No abstract

Serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) concentrations correlate with tumor progression and poor outcome. We evaluated the predictive value of serum LDH level for overall survival (OS) of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer after gemcitabine-based chemotherapy. We retrospectively enrolled 364 patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma who were then allocated to training (n = 139) and validation cohorts (n = 225). We evaluated the association between serum LDH levels and OS as well as with markers of systemic inflammation, including neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR). Kaplan–Meier analyses revealed that low serum LDH levels in the training cohort significantly correlated with longer OS. Multivariate analysis identified the serum LDH levels as an independent prognostic predictor of OS (p = 0.005). Serum LDH levels correlated positively with NLR and PLR and correlated negatively with LMR. Similar results were obtained for the validation cohort, except that multivariate analysis identified the serum LDH level as a significant prognostic predictor and only a statistical trend for OS (p = 0.059). We conclude that serum LDH levels were associated with the systemic inflammatory response and served as a significant prognostic predictor of OS. Serum LDH levels predicted OS in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer after gemcitabine-based palliative chemotherapy.

These findings suggest that caffeine may represent a novel, protective strategy against alcoholic liver injury by attenuating oxidative stress and inflammatory response.

BackgroundSystemic inflammation and immune dysfunction have been proved to be associated with cancer progression and metastasis in various malignancies. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of pre-treatment systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.MethodsIn total, 419 patients diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer, between January 2011 and December 2015, were retrospectively enrolled. The SII was developed based on a training set of 197 patients from 2011 to 2013 and validated in an independent cohort of 222 patients from 2014 to 2015. Data on baseline clinicopathologic characteristics; pre-treatment laboratory variables such as absolute neutrophil, lymphocyte, and platelet counts; and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), total bilirubin (TBIL), albumin (ALB), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine transaminase (ALT), and aspartate transaminase (AST) levels were collected. The association between clinicopathologic characteristics and SII was assessed. The overall survival was calculated using the Kaplan–Meier survival curves and compared using the log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to analyze the prognostic value of the SII.ResultAn optimal cutoff point for the SII of 440 stratified the patients with advanced pancreatic cancer into high (> 440) and low (≤ 440) SII groups in the training cohort. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that the SII was an independent predictor for overall survival. The prognostic significance of the SII was confirmed in both normal and elevated CA19-9 levels.ConclusionThe baseline SII serves as an independent prognostic marker for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer and can be used in patients with both normal and elevated CA19-9 levels.

This minireview focuses on the rational design and action mechanisms of chemically innovative organoselenium in cancer therapy, and also provides information for design of nanomaterials-based pharmaceuticals to improve drug development.

The Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) inositol polyphosphate 6-/3-kinase gene (AtIpk2b) is known to participate in inositol phosphate metabolism. However, little is known about its physiological functions in higher plants. Here, we report that AtIpk2b regulates Arabidopsis axillary shoot branching. By overexpressing AtIpk2b in the wild type and mutants, we found that overexpression of AtIpk2b leads to more axillary shoot branches. Further analysis of AtIpk2b overexpression lines showed that axillary meristem forms earlier and the bud outgrowth rate is also accelerated, resulting in more axillary shoot branches. The AtIpk2b promoter/b-glucuronidase (GUS) fusion (AtIpk2bTGUS) expression pattern is similar to that of the auxin reporter DR5TGUS. Moreover, AtIpk2b can be induced in response to exogenous indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) treatments. In addition, AtIpk2b overexpression plants exhibit IAA-related phenotypes and are more resistant to exogenous IAA treatments. Further analysis employing reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction shows that some genes, including auxin-biosynthesis (CYP83B1), auxin-transport (PIN4), and auxin-mediated branching genes (MAX4 and SPS), are regulated by AtIpk2b. Taken together, our data provide insights into a role for AtIpk2b in axillary shoot branching through the auxin signaling pathway.

In 1723, Vater first described choledochal cyst and in 1977, Todani et al classified this disease. For many years, open excision (OP) as the standard procedure made a great impact in the treatment of choledochal cyst. Since 1995, when Farello et al first reported laparoscopic choledochal cyst excision, laparoscopic excision (LA) has been used worldwide. However, its safety remains a major concern. The aim of this meta-analysis was to compare OP with LA in treating choledochal cyst and then to determine whether LA is safe and valid. The design of this study involved systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources were Medline, Ovid, Elsevier, Google Scholar, Embase, and Cochrane library. The study selection entailed comparative cohort studies. For data extraction, 2 investigators independently assessed selected studies and extracted the following information: study characteristics, quality, outcomes data, etc. For the results, 7 comparative cohort studies about the effectiveness of LA compared with OP were performed meta-analysis. The results showed that although the LA group had a longer operative time (MD = 56.57; 95% CI = 32.20–80.93; P < 0.00001), LA had a shorter duration of hospital stay (MD = −1.93; 95% CI = −2.51 to −1.36; P < 0.00001), and recovery of bowel function (MD = −0.94; 95% CI = −1.33 to −0.55; P < 0.00001). Meta-analysis found no significant difference between most of the 2 groups: bile leak (RR = 0.60; 95% CI = 0.29–1.24; P = 0.17), abdominal bleeding (RR = 0.33; 95% CI = 0.01–8.98; P = 0.51), pancreatitis (RR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.06–1.03; P = 0.06), total postoperative complications (RR = 1.04; 95% CI = 0.66–1.62; P = 0.88). The LA group had significant lower rates in intraoperative blood transfusion (RR = 0.20; 95% CI = 0.11–0.38; P < 0.00001), and adhesive intestinal obstruction (RR = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.04–0.77; P = 0.02). In conclusion, compared with open excision, laparoscopic excision is a safe, valid, and feasible alternative to open excision.

No abstract