Skeletal status in survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia assessed by quantitative ultrasound at the hand phalanges: a longitudinal study

The skeletal growth in a course of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) may be affected, and the aim of the longitudinal study was to assess the skeletal status in survivors of (ALL). The studied population consisted of 38 subjects (17 female and 21 male) measured at the age of 13.9 +/- 3.8 years (5.7 +/- 2.9 years after completion of the therapy, 11.0 +/- 14.4 years after diagnosis) and 2 years earlier; compared with 1402 controls (628 female and 774 male). Patients and controls did not differ significantly in regard to age, height or weight. Skeletal status was assessed by quantitative ultrasound (US) measurements at the hand phalanges using the DBM Sonic 1200, which measures amplitude-dependent speed-of-sound, Ad-SoS (m/s). rms CV% was 0.43%. Mean baseline Ad-SoS value in patients was 1990 +/- 76 m/s and, at second measurement, 2045 +/- 86 m/s (p < 0.000001). In 31 patients, Ad-SoS increased and, in one patient, decreased more than the value of the least significant change. In controls, mean Ad-SoS values were 1973 +/- 64 m/s (baseline) and 2016 +/- 86 m/s (follow-up) and did not differ significantly vs. baseline values in patients. At second measurement, Ad-SoS in controls was significantly lower than in patients (p < 0.05). In five patients with low baseline Ad-SoS values, bone mineral density (BMD) at the spine using DPX-L was estimated; baseline mean BMD was 0.95 +/- 0.11 g/cm2, Z-score was 1.25 +/- 0.97 and, at second measurement, 1.16 +/- 0.07 g/cm2, Z-score was 0.23 +/- 0.43. A significant increase in BMD (p < 0.01) and Z-score (p < 0.05) was noted. In patients, Ad-SoS correlated significantly with age, period after completion of the therapy, body size and Tanner stages (r ranged from 0.43 to 0.83, p ranged from 0.0001 to 0.05). It can be concluded that skeletal status assessed by quantitative US at the hand phalanges in survivors of ALL improved significantly over the period of observation.     

The Clinicopathological Features and Long-Term Survival Outcomes of Mucinous Gastric Carcinoma: a Consecutive Series of 244 Cases from a Single Institute

Background and Objectives

Mucinous gastric carcinoma (MGC) is a rare kind of malignancy with unclear prognosis. This study aims to assess the clinicopathological features and prognosis of MGC.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed a consecutive series of 244 MGC patients who underwent radical gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy, and compared the data with 260 gastric signet ring cell carcinoma (SRC) patients.

Results

The univariate survival analysis showed that the surgical types, diameter of the primary tumor, the Borrmann type, pathological depth of tumor invasion (pT), pathological number of metastatic lymph node (pN), pathological tumor lymph metastasis (pTNM), and vascular invasion were all significant predictors of survival (all P?<?0.05). The multivariate survival analysis revealed that the diameter of the tumor, the Borrmann type, pT, pTNM stage, and vascular invasion as an independent predictive factor of survival (all P?<?0.05). Compared with the SRC group, the MGC group had more male patients, more elder patients, larger tumor diameter, more T3 and T4 invasion to the gastric wall, more patients with metastatic lymph nodes, more pTNM stage III, and less Borrmann type 1. The overall survival rate of patients with MGC was significantly lower than that of patients with SRC (P?<?0.001).

Conclusions

MGC was an aggressive malignancy which had unique clinicopathological features.

     

Saroclazines A–C,thio-diketopiperazines from mangrove-derived fungi <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sarocladium kiliense</Emphasis> HDN11-84

Three new diketopiperazine derivatives (DKPs), saroclazines A–C (1–3) along with three known DKPs (4–6) were isolated from mangrove-derived fungi Sarocladium kiliense HDN11-84. Saroclazines A–B (1 and 2) possessed a free amide structure, which was first found in sulfur-containing aromatic DKPs. Their structures were elucidated by NMR, HRESIMS and X-ray. The cytotoxic activity of new compounds (1–3) was tested against HeLa cell lines, among which compound 2 showed an IC₅₀ value of 4.2 µM.     

The French Infectious Diseases Society's readiness and response to epidemic or biological risk–the current situation following the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus and Ebola virus disease alerts

Context

In 2012, the French Infectious Diseases Society (French acronym SPILF) initiated the “Coordination of epidemic and biological risk” (SPILF-COREB - Emergences [SCE]) group to support the readiness and response of healthcare workers (HCWs) to new alerts.

Curative antitumor immune response is optimal with tumor irradiation followed by genetic induction of major histocompatibility complex class I and class II molecules and suppression of Ii protein

Transfecting genes into tumors, to upregulate major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II molecules and inhibit MHC class II associated invariant chain (Ii), induces a potent anti-tumor immune response when preceded by tumor irradiation, in murine RM-9 prostate carcinoma. The transfected genes are cDNA plasmids for interferon-gamma (pIFN-gamma), MHC class II transactivator (pCIITA), an Ii reverse gene construct (pIi-RGC), and a subtherapeutic dose of adjuvant IL-2 (pIL-2). Responding mice rejected challenge with parental tumor and demonstrated tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). We have extended our investigation to determine the relative roles of each one of the four plasmids pIFN-gamma, pCIITA, pIi-RGC, and pIL-2 in conjunction with radiation for the induction of a curative immune response. Upregulation of MHC class I with pIFN-gamma or class II with pCIITA, separately, does not lead to a complete response even if supplemented with pIL-2 or pIi-RGC. An optimal and specific antitumor response is achieved in more than 50% of the mice when, after tumor irradiation, tumor cells are converted in situ to a MHC class I+/class II+/Ii- phenotype with pIFN-gamma, pCIITA, pIi-RGC, and pIL-2. We demonstrate further that both CD4+ helper T cells and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells are essential for induction of an antitumor response because in vivo depletion of either subset abrogates the response. The radiation contributes to the gene therapy by causing tumor debulking and increasing the permeability of tumors to infiltration of inflammatory cells.     

基于“体医融合”理念的中医药院校体育教学改革思考

在"健康中国"背景之下,运用文献资料法、调查法、逻辑分析等方法深入阐述"体医融合"在中医药院校体育教学的现状与不足,并对"体医融合"体育教学改革的可行性进行分析。研究认为:"体医融合"体育教学改革需强化对"体医融合"教学模式的理解,优化具有"体医融合"特色的体育课程,完善办学软硬件设施;同时,建立服务于"体医融合"式体育教学的平台,"体医融合"课程具体实施建议,优化考核机制,建立有效监控体系。为推进中医药院校"体医融合"体育教学改革的不断深入提供参考和借鉴意义。