Effect of L-cysteine on the physicochemical properties of heat-induced sheep plasma protein gels

The effects of different l-Cysteine additions (0-2 %) on the gel properties, microstructure and physicochemical stability of sheep plasma protein gels were studied. The introduction of l-Cys significantly improved the water retention capacity and whiteness of the plasma protein gel (p < 0.05). The addition of 0.2 %-0.4 % l-Cys increased gel strength, but l-Cys had no significant effect on gel elasticity (p < 0.05). Scanning electron microscopy confirmed that the addition of l-Cys also promoted the formation of a porous three-dimensional network structure in the gel. Raman spectroscopy and SDS-PAGE revealed that the addition of l-Cys generally reduced α-helix structures in protein gels and promoted the formation of β-folds. Addition of 0.2 % l-Cys treatment leading to the greatest increase in disulfide bonds, and its surface hydrophobicity and endogenous fluorescence intensity were the largest. At this time, the comprehensive performance of sheep plasma protein gel is the best performance.

LncRNA MIR31HG fosters stemness malignant features of non-small cell lung cancer via H3K4me1- and H3K27Ace-mediated GLI2 expression

Non-coding RNAs are responsible for oncogenesis and the development of stemness features, including multidrug resistance and metastasis, in various cancers. Expression of lncRNA MIR31HG in lung cancer tissues and peripheral sera of lung cancer patients were remarkably higher than that of healthy individuals and indicated a poor prognosis. Functional analysis showed that MIR31HG fosters stemness-associated malignant features of non-small cell lung cancer cells. Further mechanistic investigation revealed that MIR31HG modulated GLI2 expression via WDR5/MLL3/P300 complex-mediated H3K4me and H3K27Ace modification. In vivo MIR31HG repression with an antisense oligonucleotide attenuated tumor growth and distal organ metastasis, whereas MIR31HG promotion remarkably encouraged cellular invasion in lung and liver tissues. Our data suggested that MIR31HG is a potential diagnostic indicator and druggable therapeutic target to facilitate multiple strategic treatments for lung cancer patients.

Psychological stress induces hair regenerative disorders through corticotropin-releasing hormone-mediated autophagy inhibition

Psychosocial stress is increasing, causing a growing number of people to suffer from hair loss. Stress-related corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is associated with hair loss, but the mechanism by which hair follicles respond to stress and CRH remain poorly understood. The aim of the study is to elucidate the association between CRH and stress-related hair regenerative disorders, and reveal the potential pathological mechanisms. A chronic unpredictable stress mouse model and a chronic social defeat stress mouse model were used to examine the role of CRH and stress-related hair regrowth. Chronic unpredictable stress and chronic social defeat stress increased the expression of CRH and CRH receptors (CRHRs), and contributed to the onset of hair-cycle abnormalities. Psychoemotional stress and stress-related CRH blocked hair follicle regrowth, which could be restored by astressin, a CRHR antagonist. Long-term exposure to either chronic unpredictable stress or CRH induced a decrease in autophagy, which could be partially rescued by astressin. Activating CRHR, by stress or CRH administration, decreased autophagy via the mTOR-ULK1 signaling pathway to mediate hair regenerative disorders, which could be partially reversed through enhancing autophagy by administration of brefeldin A. These findings indicate that CRH-mediated autophagy inhibition play an important role in stress-induced hair regenerative disorders. CRH regulates the local hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis of hair follicles, but also plays an independent pathogenic role in stress-related hair regenerative disorders through CRH-mediated autophagy inhibition. This work contributes to the present understanding of hair loss and suggests that enhancing autophagy may have a therapeutic effect on stress-induced hair loss.

Modeling of human muscle and its deformation

There is a lack of volume preserving and reasonable deformation of human muscles during bones and joints movement in the field of digital orthopedics. A novel approach for modeling of human muscle and its deformation was put forward to effectively assist doctors in guiding patients to carry out rehabilitation exercises. Firstly, based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data, the generated slice images were used to extract the outer contour lines and then the corresponding contour lines and optimal matching points of the adjacent layer images were connected to construct the three-dimensional (3D) geometric models of the muscles; Secondly, the mapping relationship between parameters can be established through hierarchical definition of the muscle characteristics to realize the volume-preserving deformation of muscle; Finally, the movement of human joints can be realized based on the constraint range of joint movement, and the vector-valued dynamic fourth-order differential equation was proposed to make the characteristic curve dynamically simulate the process of muscle deformation, thereby forming the corresponding relationship between bone movement and muscle deformation. The effectiveness and feasibility of this method have been verified in our experiments with biceps brachii and triceps brachii as examples. The maximum volume errors of biceps brachii and triceps brachii during the deformation process were less than 0.6%, which can be ignored within a certain allowable error range, reflecting that the parametric method was used to realize the reasonable volume-preserving deformation of human muscle.

Measurement of enzyme activity of insoluble substrates based on ordered porous layer interferometry and the application in evaluation of thrombolytic drugs

The development of innovative methods for real-time surveillance of enzymatic activity determination processes is essential, particularly for insoluble substrate enzymatic assessments. In this work, a novel method for enzymatic activity determination was devised by assembling a 190 nm silica colloidal crystal (SCC) film onto a glass slide, coupled with Ordered Porous Layer Interferometry (OPLI) technology. By fixing the substrate of the enzyme on the surface of the silica sphere, a solid-liquid interface can be formed for monitoring enzymatic activity. The enzymatic activity is gauged by the change in the SCC film's thickness caused by the digestion of the loaded substrate. The procedure of chymotrypsin-mediated casein digestion was documented in real time, facilitating the examination of chymotrypsin's activity and kinetics. The newly-developed enzymatic activity determination method demonstrated exceptional sensitivity towards chymotrypsin activity, with a linear range spanning 0.0505-2.02 units per mg. Additionally, the method was extended to the assessment of fibrinolysis enzyme activity and kinetic analysis, yielding promising results. Therefore, this technique can serve as a real-time, user-friendly, cost-effective novel approach for enzymatic activity determination, providing fresh perspectives for enzymatic activity determination studies.

Assessment of the Diagnostic Performance of Clinical Examinations and High-Frequency Ultrasound in Patients With Pigmented Skin Tumors

OBJECTIVES

To investigate whether the integration of high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) to routine clinical examinations could improve diagnostic performance and management decision for pigmented skin tumors.

METHODS

Three general practitioners trained previously and a dermatologist independently assessed pigmented skin tumors and rendered management decision based on clinical examinations alone or clinical examinations integrating HFUS.

RESULTS

After integrating HFUS, the diagnostic area under the curve (AUC) (0.658-0.693 versus 0.848, all P < .05) and specificity (46.6-58.6% versus 89.7%, all P < .05) for pigmented skin malignancies were improved for general practitioners, meanwhile unnecessary biopsy rate reduced (42.9-53.6% versus 10.7%, P < .001). To the dermatologist, the diagnostic AUC (0.822 versus 0.949, P < .001), sensitivity (81.7% versus 96.7%, P = .012) and specificity (0.828 versus 0.931, P = .031) improved significantly, meanwhile both missed biopsy rate (14.5% versus 4.8%, P = .031) and unnecessary biopsy rate (19.6% versus 7.1%, P = .016) decreased. Additionally, the diagnostic performance of the general practitioner with integrating HFUS could be comparable with the dermatologist based on clinical examinations alone (all P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

As a complementary tool of clinical examinations, HFUS could help physicians differentiate pigmented skin malignancies and manage decision.

A deep learning fusion network trained with clinical and high-frequency ultrasound images in the multi-classification of skin diseases in comparison with dermatologists: a prospective and multicenter study

Background

Clinical appearance and high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) are indispensable for diagnosing skin diseases by providing internal and external information. However, their complex combination brings challenges for primary care physicians and dermatologists. Thus, we developed a deep multimodal fusion network (DMFN) model combining analysis of clinical close-up and HFUS images for binary and multiclass classification in skin diseases.

Methods

Between Jan 10, 2017, and Dec 31, 2020, the DMFN model was trained and validated using 1269 close-ups and 11,852 HFUS images from 1351 skin lesions. The monomodal convolutional neural network (CNN) model was trained and validated with the same close-up images for comparison. Subsequently, we did a prospective and multicenter study in China. Both CNN models were tested prospectively on 422 cases from 4 hospitals and compared with the results from human raters (general practitioners, general dermatologists, and dermatologists specialized in HFUS). The performance of binary classification (benign vs. malignant) and multiclass classification (the specific diagnoses of 17 types of skin diseases) measured by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were evaluated. This study is registered with www.chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR2300074765).

Findings

The performance of the DMFN model (AUC, 0.876) was superior to that of the monomodal CNN model (AUC, 0.697) in the binary classification (P = 0.0063), which was also better than that of the general practitioner (AUC, 0.651, P = 0.0025) and general dermatologists (AUC, 0.838; P = 0.0038). By integrating close-up and HFUS images, the DMFN model attained an almost identical performance in comparison to dermatologists (AUC, 0.876 vs. AUC, 0.891; P = 0.0080). For the multiclass classification, the DMFN model (AUC, 0.707) exhibited superior prediction performance compared with general dermatologists (AUC, 0.514; P = 0.0043) and dermatologists specialized in HFUS (AUC, 0.640; P = 0.0083), respectively. Compared to dermatologists specialized in HFUS, the DMFN model showed better or comparable performance in diagnosing 9 of the 17 skin diseases.

Interpretation

The DMFN model combining analysis of clinical close-up and HFUS images exhibited satisfactory performance in the binary and multiclass classification compared with the dermatologists. It may be a valuable tool for general dermatologists and primary care providers.

Funding

This work was supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Clinical research project of Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital.

SlMYB7, an AtMYB4-Like R2R3-MYB Transcription Factor, Inhibits Anthocyanin Accumulation in Solanum lycopersicum Fruits

Tomato is a horticultural crop with an incomplete flavonoid metabolic pathway that does not typically accumulate anthocyanins in the fruit. In recent years, intensive studies of the loci Anthocyanin fruit (Aft) and atroviolacium (atv) have clarified the functions of positive regulators (R2R3-MYBs) and a negative regulator (CPC-MYB) in anthocyanin biosynthesis in the fruits. However, little is known about the R2R3-MYB repressors. Here, we used transient overexpression analysis to show that SlMYB7, a subgroup 4 AtMYB4-like R2R3-MYB, inhibited anthocyanin accumulation and reduced expression of anthocyanin synthase genes in the 'black pearl' tomato fruits, which usually accumulate high concentrations of anthocyanins. These findings revealed that SlMYB7 served as a repressor of anthocyanin production. Furthermore, SlMYB7 actively repressed SlANS expression by binding its promoter and passively inhibited anthocyanin synthesis by interacting with the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins SlJAF13 and SlAN1, which are involved in the formation of MBW complexes. Thus, SlMYB7 and the MBW complex may coregulate the anthocyanin content of 'black pearl' tomato fruits via a negative feedback loop. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the future enhancement of tomato anthocyanin contents through genetic manipulation of the biosynthetic regulatory network.

Sympathetic Reinnervation of Intact and Upper Follicle Xenografts into BALB/c-nu/nu Mice

Increasing concerns about hair loss affect people's quality of life. Recent studies have found that sympathetic nerves play a positive role in regulating hair follicle stem cell activity to promote hair growth. However, no study has investigated sympathetic innervation of transplanted follicles. Rat vibrissa follicles were extracted and implanted under the dorsal skin of BALB/c-nu/nu mice using one of two types of follicles: (1) intact follicles, where transplants included bulbs, and (2) upper follicles, where transplants excluded bulbs. Follicular samples were collected for hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunofluorescence staining for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH, a sympathetic marker) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. At 37 days after implantation in both groups, follicles had entered anagen, with the growth of long hair shafts; tyrosine-hydroxylase-positive nerves were innervating follicles (1.45-fold); and norepinephrine concentrations (2.03-fold) were significantly increased compared to 5 days, but did not return to normal. We demonstrate the survival of intact and upper follicle xenografts and the partial restoration of sympathetic reinnervations of both transplanted follicles.

An Advanced Review: Polyurethane-Related Dressings for Skin Wound Repair

The inability of wounds to heal effectively through normal repair has become a burden that seriously affects socio-economic development and human health. The therapy of acute and chronic skin wounds still poses great clinical difficulty due to the lack of suitable functional wound dressings. It has been found that dressings made of polyurethane exhibit excellent and diverse biological properties, but lack the functionality of clinical needs, and most dressings are unable to dynamically adapt to microenvironmental changes during the healing process at different stages of chronic wounds. Therefore, the development of multifunctional polyurethane composite materials has become a hot topic of research. This review describes the changes in physicochemical and biological properties caused by the incorporation of different polymers and fillers into polyurethane dressings and describes their applications in wound repair and regeneration. We listed several polymers, mainly including natural-based polymers (e.g., collagen, chitosan, and hyaluronic acid), synthetic-based polymers (e.g., polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol, and polyacrylamide), and some other active ingredients (e.g., LL37 peptide, platelet lysate, and exosomes). In addition to an introduction to the design and application of polyurethane-related dressings, we discuss the conversion and use of advanced functional dressings for applications, as well as future directions for development, providing reference for the development and new applications of novel polyurethane dressings.

Chromatin reprogramming and bone regeneration in vitro and in vivo via the microtopography-induced constriction of cell nuclei

Topographical cues on cells can, through contact guidance, alter cellular plasticity and accelerate the regeneration of cultured tissue. Here we show how changes in the nuclear and cellular morphologies of human mesenchymal stromal cells induced by micropillar patterns via contact guidance influence the conformation of the cells' chromatin and their osteogenic differentiation in vitro and in vivo. The micropillars impacted nuclear architecture, lamin A/C multimerization and 3D chromatin conformation, and the ensuing transcriptional reprogramming enhanced the cells' responsiveness to osteogenic differentiation factors and decreased their plasticity and off-target differentiation. In mice with critical-size cranial defects, implants with micropillar patterns inducing nuclear constriction altered the cells' chromatin conformation and enhanced bone regeneration without the need for exogenous signalling molecules. Our findings suggest that medical device topographies could be designed to facilitate bone regeneration via chromatin reprogramming.

Channeling and dampening: The role of political ties in information disclosure and concealment

Non-profit organizations (NPOs) help the state achieve its social objectives. At the same time, they often depend on the private-sector actors for donations. The different beliefs of public- and private-sector actors regarding which practices are desirable for NPOs can affect the transparency of these organizations. We propose that political ties influence NPOs to comply with state-mandated disclosure requirements, while simultaneously dampening their willingness to voluntarily disclose sensitive information that may jeopardize their legitimacy in the eyes of private-sector stakeholders. The impact of political ties on disclosure is contingent upon two factors. First, market institutions moderate such effects because expectations of public- and private-sector actors may diverge more in freer markets than where the state has inordinate power. Second, financial dependence on the state amplifies both effects as dependence on the state exerts more pressure for compliance whilst making politically connected organizations appear even more questionable in the eyes of the private-sector stakeholders. Leveraging a policy shock that weakened political ties, we found that following the policy shock, charities in China reduced their compliance to state-mandated information disclosure, but increased their voluntary disclosure. The opposing roles of political ties in mandatory versus voluntary disclosure is further supported by a policy capturing study involving private donors in China. This study has important implications for research on political ties and information disclosure.

Air Pollution and Prosocial Behavior in Chinese Adolescents: The Role of Resilience and Interpersonal Relations

Purpose

Past studies have indicated that air pollution is a major environmental factor that negatively affects prosocial behavior in adolescents. However, the mechanism underlying this negative relationship has not been fully explored. This study postulated that this impact may occur through individual resilience, a major psychological capital for adolescents. In addition, we studied interpersonal relations, namely, adolescents' perceived family and teacher support, which may moderate the proposed relationship.

Methods

This study combined the three-year tracking survey data of 11-to-15 old adolescents (N=1301; approximately 48% female) in China with objective data from the air quality index (AQI) to measure the level of air pollution.

Results

Findings from ordinary least squares analysis indicated that air pollution negatively influences adolescents' prosocial behavior, and their resilience mediates this negative relationship. In addition, the results showed that the negative effect of air pollution on adolescent resilience is attenuated by higher family income, whereas it is accentuated by the absence of teacher support.

Conclusion

Our study provides insight into how the negative effect of air pollution on adolescents' prosocial behavior is mediated by their psychological resilience, and highlights the moderating role of adolescents' interpersonal relations in the association between air pollution and their psychological resilience. Our research also provides practical advice on how families, teachers, and psychologists can mitigate this negative impact.

Deep Learning-Based Quantitative Blastocyst Assessment

Selecting the single best blastocyst based on morphological appearance for implantation is a crucial part of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Various deep learning and computer vision-based methods have recently been applied for assessing blastocyst quality. However, to the best of our knowledge, most previous works utilize classification networks to give a qualitative evaluation. It would be challenging to rank blastocyst quality with the same qualitative result. Thus, this paper proposes a regression network combined with a soft attention mechanism for quantitatively evaluating blastocyst quality. The network outputs a continuous score to represent blastocyst quality precisely rather than some categories. As to the soft attention mechanism, the attention module in the network outputs an activation map (attention map) localizing the regions of interest (ROI, i.e., inner cell mass (ICM)) of microscopic blastocyst images. The generated activation map guides the entire network to predict ICM quality more accurately. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is superior to traditional classification-based networks. Moreover, the visualized activation map makes the proposed network decision more reliable.

Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Multicenter Clinical Study on the Efficacy and Safety of Lidocaine Patches in Chinese Patients with Postherpetic Neuralgia

INTRODUCTION

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of lidocaine patches in Chinese patients with postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).

METHODS

Patients were randomized to receive lidocaine patches or placebo every day for 4 weeks. Efficacy endpoints included the decrease of analogue scale score (VAS) value at week 4, 2 and 1 and the percentage of patients that achieved a 30% decrease of VAS value. Safety analyses were conducted as well.

RESULTS

Two hundred forty Chinese patients were randomized. At week 1, lidocaine patch-treated patients had a higher clinical response versus placebo, and at week 4, the mean (SD) decreases of VAS value compared to the baseline were 14.01 (14.35) in the treatment group and 9.36 (12.03) in the placebo group (p = 0.0088). Overall, the safety profile in the treatment group was consistent with that observed in the placebo group [adverse event (AE) incidence rate: 33.33% versus 37.29%, p = 0.5857].

CONCLUSIONS

Lidocaine patches resulted in improved clinical response versus placebo in the treatment of PHN patients and were well tolerated.

Current status and future prospects of TB digital treatment adherence technology use in China

BACKGROUND: Digital treatment adherence technologies (DATs) have been recommended by the Chinese National Tuberculosis Programme since 2015. However, until now the extent to which DATs have been adopted in China remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to understand the current status and future prospects of DAT use in China.METHODS: A cross-sectional study was undertaken to collect data from all 2,884 county-level TB-designated institutions across China using a quantitative questionnaire and extraction of information from the Chinese TB information management system. Data were collected between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021.RESULTS: All of the 2,884 county-level TB-designated institutions responded to the questionnaire. We found that the utilisation rate of DATs in China was 21.5% (n = 620). Among those using DATs, the uptake of DATs among TB patients was 31.0%. Lack of financial, policy and technology support were the main barriers to adoption and scale up DATs at the institution level.CONCLUSIONS: The use of DATs is in an early stage in China; however, the number of institutions who offer DATs have increased significantly after July 2020. To facilitate the use of DATs, the national TB programme should provide more financial, policy and technology support, and a national guideline is required.

Development of a necroptosis-related gene signature and the immune landscape in ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND

Necroptosis is a novel type of programmed cell death distinct from apoptosis. However, the role of necroptosis in ovarian cancer (OC) remains unclear. The present study investigated the prognostic value of necroptosis-related genes (NRGs) and the immune landscape in OC.

METHODS

The gene expression profiling and clinical information were downloaded from the TCGA and GTEx databases. Differentially expressed NRGs (DE-NRGs) between OC and normal tissueswere identified. The regression analyses were conducted to screen the prognostic NRGs and construct the predictive risk model. Patients were then divided into high- and low-risk groups, and the GO and KEGG analyses were performed to explore bioinformatics functions between the two groups. Subsequently, the risk level and immune status correlations were assessed through the ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT algorithms. The tumor mutation burden (TMB) and the drug sensitivity were also analyzed based on the two-NRG signature in OC.

RESULTS

Totally 42 DE-NRGs were identified in OC. The regression analyses screened out two NRGs (MAPK10 and STAT4) with prognostic values for overall survival. The ROC curve showed a better predictive ability in five-year OS using the risk score. Immune-related functions were significantly enriched in the high- and low-risk group. Macrophages M1, T cells CD4 memory activated, T cells CD8, and T cells regulatory infiltration immune cells were associated with the low-risk score. The lower tumor microenvironment score was demonstrated in the high-risk group. Patients with lower TMB in the low-risk group showed a better prognosis, and a lower TIDE score suggested a better immune checkpoint inhibitor response in the high-risk group. Besides, cisplatin and paclitaxel were found to be more sensitive in the low-risk group.

CONCLUSIONS

MAPK10 and STAT4 can be important prognosis factors in OC, and the two-gene signature performs well in predicting survival outcomes. Our study provided novel ways of OC prognosis estimation and potential treatment strategy.

Corrigendum to 'Modeling colorectal tumorigenesis using the organoids derived from conditionally immortalized mouse intestinal crypt cells (ciMICs)' [Genes Dis 8 (2021) 814-826]

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2021.01.004.].

The value of ultra-high frequency ultrasound for the differentiation between superficial basal cell carcinoma and Bowen's disease

BACKGROUND

The similar visual appearance of superficial basal cell carcinoma (sBCC) and Bowen's disease (BD) may cause confusion for diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the value of ultra-high frequency ultrasound (uHFUS) in differentiating sBCC from BD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This prospective study included a pilot cohort of 110 patients (73 BDs and 37 sBCCs) from November 2016 to October 2020 and a validation cohort of 42 patients (30 BDs and 12 sBCCs) from July 2021 to December 2021. Clinical and uHFUS features of pathologically confirmed sBCC and BD were assessed. A predictive model was developed based on the HFUS features of the pilot cohort. Subsequently, the model was validated and compared with clinical diagnosis in the validation cohort.

RESULTS

uHFUS features with significant differences between sBCC and BD included lesion surface, skin layer involvement, hyperkeratosis, and hyperechoic spots (all p < 0.05). A prediction model based on the above features was established to identify sBCC and BD in the pilot and validation cohorts with the areas under the curve (AUC) of 0.908 and 0.923, sensitivity of 82.3% and 83.3%, specificity of 91.9% and 91.7%, accuracy of 85.5% and 85.7%, respectively, which was significantly higher than those obtained by clinical diagnosis based on photographic pictures of lesions, with the AUC of 0.692, sensitivity of 63.3%, specificity of 75.3%, and accuracy of 66.7% (all p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

uHFUS provides detailed internal features of sBCC and BD, which facilitates the differentiation between sBCC and BD and its diagnostic performance is superior to clinical diagnosis.

P03.09.A Proton beam therapy for adults medullobastoma

Background

Although Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common primary malignant intracranial tumor in childhood, in adults it is extremely rare. Therefore, available data is scarce and experience with radiation and proton beam therapy (PBT) is very limited. The treatment typically includes tumour resection, irradiation of the craniospinal axis (CSI) followed by a boost, +/- concomitant chemotherapy, and maintenance therapy. Herein, we present our preliminary analysis of outcome and toxicity after PBT.

Material and Methods

Patients ≥ 18 years with primary MB treated with PBT between January 2017 and March 2020 enrolled in the prospective registry study (DRKS00004384) were evaluated in this analysis. Within the registry, adverse events were documented according to CTCAE v4.0 before, during, and after PT. The overall survival (OS), local control (LC) and higher-grade toxicity (≥ grade 3) were analyzed.

Results

A total of 19 patients (13 males, 6 females) with a median age of 23 years (range, 18.5- 39 years) were included in this study. Histopathology type were classic, desmoplastic /extensive nodularity or anaplastic MB in 52.6%, 26.3% and 21.1 % of patients, respectively. Complete tumor resection was performed in 57.8 % of patients. 68.4 % of patients had local disease without any metastases. Median total CSI dose was 35.2 Gy(RBE) (range, 23.4-40 Gy) with a median single dose of 1.6 Gy(RBE) (range, 1-1.8 Gy). All patients received either boost to the posterior fossa (57.9%) or to the tumor bed only (42.1%). The median total tumor dose was 18.8 Gy(RBE) (range, 54-68 Gy). Concomitant chemotherapy was given to 63.1% of patients. The median follow-up time after first diagnosis was 28.2 months (range, 8-56 months). No higher-grade acute or late adverse event was documented so far. One patient developed local disease progression. Another patient deceased due to an acute pulmonary embolism during maintenance chemotherapy without evidence of disease. The 3-year LC and OS rate were 89 % and 94 %, respectively.

Conclusion

Early results display good feasibility and high tumor control of PT in adult patient with MB. Results will need to be confirmed in larger cohort with longer follow-up time.&lt;Bookmark(28)&gt;

Overexpression of NCAPG in ovarian cancer is associated with ovarian cancer proliferation and apoptosis via p38 MAPK signaling pathway

Background

Non-SMC condensin I complex subunit G (NCAPG), a member of the subunit of condensin complex, is significantly overexpressed in various cancers and involved in the pathogenesis of cancers. However, the roles of NCAPG in ovarian cancer remain unclear.

Methods

The mRNA expression, overall survival, and disease-free survival of NCAPG in ovarian cancer were analyzed by GEPIA and KM plotter database, and the expression levels of NCAPG in OC tissues and cell lines were determined by qPCR and immunohistochemistry analysis. shRNA targeting NCAPG gene (sh-NCAPG) was utilized to knock down NCAPG expression in OVCAR3 and SKOV3 cells. Subsequently, CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, transwell invasion assay and flow cytometric analysis were performed to detect the effect of NCAPG on OC cell proliferation, apoptosis, and invasion. Finally, western blot assays were performed to detect the mechanism of NCAPG in ovarian cancer.

Results

Analysis using GEPIA and KM plotter database showed NCAPG was upregulated in ovarian cancer and negatively associated with the survival of OC patients. qPCR and immunohistochemistry analysis confirmed it was highly expressed in both ovarian cancer tissues and cells. The silencing of NCAPG inhibited OC cell proliferation and invasion, and induced cell apoptosis. Additionally, flow cytometric analysis revealed that NCAPG knockdown arrested the cell cycle at G2 and S phases. Furthermore, we also found that downregulation of NCAPG could suppress OC cell proliferation and invasion via activating the p38 MAPK signaling pathway.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that NCAPG exhibits an important role in the development and progression of ovarian cancer and implicates NCAPG as a potential therapeutic target in ovarian cancer.