In total, 1,010 patients were included in the analysis. The median OS and median CSS were 9 months and 10 months, respectively. Individuals aged 65 and younger, female, and classified as being in an earlier stage were independent predictors of an improved OS and CSS. For patients with stage I, surgery alone significantly improved the OS (HR, 0.371; 95% CI, 0.180-0.769) and CSS (HR, 0.367; 95% CI, 0.162-0.892). For patients with stage II, surgery combined with radiotherapy significantly improved the OS (HR, 0.237; 95% CI, 0.063-0.890). For patients with stage III, radiotherapy alone was an independent predictor of OS (HR, 0.464; 95% CI, 0.316-0.618) and CSS (HR, 0.452; 95% CI, 0.305-0.670). For patients with stage IV, surgery combined with radiotherapy significantly improved OS (HR, 0.315; 95% CI, 0.181-0.547) and CSS (HR, 0.329; 95% CI, 0.189-0.573), and surgery alone also improved OS (HR, 0.257; 95% CI, 0.144-0.461) and CSS (HR, 0.280; 95% CI, 0.156-0.501). Undergoing chemotherapy was also an independent predictor of an improved OS (HR, 0.619; 95% CI, 0.419-0.915) in patients with stage III, and OS (HR, 0.283; 95% CI, 0.228-0.350) and CSS (HR, 0.289; 95% CI, 0.232-0.259) of patients with stage IV. CONCLUSIONS: These findings may help to determine possible treatment choices and aid further research on this rare disease.

Surgery for small cell lung cancer: A Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Survey from 2010 to 2015.

The role of surgery in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is controversial. This study explored whether surgery offered a survival benefits for patients with SCLC.Patients diagnosed with SCLC between 2010 and 2015 were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The tumor, node, and metastasis (TNM) stage of SCLC in these patients was reclassified according to the 8th edition of the TNM classification for lung cancer. Overall survival (OS) was separately compared according to TNM stage between patients who underwent surgery and those who did not using Kaplan-Meier method. A Cox regression model was used to identify relevant variables affecting survival. Additional Kaplan-Meier curves were created to compare different types of surgery. Cox regression models and Forest plots were used to identify the predictors of survival in the surgery cohort.A total of 26,659 patients with SCLC were included, among which 627 (2.4%) patients underwent surgery. Surgery was associated with longer survival in patients with stage IA (45.0 vs 20.0 months, P < .001), stage IB (47.0 vs 19.0 months, P = .001), stage IIA (16.0 m vs NR, P = .007), stage III (18.0 vs 12.0 months, P < .001), and stage IV (9.0 vs 5.0 months, P < .001) disease, although the difference was not statistically significant for patients with stage IIB disease. Multivariate analysis identified surgery as an independent predictor of improved survival for all cohorts divided by stages except for stage IIB. Lobectomy was the most commonly performed procedure. Multivariate analysis in patients who underwent surgery identified lobectomy (hazard ratio [HR], 0.544; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.341-0.869; P = .011) and chemotherapy (HR, 0.634; 95% CI, 0.487-0.827; P < .001) as independent predictors of improved survival in the surgery cohort.In a national analysis, surgery was performed in some patients for both early and advanced-stage SCLC. Surgery for SCLC was associated with improved survival except for patients with stage IIB disease. These results support an increased role of surgery in multimodal therapy for SCLC.

Application of serum NY-ESO-1 antibody assay for early SCLC diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: NY-ESO-1 antibody is one of the cancer-related antibodies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic role of the NY-ESO-1 humoral immune response in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). METHODS: We recombined the recombinant protein of NY-ESO-1 antibody and NSE, analyzed them by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and then established the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve to estimate the diagnostic value of NY-ESO-1 antibody, NSE and their combinations. RESULTS: According to detection, the positive rate of NY-ESO-1 humoral immune response (26.3%), NSE (43.8%) and their combinations (10.5%) were all lower than the negative rate which indicated that the NY-ESO-1 antibody might be down-regulated in SCLC. And the positive rate wasn't related to clinicopathologic characteristics. The ROC curve demonstrated that with a 37.17% sensitivity and a 91.7% specificity along with a AUC of 0.619 for NY-ESO-1ab as well as with a 48.3% sensitivity and a 90.87% specificity along with a AUC value of 0.773 for NSE, their diagnostic value were both high. Besides, the diagnostic value of their combinations was also good for a AUC of 0.83 and a 69.12% sensitivity and a 91.8% specificity. There were significant difference of diagnostic value among three types above (NY-ESO-1 vs. NSE, P < 0.01; The Combinations vs. NY-ESO-1, P < 0.0001; and the Combinations vs. NSE, P < 0.04). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, NY-ESO-1ab, NSE and their combinations all were important diagnostic markers for SCLC. Moreover, the diagnostic value of their combinations was higher than any single of them. And NY-ESO-1 humoral immune to NSE might be a potential diagnostic indicator in SCLC.

Effects of pemetrexed, gefitinib, and their combination on human colorectal cancer cells.

PURPOSE: The study investigated the effects of pemetrexed, gefitinib, and their combination on human colorectal cancer cells. METHODS: Six human colorectal cancer cells were exposed to pemetrexed, gefitinib, and their combination. Antitumor effects were measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Thymidylate synthase (TS) mRNA expression and EGFR mutation were studied by real-time RT-PCR and DNA sequence determination. Pharmacological interaction was studied using the combination index method. Cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were determined by flow cytometry. Activity assay was performed to assess the effects of drugs on TS activity, and Western blot was performed to assess the protein expression of pEGFR, pAKT, and pERK 1/2. RESULTS: Six colorectal cancer cells are all sensitive to pemetrexed, and TS gene expression of cells was negatively related to pemetrexed sensitivity. The cytotoxic synergism was observed in concurrent pemetrexed combined with gefitinib and sequential pemetrexed followed by gefitinib. The combination of pemetrexed and gefitinib modulated cell cycle and induced apoptosis. Pemetrexed combined with gefitinib decreased TS mRNA expression and in situ activity. Pemetrexed induced an EGFR-mediated activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT and ERK pathway, which was inhibited by gefitinib. CONCLUSIONS: Pemetrexed is a promising agent, and pemetrexed combined with gefitinib has a significantly synergistic effect on colorectal cancer cells, which seems to present a strategy of pemetrexed combined with EGFR-TKIs in colorectal cancer treatment.

Post-stimulation effect of electroacupuncture at Yintang (EX-HN3) and GV20 on cerebral functional regions in healthy volunteers: a resting functional MRI study.

Objective The aim of the present work was to observe the activation/deactivation of cerebral functional regions after electroacupuncture (EA) at Yintang (EX-HN3) and GV20 by functional MRI (fMRI). Design A total of 12 healthy volunteers were stimulated by EA at Yintang and GV20 for 30 min. Resting-state fMRI scans were performed before EA, and at 5 and 15 min after needle removal. Statistical parametric mapping was used to preprocess initial data, and regional homogeneity (ReHo) and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) were analysed. Results ReHo at 5 min post stimulation showed increases in the left temporal lobe and cerebellum and decreases in the left parietal lobe, occipital lobe and right precuneus. At 15 min post stimulation, ReHo showed increases in the left fusiform gyrus; lingual gyrus; middle temporal gyrus; postcentral gyrus; limbic lobe; cingulate gyrus; paracentral lobule; cerebellum, posterior lobe, declive; right cuneus and cerebellum, anterior lobe, culmen. It also showed decreases in the left frontal lobe, parietal lobe, right temporal lobe, frontal lobe, parietal lobe and right cingulate gyrus. ALFF at 5 min post stimulation showed increases in the right temporal lobe, but decreases in the right limbic lobe and posterior cingulate gyrus. At 15 min post stimulation ALFF showed increases in the left frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, right temporal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe and cerebellum, but decreases in the left frontal lobe, anterior cingulate gyrus, right frontal lobe and posterior cingulate gyrus. Conclusions After EA stimulation at Yintang and GV20, which are associated with psychiatric disorder treatments, changes were localised in the frontal lobe, cingulate gyrus and cerebellum. Changes were higher in number and intensity at 15 min than at 5 min after needle removal, demonstrating lasting and strong after-effects of EA on cerebral functional regions.

Identification of an HLA-DPB1*0501 restricted Melan-A/MART-1 epitope recognized by CD4+ T lymphocytes: prevalence for immunotherapy in Asian populations.

CD4 T lymphocytes play a central role in orchestrating an efficient antitumor immune response. Much effort has been devoted in the identification of major histocompatibility complex class II eptiopes from different tumor-associated antigens. Melan-A/MART-1 is expressed specifically in normal melanocytes and tumor cells of 75% to 100% of melanoma patients. Melan-A/MART-1 is considered as an attractive target for cancer immunotherapy. In the past, several human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II restricted epitopes have been identified and characterized, including Melan-A/MART-11-20 (HLA-DR11 restricted), Melan-A/MART-125-36 (HLA-DQ6 and HLA-DR3 restricted), Melan-A/MART-127-40 (HLA-DR1 restricted), Melan-A/MART-151-73 (HLA-DR4 restricted), Melan-A/MART-191-110 (HLA-DR52 restricted), and Melan-A/MART-1100-111 (HLA-DR1 restricted). Owing to the infrequent expression of the above HLA class II alleles in Asian populations, immunotherapy using these defined Melan-A/MART-1 peptides could potentially only benefit a very small percentage of Asian melanoma patients. In this study, we established several CD4 T-cell clones by in vitro stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a healthy donor by a peptide pool of 28 to 30 amino acid long peptides spanning the entire Melan-A/MART-1 protein. These CD4 T-cell clones recognized a peptide that is embedded within Melan-A/MART-121-50, in a HLA-DPB1*0501 restricted manner. Finally, we demonstrated that this epitope is naturally processed and presented by dendritic cells. HLA-DPB1*0501 is frequently expressed in Asian population (44.9% to 73.1%). Therefore, this epitope could provide a new tool and could significantly increase the percentage of melanoma patients that can benefit from cancer immunotherapy.

Pemetrexed plus cisplatin/carboplatin in previously treated locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pemetrexed plus cisplatin/carboplatin in locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. METHODS: Fifty-three locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer patients previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy received pemetrexed 500 mg/m2 plus cisplatin 75 mg/m2 or carboplatin area under the curve (AUC) 5 every 21 days, with dexamethasone, folic acid and vitamin B12 being administered. RESULTS: Median age was 52 years. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status was 0-2. Thirty-eight patients had stage IV tumors. Thirty-seven patients had adenocarcinoma (including 6 alveolar carcinoma patients), and fourteen patients had squamous cell carcinoma. Thirty-four patients were treated in second line, 15 in third line, and 4 in fourth line. Seven patients (13.2%) showed partial response; Thirty-six (67.9%) had stable disease. The median progression free survival time was 6.0 months and the median overall survival time was 10.0 months. The 1-year survival rate was 40.9%. Five (9.4%) and four (7.5%) patients experienced grade 3 or 4 leukopenia and thrombocytopenia, respectively. Nonhematological toxicities included grade 3 nausea/vomiting in 1 patient (1.9%), grade 3 rash in 1 patient, grade 4 diarrhea in 1 patient (1.9%) and grade 4 creatinine increase in 1 patient (1.9%). CONCLUSION: Locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC patients previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy could benefit from pemetrexed plus cisplatin/carboplatin chemotherapy with tolerable adverse events.

[The correction to spectroscopic diagnostics of plasma jet with air engulfment].

A high-resolution, multi-line spectroscopic diagnostic system was used to detect two spectral line intensities in plasma jet simultaneously. The temperature profiles of an arc plasma jet issued into atmosphere and the concentrations of the air engulfment in the plasma jet were experimentally determined by means of the line absolute intensity method in this paper. The temperature profiles were obtained in two cases: the air engulfment in the plasma jet being considered and not being considered. The comparison of temperatures obtained in these two cases illustrates that the air engulfment in the plasma jet has considerable influence on spectroscopic diagnostic results. The neglect of the air engulfment brings on error in the temperature diagnostics with the absolute line intensity method. Especially in the region far away from the exit of the nozzle, the error is obvious.