High expression of GFAT1 predicts poor prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal of all types of cancer, with the 5-year survival rate ranging only at 6–7%. The aberrant glucose metabolism is one of the hallmarks of cancer cells, and as a branch of glucose metabolism, hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (HBP) has been reported to play a critical role in the insulin resistance and progression of cancer. Glutamine:fructose-6-phosphate amidotransferase (GFAT1) is the rate-limiting enzyme of the HBP; nevertheless, the prognostic value of GFAT1 in pancreatic cancer remains elusive. In this study, we found that the expression of GFAT1 was increased in pancreatic cancer samples compared to peri-tumor tissues. High expression of GFAT1 was positively associated with lymph node metastasis, pTNM stage and shorter overall survival (OS) in pancreatic cancer patients. GFAT1 was identified as an independent prognosticator for OS, and combining GFAT1 expression with pTNM stage generated a predictive nomogram, which showed better prognostic efficiency for OS in patients with pancreatic cancer. In summary, high GFAT1 expression is identified as an independent predictor of adverse clinical outcome in our small number of pancreatic cancer patients, and the practical prognostic nomogram model may help clinicians in decision making and the design of clinical studies.

Glucagonoma syndrome: report of one case

A 60-year-old male patient was admitted due to protracted systemic pruritus and erythema for 3 years without an obvious dermatologic cause, which exacerbated in the past 3 months, along with weight loss and diarrhoea. He had significant fasting hyperglycemia and dramatically elevated serum glucagon level in biochemical examination. Elevated chromogranin A (CgA) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) levels were also manifested, whereas carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA-199) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were unremarkable. His skin presented with necrolytic migratory erythema (NME), anemia and other morphologies. Both ultrasound and computed tomography imaging revealed a space-occupying lesion in the distal pancreas and inferior vena caval thrombosis. Preoperative preparations included parenteral nutrition support, somatostatin analog treatment and inferior vena cava filter placement. Then, the patient had performed distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy with regional lymph node dissection to achieve primary R0/R1 resection. Pathology indicated a neuroendocrine tumor in distal pancreas, with spleen involved and regional lymph nodes metastases. Immunohistochemistry revealed that neuroendocrine tumor areas were diffusely positive for SSR2, SSR5, SYN and CgA. Postoperatively, skin symptoms disappear and cured without reoccurrence and blood glucose levels returned to the normal range. The postoperative surveillance was indicated after surgery for their high relapse rate and malignant behavior.

Effects of grafting on key photosynthetic enzymes and gene expression in the citrus cultivar Huangguogan

Grafting influences scion photosynthetic capacity and fruit quality. Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), which strongly affects photosynthetic rate, and Rubisco activase (RCA), which regulates Rubisco activity, are two key photosynthetic enzymes. However, little information is available regarding the effect of grafting on the concentration and expression of Rubisco and RCA in the citrus cultivar Huangguogan. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of grafting Huangguogan plants onto trifoliate orange, tangerine, and orange on: 1) the concentration of Rubisco and RCA; 2) the mRNA levels of rbcL, rbcS, and rca; and 3) fruit quality. Overall, the results showed that when Huangguogan plants budded on tangerine and orange, they had better fruit quality, while on trifoliate orange they had higher Rubisco concentration. Tangerine and orange are probably the most suitable rootstocks for Huangguogan plants given the environmental conditions of Sichuan Province, China.

Low intratumoral regulatory T cells and high peritumoral CD8(+) T cells relate to long-term survival in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma after pancreatectomy

The prognosis for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains extremely poor. Recent studies have focused on the role of lymphocytes in the PDAC microenvironment. Using immunohistochemistry, our study explored the clinical significance of intratumoral or peritumoral CD4(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) and CD8(+) T cells in the tumor microenvironment and analyzed their relation to the prognosis of PDAC in a consecutive series of 92 patients after resection. CD8(+) T cells were more frequently seen within peritumoral sites, while CD4(+)Foxp3(+) Tregs were more frequent within intratumoral areas. Neither exhibited any relationship with other clinicopathologic factors. Patients with low levels of intratumoral Tregs had longer disease-free survival than those with higher levels (DFS 22.2 vs. 11.2 months, p < 0.001), and patients with higher levels of peritumoral CD8(+) T cells had longer overall survival than those with lower levels (OS 31.0 vs. 14.2 months, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that intratumoral Tregs (hazard ratio, HR 3.39, p = 0.010) and peritumoral CD8(+) T cells (HR 0.10, p < 0.001) are related to DFS and OS, respectively. These results indicate that intratumoral Tregs are a negative predictor of DFS, while peritumoral CD8(+) T cells are a positive predictor of OS for PDAC patients with pancreatectomy.

pulSED: pulsed sonoelectrodeposition of fractal nanoplatinum for enhancing amperometric biosensor performance

A technique for deposition of fractal nanometal as a transducer in electrochemical sensing is described. The effect(s) of duty cycle and deposition time were explored, and two sensors are demonstrated.

A comparative study of graphene-hydrogel hybrid bionanocomposites for biosensing

Hydrogels have become increasingly popular as immobilization materials for cells, enzymes and proteins for biosensing applications. Enzymatic biosensors that utilize hydrogel as an encapsulant have shown improvements over other immobilization techniques such as cross linking and covalent bonding. However, to date there are no studies which directly compare multiple hydrogel-graphene nanocomposites using the same enzyme and test conditions. This study compares the performance of four different hydrogels used as protein encapsulants in a mediator-free biosensor based on graphene-nanometal-enzyme composites. Alcohol oxidase (AOx) was encapsulated in chitosan poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAAM), silk fibroin or cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) hydrogels, and then spin coated onto a nanoplatinum-graphene modified electrode. The transduction mechanism for the biosensor was based on AOx-catalyzed oxidation of methanol to produce hydrogen peroxide. To isolate the effect(s) of stimulus response on biosensor behavior, all experiments were conducted at 25 °C and pH 7.10. Electroactive surface area (ESA), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), sensitivity to methanol, response time, limit of detection, and shelf life were measured for each bionanocomposite. Chitosan and PNIPAAM had the highest sensitivity (0.46 ± 0.2 and 0.3 ± 0.1 μA mM(-1), respectively) and electroactive surface area (0.2 ± 0.06 and 0.2 ± 0.02 cm(2), respectively), as well as the fastest response time (4.3 ± 0.8 and 4.8 ± 1.1 s, respectively). Silk and CNC demonstrated lower sensitivity (0.09 ± 0.02 and 0.15 ± 0.03 μA mM(-1), respectively), lower electroactive surface area (0.12 ± 0.02 and 0.09 ± 0.03 cm(2), respectively), and longer response time (8.9 ± 2.1 and 6.3 ± 0.8 s, respectively). The high porosity of chitosan, PNIPAAM, and silk gels led to excellent transport, which was significantly better than CNC bionanocomposites. Electrochemical performance of CNC bionanocomposites were relatively poor, which may be linked to poor gel stability. The differences between the Chitosan/PNIPAAM group and the Silk/CNC group were statistically significant (p < 0.05) based on ANOVA. Each of these composites was within the range of other published devices in the literature, while some attributes were significantly improved (namely response time and shelf life). The main advantages of these hydrogel composites over other devices is that only one enzyme is required, all materials are non-toxic, the sensor does not require mediators/cofactors, and the shelf life and response time are significantly improved over other devices.

Correction: A comparative study of graphene–hydrogel hybrid bionanocomposites for biosensing

Correction for ‘A comparative study of graphene–hydrogel hybrid bionanocomposites for biosensing’ by S. L. Burrs et al., Analyst, 2015, DOI: 10.1039/c4an01788a.

Downstream carcinogenesis signaling pathways by green tea polyphenols: a translational perspective of chemoprevention and treatment for cancers

Green tea is one of the most popular beverages around the world. For several decades, numerous epidemiological, preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated that green tea polyphenols (GTPs), especially epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) have cancer-preventing effects on various cancers. In this review, we present inhibition of carcinogenesis in different animal models by GTPs or EGCG, including prostate cancer, bladder cancer, breast cancer, intestinal cancer, colon cancer, gastric cancer, lung cancer, oral cancer and skin cancer. In vitro studies showed that GTPs/EGCG potently induces apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and suppresses metastasis in tumor cells but not in their normal cell counterparts. The molecular mechanisms of these activities are discussed in detail to elucidate GTPs/EGCG downstream carcinogenesis signaling pathways and their values of perspective of chemoprevention and treatment for cancers.

Psychometric properties of a Chinese version of the Duke University Religion Index in college students and community residents in China

A Chinese version of the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL) was developed and the psychometric properties were assessed. The study was conducted in two separate samples of 1,285 college students and 2,564 community residents. To assess test-retest reliability, the DUREL was re-administered after 1 wk. to 105 college students and 199 community residents. In both samples, three factors were extracted using principal components factor analysis with Promax rotation, which is consistent with the scale content. Internal consistency reliability was acceptable. Test-retest ICCs ranged from .45 to .89 in college students and .75 to .93 in community residents. The Chinese version of the DUREL is a useful measure of religiosity in Mandarin-speaking populations.

Changes in gut microbial populations, intestinal morphology, expression of tight junction proteins, and cytokine production between two pig breeds after challenge with Escherichia coli K88: a comparative study

This study hypothesized that the gut microbial populations, intestinal morphology, and cytokine production are differentially altered in 2 different pig breeds, namely, Chinese native Jinhua pigs and European Landrace pigs, after orally challenge with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) K88. A total of 12 Jinhua pigs and 12 Landrace pigs were allocated to either the nonchallenged or the challenged groups (6 pigs per group). The challenged pigs were orally administered ETEC K88, and their nonchallenged counterparts were given sterile Luria-Bertani broth. Selected gut microbial populations, intestinal morphology, mRNA expression of tight junction proteins, and the levels of ileal cytokines and secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) production were measured in Jinhua and Landrace pigs. The results showed that the challenged Jinhua pigs exhibited a significantly (P < 0.05) lower incidence of diarrhea compared with their Landrace counterparts. The Escherichia coli (E.coli) population and the percentage of E. coli in the total bacteria population were increased in response to ETEC K88 challenge in both Jinhua and Landrace pigs. The challenged Landrace pigs shed more E. coli (P < 0.05) and had higher percentage of E. coli in the total bacteria population in the colon (P < 0.05) compared with their Jinhua counterparts. Both pig breeds tended to exhibit greater villous atrophy and crypt depth reduction in all of the intestinal segments with challenge. The expression of tight junction proteins decreased in response to ETEC K88 challenge in both pig breeds. The levels of the proinflammatory cytokines interferon (IFN)-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-6 and the secretion of sIgA were positively altered whereas the levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β were negatively altered by ETEC K88 challenge in both breeds. Jinhua pigs exhibited significantly higher levels of IFN-γ and TGF-β (P < 0.05) in the challenged group. Our findings provide valuable evidence to explain the differences in the intestinal physiology between Jinhua and Landrace pigs; that is, Jinhua pigs appeared to show better growth performance, a lower incidence of diarrhea, and a lower extent of immune activation in response to ETEC K88 challenge and a higher Lactobacillus population, a higher percentage of Lactobacillus in the total bacteria population, a higher ratio of Lactobacillus to E. coli, and higher levels of tight junction proteins with and without challenge.

SU-E-T-581: Planning Evaluation of Step-And-Shoot IMRT, RapidArc and Helical TomoTherapy for Hippocampal-Avoidance Whole Brain Radiotherapy (HA-WBRT)

PURPOSE

Several planning strategies are available for hippocampal- avoidance whole-brain radiotherapy (HA-WBRT) following RTOG protocol 0933, but have yet to be compared on a common set of patient data. In this inter-institutional investigation, we evaluate three modalities likely to be employed by protocol participants; step-and-shoot IMRT, volumetric modulated arc therapy, and helical tomotherapy. A common set of patients is used for comparison, including credentialing and successfully accrued patients.

METHODS

Eight patient datasets were selected and de-identified prior to planning. Structures were contoured by physicians per protocol using fused MRI datasets. Three plans were generated for each dataset: Philips Pinnacle 9-field non-coplanar IMRT using protocol recommended beam parameters, Varian's RapidArc using two coplanar arcs, and Accuray's TomoTherapy using a 1cm jaw width. With the goal of meeting the compliance criteria outlined in RTOG 0933 (target coverage and dose limits to the hippocampus and optic structures), three planners independently planned each modality without prior knowledge of the patient's other plans to reduce bias. The three plans for each patient were compared according to the protocol's dosimetric compliance criteria. A homogeneity index was also computed to compare target dose uniformity.

RESULTS

All plans achieved the protocol dose criteria, except for one RapidArc plan with slightly inferior dose to the optic chiasm. TomoTherapy offered superior dose homogeneity for all patients. For the two linac based methods, RapidArc was found to provide dose homogeneity at least as good as, and in most cases superior to, 9-field step-and-shoot IMRT.

CONCLUSIONS

Helical TomoTherapy offers superior dose homogeneity for HA-WBRT following RTOG 0933. Compared to step-and-shoot IMRT, volumetric modulated arc techniques, such as RapidArc, can offer improved homogeneity for HA- WBRT and are generally more efficient/expeditious to deliver than the noncoplanar 9-field arrangement recommended by the protocol, which uses 7 separate couch angles.