Molecular classification as prognostic factor and guide for treatment decision of pancreatic cancer

Clinico-pathological factors fail to consistently predict the outcome after pancreatic resection for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). PDACs show a high level of inter- and intra- tumor genetic heterogeneity. A molecular classification should help sort patients into less heterogeneous and more appropriate groups regarding the metastatic risk and the therapeutic response, with the consequences of better predicting evolution and better orienting the treatment. PDAC can be classified based on mutational subtypes and 18gene alterations. Whole-genome sequencing identified mutational signatures, mutational burden and hyper-mutated tumors with specific DNA repair defects. Their overlap/similarities allow the definition of molecular subtypes. DNA and RNA classifications can be used in prognosis assessment. They are useful in therapeutic choice for they allow the design of approaches that can predict the respective drug sensitivity of each molecular subtype. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of available molecular classifications in PDAC and how this can help guide clinical decisions.     

中国菌物分类学和多样性研究的历史与现状概况

我国菌物分类学研究始于20世纪初,经过百余年的不断探索和发展,取得了丰硕的成果,并逐渐走进世界前列。本研究通过对世界菌物名称信息库Fungal Names进行数据统计,对发现自中国的菌物新物种和中国学者发表菌物新分类单元等数据开展分析,从中揭示中国菌物分类学的历史和发展趋势。过去,一共有2 214位中国学者参与发表了15 626个菌物新分类单元,包括 3个新纲、27个新目及亚目、117个新科及亚科、769个新属及亚属、11 100个新种、322个新种下单元和3 288个新组合。在全球已知的菌物物种中,自中国发现的新物种有10 233种,隶属于 3界13门44纲174目572科2 379属,占全球已知物种多样性的6.84%,居世界第二位。地理分布上,我国西南地区(云南、四川、贵州、西藏)和低纬度的热带、亚热带地区(中国台湾、广东)发现的新物种最多。根据每年发现的新分类单元数量趋势和命名作者的构成,可将中国菌物分类学的发展历史分为五个阶段：外人在华采菌及研究(1750s-1929)、中国菌物分类学起步(1930-1949)、新中国菌物分类学早期发展(1950-1977)、全国性菌物标本采集与研究(1978-2010)、走进世界前列(2011至今)。本研究对每个发展时期的分类学概况和重要历史事件进行了总结和回顾,通过上述综述性研究,有助于系统地了解中国菌物分类学不同阶段的发展趋势和研究概况,为学科当下和未来的发展提供参考。     

Aidi injection,a traditional Chinese biomedical preparation for gynecologic tumors: a systematic review and PRISMA-compliant meta-analysis

Aidi injection (ADI), a traditional Chinese biomedical preparation, is a promising adjuvant therapy for gynecologic tumors (GTs), including cervical cancer (CC), endometrial cancer (EC), and ovarian cancer (OC). Although studies have reported positively on ADI therapy, its exact effects and safety in GT patients remain controversial. Therefore, a wide-ranging systematic search of electronic databases was performed for this meta-analysis. Data from 38 trials including 3309 GT patients were analyzed. The results indicated that the combination of conventional treatment and ADI markedly improved the patients’ overall response rate (P<0.00001), disease control rate (P<0.00001), and quality of life (P<0.05) compared with conventional treatment alone. Furthermore, patient immunity was enhanced with combined treatment, as indicated by significantly increased percentages of CD3⁺ (P=0.005) and CD4⁺ (P<0.00001) and increased CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio (P=0.001). Most of the adverse events caused by radiochemotherapy such as gastrointestinal issues, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and hepatotoxicity, (P<0.05 for all) were significantly alleviated when ADI was used in the GT patients. However, other adverse events such as nephrotoxicity, diarrhea, alopecia, and neurotoxicity did not significantly differ between the two groups. Overall, these results suggest that the combination of conventional and ADI treatment is more effective than conventional treatment alone.     

拔毒散的化学成分及其抗炎活性研究

拔毒散(Sida szechuensis)为一种傣族传统的药用植物,常用于治疗诸疮肿毒、皮肤瘙痒、跌打损伤、刀枪伤等疾病。为研究拔毒散的化学成分及其体外抗炎活性,该研究采用硅胶柱色谱、Sephadex LH-20柱色谱、半制备HPLC等方法对其地上部分的化学成分进行分离纯化,通过理化性质和NMR等波谱数据鉴定化合物的结构,并用脂多糖(LPS)诱导的巨噬细胞(RAW 264.7)作为炎症模型,评价所分离化合物的抗炎活性。结果表明:从拔毒散乙醇提取物中共分离得到16个化合物,分别鉴定为kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(1)、kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside(2)、槲皮素(3)、20-hydroxyecdysone(4)、α-ecdysone(5)、22-deoxyecdysterone(6)、abutasterone(7)、pterosterone(8)、icariside E₅(9)、icariside E₃(10)、(+)-syringaresinol(11)、pinoresinol(12)、balanophonin B(13)、N-trans-feruloyl tyramine(14)、(-)-loliolide(15)、棕榈酸(16),其中化合物1-3、9-13、16首次从该植物中分离得到。抗炎活性测试结果表明,在50μmol·L^-1的浓度下,化合物1、4、5无明显抑制NO生成作用,而化合物2、3、6-16均能在不同程度上抑制NO生成,其中化合物2、3、11-14具有较强的抗炎活性,其IC₅₀值分别为18.63、40.76、21.46、14.32、16.82、42.31μmol·L^-1。该研究结果丰富了拔毒散的化学成分,明确了其具有抗炎效果的物质基础,验证了其传统用途的科学性,为其进一步在医药领域的开发利用提供了新思路及科学依据。     

少数民族中医体质类型研究现状

中医体质学以人为研究对象,为了研究不同体质构成特点、演变规律、影响因素、分类标准,从而指导疾病的预防、诊治、康复与养生。目前关于生理和病理状态下的中医体质研究日益受到关注,因为对其研究符合中医”治未病”的理念,而关于少数民族的中医体质类型研究开展较少,但对少数民族之间和汉族之间中医体质的比较研究及与生活习惯,生活环境的联系将能更好地说明先天因素和后天环境对中医体质形成的影响。本文就这一领域的研究现状进行总结,对少数民族中医体质的研究一方面可为少数民族人群的疾病防治提供依据,另一方面有助于中医体质形成机理的阐明。     

抗人B淋巴细胞单克隆抗体清除中国恒河猴体内B淋巴细胞效果观察

目的用抗人B淋巴细胞单克隆抗体（利妥昔单抗注射液,Rituximab）通过静脉滴注的方法敲除中国恒河猴体内B淋巴细胞,并观察其敲除效果,为建立B淋巴细胞缺失的恒河猴动物模型提供基础的实验数据。方法选取健康的中国恒河猴两只,静脉滴注抗人B淋巴细胞单克隆抗体,定期采集外周血、腹股沟淋巴结和十二指肠黏膜组织,制备淋巴细胞悬液,应用流式细胞术的方法系统性测定B淋巴细胞及T淋巴细胞亚群的变化。结果静脉滴注利妥昔单抗注射液后24 h,中国恒河猴外周血中B淋巴细胞的缺失即能达到100%,持续约14 d;腹股沟淋巴结中B淋巴细胞在静注后7 d缺失100%;十二指肠黏膜组织中B淋巴细胞在静脉滴注后7 d缺失达到90%,维持28 d。并且在成功敲除B淋巴细胞的情况下,CD4＋T及CD8＋T淋巴细胞无明显波动,维持在一个稳定的水平。结论利妥昔单抗注射液能有效去除中国恒河猴体内B淋巴细胞,为建立B淋巴细胞缺失动物模型奠定基础。     

Tungsten-based material as promising new lead-free gamma radiation shielding material in nuclear medicine

PurposeThe main objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of tungsten carbide as new lead-free radiation shielding material in nuclear medicine by evaluating the attenuation properties.Materials and methodsThe elemental composition of tungsten carbide was analysed using Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The purity of tungsten carbide was 99.9%, APS: 40–50 µm. Three discs of tungsten carbide was fabricated with thickness of 0.1 cm, 0.5 cm and 1.0 cm. Three lead discs with similar thickness were used to compare the attenuation properties with tungsten carbide discs. Energy calibration of gamma spectroscopy was performed by using ¹²³I, ¹³³Ba, ¹⁵²Eu, and ¹³⁷Cs. Gamma radiation from these sources were irradiated on both materials at energies ranging from 0.160 MeV to 0.779 MeV. The experimental attenuation coefficients of lead and tungsten carbide were compared with theoretical attenuation coefficients of both materials from NIST database. The half value layer and mean free path of both materials were also evaluated in this study.ResultsThis study found that the peaks obtained from gamma spectroscopy have linear relationship with all energies used in this study. The relative differences between the measured and theoretical mass attenuation coefficients are within 0.19–5.11% for both materials. Tungsten carbide has low half value layer and mean free path compared to lead for all thickness at different energies.ConclusionThis study shows that tungsten carbide has high potential to replace lead as new lead-free radiation shielding material in nuclear medicine.     

Role of the conserved oligomeric Golgi (COG) complex in protein glycosylation

The Golgi apparatus is a central hub for both protein and lipid trafficking/sorting and is also a major site for glycosylation in the cell. This organelle employs a cohort of peripheral membrane proteins and protein complexes to keep its structural and functional organization. The conserved oligomeric Golgi (COG) complex is an evolutionary conserved peripheral membrane protein complex that is proposed to act as a retrograde vesicle tethering factor in intra-Golgi trafficking. The COG protein complex consists of eight subunits, distributed in two lobes, Lobe A (Cog1-4) and Lobe B (Cog5-8). Malfunctions in the COG complex have a significant impact on processes such as protein sorting, glycosylation, and Golgi integrity. A deletion of Lobe A COG subunits in yeasts causes severe growth defects while mutations in COG1, COG7, and COG8 in humans cause novel types of congenital disorders of glycosylation. These pathologies involve a change in structural Golgi phenotype and function. Recent results indicate that down-regulation of COG function results in the resident Golgi glycosyltransferases/glycosidases to be mislocalized or degraded.