Search

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is known as an immune-mediated disease and often evolves to chronic type in adult. Corticosteroids only work in around 60% of patients. This study evaluated the roles of subgroup lymphocytes from peripheral blood in ITP adults with different treatment response. Between October 2009 and March 2017, 37 adults were newly diagnosed as ITP requiring treatment. The patients were separated into two groups: 23 patients with platelet count <50,000/μL with corticosteroid dependence or second-line treatment (Poor-responder Group), and 14 patients with platelet counts <50,000/μL with standard steroid treatment, which stopped within three months (Good-responder Group). Subgroup lymphocyte percentages of peripheral blood were determined through flow cytometry before treatment. Data analysis with Mann–Whitney test and receiver operating characteristic curves were performed using GraphPad Prism (Version 7). A p -value of <0.05 was considered significant. Lymphocyte percentage was significantly lower in Poor-responder Group than in Good-responder Group (p = 0.008). In subgroup lymphocytes, higher percentages of CD19+ B lymphocytes were found in Good-responder Group (p = 0.03). In Poor-responder Group, a higher CD2+ and CD56+ lymphocytes were observed (p = 0.02 and 0.03). By the cut-off value of percentage of CD56+ lymphocytes with 24.5% or CD2+ lymphocytes with 85.7%, the specificity showed 92.86%. This study found that newly diagnosed ITP patients with increased percentages of CD56+ or CD2+ lymphocytes in peripheral blood associated with a poorer response to steroid treatment. • Corticosteroids only work in around sixty percentages of ITP patients. • Higher CD56+ and CD2+ lymphocytes have a poorer response to steroid treatment. • High specificity prediction with CD56 > 24.5% and CD2 > 85.7% for steroid response in ITP [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Since it was discovered as the first human tumor virus in 1964, Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is now implicated in several types of malignancies. Accordingly, certain aspects of EBV pathobiology have shown promise in anti-cancer research in developing virus-targeting methods for EBV-associated cancers. The unique role of EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) in triggering episome-dependent functions has made it as the only latent gene to be expressed in most EBV+ neoplasms. Dimeric EBNA1 binds to the replication origin (oriP) to display its biological impact on EBV-driven cell transformation and maintenance. Hence, EBNA1/oriP has been made an ideal drug target site for anti-EBV protocol development. GAP31 protein was originally isolated from the seeds of an ancient medicinal plant Gelonium multiflorum. Although GAP31 has been shown to exhibit both anti-viral and anti-tumor activity, current understanding of the mechanistic picture underlying GAP31 functioning is not clear. Herein, we identify the EBNA1 DNA-binding domain as a core for GAP31 binding by performing affinity pulldown assays. Recombinant GAP31 (rGAP31) was shown to impair EBNA1-induced dimerization; consequently, it abrogated both EBNA1/oriP-mediated binding and transcription. Importantly, the therapeutic effects of GAP31 showed its capability to abrogate EBV-driven cell transformation and proliferation, and EBV-dependent tumorigenesis in xenograft animal models. Notably, the EBNA1 binding-mutant rGAP31 R166A/R169A simply exhibits defective phenotypes in the above-mentioned studies. Our data suggest rGAP31 is a potential anti-viral drug which can be applied to the development of therapeutic strategies against EBV-related malignancies. Highlights • EBNA1 C-terminal DNA Binding Domain was identified as the GAP31 binding domain. • GAP31 impairs EBNA1-mediated dimerization in vivo and in vitro. • GAP31 exhibits profound anti-EBV effects against EBV-driven B cell transformation and EBV-dependent cell proliferation. • GAP31 elicits promising anti-tumor activity to block EBV-induced tumorigenesis in a tumor xenograft mouse model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: For 244 patients with bacteremia due to extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)–producing Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae treated by ertapenem (73, 29.9%) or either imipenem or meropenem (171, 70.1%), the therapeutic efficacy was evaluated. Ertapenem therapy was effective for patients with ESBL-producing E. coli or K. pneumoniae bacteremia in terms of mortality and microbiological responses, as compared with imipenem or meropenem. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, La 0.85 Sr 0.15 Ga 0.8 Mg 0.2 O 2.825 (LSGM1520), La 0.6 Sr 0.4 Co 0.2 Fe 0.8 O 3−δ (LSCF6428), La 0.4 Ce 0.6 O 1.8 (LDC46), and Ce 0.8 Sm 0.2 O 1.9 (SDC20) powders were synthesized by the solid-state reaction. Three cell configurations were prepared: LSCF6428/LSGM1520/SDC20-Ni (Cell-A), LSCF6428/LSGM1520/porous LSGM1520/SDC20-Ni (Cell-B), and LSCF6428/LDC46/LSGM1520/LDC46/SDC20-Ni (Cell-C). An LDC46 layer and a porous LSGM1520 layer were used as the buffer and anode functional layers, respectively. The results showed that the LDC46 interlayer effectively reduced the ohmic resistance and electrode polarization resistance, and improved the adhesion between the electrolyte and the electrode, leading to enhanced power performance of the cells. The properties of the electrolyte-supported cells were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, and the performance was measured by electrochemical instrumentation and AC impedance spectroscopy. Finally, the performance, microstructures, and degradation rates of three cells were measured after 100 h of durability testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]