Perioperative blood transfusion is associated with poorer survival in patients with gastric cancer

The putative prognostic significance of perioperative blood transfusions on gastric cancers is controversial and the published results are contradictory. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic influence of transfusion on Chinese gastric cancer surgery. Six hundreds and seventy-six patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer from 2000 to 2004 were retrospectively reviewed. Uni- and multivariate analyses of the incidence and amount of transfusion, and a comparison of the clinicopathological features were performed. Subgroup analyses of prognosis according to stage, tumor size, and pretreatment anemia were carried out. Blood transfusion was significantly associated with older age (>60 year), larger tumor (>6 cm), upper and middle location, surgical margin status, and pretreatment anemia. In addition, tumors in the transfused group were more advanced in depth of invasion, nodal stage, and TNM stage. No significant relationship was found between the amount of transfused blood and prognosis. Subgroup analyses of prognosis according to stage showed significant differences in stages II and III, between the transfused and nontransfused groups. Significant difference between the transfused and nontransfused groups could be observed in two subgroups of tumor size. Patients with or without anemia in the nontransfused group both had a longer survival time than those in the transfused group. On multivariate analysis, transfusion was shown to be an independent risk factor for poor prognosis. This study suggests that perioperative blood transfusion is associated with a significantly worse prognosis following gastric cancer surgery. The parameters such as advanced stage, tumor size, and anemia do not affect its prognostic value.     

Design of a novel chimeric peptide via dual blockade of CD47/SIRPα and PD-1/PD-L1 for cancer immunotherapy

Although immune checkpoint inhibition has been shown to effectively activate antitumor immunity in various tumor types, only a small subset of patients can benefit from PD-1/PD-L1 blockade. CD47 expressed on tumor cells protects them from phagocytosis through interaction with SIRPα on macrophages, while PD-L1 dampens T cell-mediated tumor killing. Therefore, dual targeting PD-L1 and CD47 may improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. A chimeric peptide Pal-DMPOP was designed by conjugating th...     

A comprehensive analysis of the Bencao(herbal) small RNA Atlas reveals novel RNA therapeutics for treating human diseases

Cross-kingdom herbal mi RNA was first reported in 2012. Using a modified herbal extraction protocol, we obtained 73,677,287sequences by RNA-seq from 245 traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM), of which 20,758,257 were unique sequences. We constructed a Bencao(herbal) small RNA(s RNA) Atlas(http://bencao.bmicc.cn), annotated the sequences by sequence-based clustering, and created a nomenclature system for Bencao s RNAs. The profiles of 21,757 mi RNAs in the Atlas were highly consistent with those of p...     

Innate and adaptive immune abnormalities underlying autoimmune diseases: the genetic connections

With the exception of an extremely small number of cases caused by single gene mutations, most autoimmune diseases result from the complex interplay between environmental and genetic factors. In a nutshell, etiology of the common autoimmune disorders is unknown in spite of progress elucidating certain effector cells and molecules responsible for pathologies associated with inflammatory and tissue damage. In recent years, population genetics approaches have greatly enriched our knowledge regardin...     

家猪品种间染色体显带核型的比较研究

研究了东北民猪和姜曲海猪的几种显带核型,两品种间G带、C带、DA/DAPI带无显薯差异,Ag- NOR的多项频率有显著差异。     

Responses of Tamarix ramosissima ABA accumulation to changes in groundwater levels and soil salinity in the lower reaches of Tarim River, China

The Tarim River, located in central Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is situated north of the Taklimakana Desert. A reduction in groundwater levels and a concomitant increase in soil salinity have reduced vegetation in lower reaches of the river. Tamarix ramosissima is one of the dominant plant species in this riparian system. This species provides a buffer between the desert and the riparian zone, and contributes significantly to the function of the ecosystem and the maintenance of the biodiversity. Thus, an understanding of how T. ramosissima responds to changes in groundwater levels and soil salinity is necessary for ecological and economic management of this riparian system. We found a positive correlation (Pearson Correlation Coefficient = 0.80305) between T. ramosissima Abscisic Acid (ABA) and groundwater levels, and a negative correlation between ABA and soil salinity levels (Pearson Correlation Coefficient = –0.00961). From these relationships between ABA and groundwater/salinity we concluded that subsurface groundwater level of 3.12 m and soil salinity of 0.96 g/L can limit the normal growth and development of T. ramosissima; subsurface groundwater level of larger than 5.59 m and soil salinity of higher than 1.61 g/L will strongly impede the normal development of T. ramosissima. So we should take into account the resistance of plants to environmental stressors such as drought and salinity to keep the levels of salinity and groundwater on both sides of the main river within a range, in which trees, shrubs and herbs can grow well, and perform various ecological functions. Such conservation practice will not only avoid waste of water resources, but also contribute to efficient artificial water-recharge, helping to maintain the riparian zone of Tarim River and to promote “green corridor” maintenance.