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Background: The molecular mechanisms driving hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain largely unclear. As one of the major epitranscriptomic modifications, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) plays key roles in HCC. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression, roles, and mechanisms of action of the RNA methyltransferase methyltransferase-like protein 16 (METTL16) in HCC. Methods: The expression of METTL16 and RAB11B-AS1 was determined by RT-qPCR. The regulation of RAB11B-AS1 by METTL16 was investigated by RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), methylated RIP (MeRIP), and RNA stability assays. In vitro and in vivo gain- and loss-of-function assays were performed to investigate the roles of METTL16 and RAB11B-AS1. Results: METTL16 was upregulated in HCC, and its increased expression was correlated with poor prognosis of HCC patients. METTL16 promoted HCC cellular proliferation, migration, and invasion, repressed HCC cellular apoptosis, and promoted HCC tumoral growth in vivo. METTL16 directly bound long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) RAB11B-AS1, induced m6A modification of RAB11B-AS1, and decreased the stability of RAB11B-AS1 transcript, leading to the downregulation of RAB11B-AS1. Conversely to METTL16, RAB11B-AS1 is downregulated in HCC, and its decreased expression was correlated with poor prognosis of patients with HCC. Furthermore, the expression of RAB11B-AS1 was negatively correlated with METTL16 in HCC tissues. RAB11B-AS1 repressed HCC cellular proliferation, migration, and invasion, promoted HCC cellular apoptosis, and inhibited HCC tumoral growth in vivo. Functional rescue assays revealed that overexpression of RAB11B-AS1 reversed the oncogenic roles of METTL16 in HCC. Conclusions: This study identified the METTL16/RAB11B-AS1 regulatory axis in HCC, which represented novel targets for HCC prognosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine a better criterion for end-of-treatment PET (EoT-PET) assessment and prognostic evaluation of patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Method: EoT-PET scans were assessed using the visual Deauville 5-point scale (5PS) and LLR, the maximum standard uptake value ratio between the lesion and the liver. The cutoff value of LLR was obtained by receiver operator characteristic curve analysis. Patient outcomes were compared using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. Prognostic indexes of different criteria were compared. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to evaluate the prognostic factors. Results: Four hundred forty-nine newly diagnosed DLBCL patients who received rituximab-based immunochemotherapy were included, and the median follow-up duration was 41.4 months. Patients with Deauville score (DS) 4 displayed significantly longer PFS and OS compared with patients with DS 5 (both p < 0.001), and they had significantly shorter PFS (p < 0.01) but similar OS (p = 0.057) compared with patients with DS 1–3. The differences in PFS and OS between groups were all significant whether positive EoT-PET was defined as DS 4–5 or DS 5 (all p < 0.001). The optimal cutoff of LLR was 1.83, and both PFS and OS were significantly different between EoT-PET-positive and EoT-PET-negative patients as defined by the cutoff (both p < 0.001). LLR-based criterion displayed higher specificity, positive predictive value, and accuracy than 5PS-based criterion in the prediction of disease progression and death events. In the multivariate analysis, positive EoT-PET (as defined by LLR) was related to unfavorable PFS and OS (both p < 0.001). Additional treatment was not correlated with outcomes of EoT-PET-negative patients either defined by LLR or 5PS or EoT-PET-positive patients classified by 5PS, but it was the only beneficial factor for OS (p < 0.05) in EoT-PET-positive patients with LLR ≥ 1.83. Conclusion: The optimal cutoff of LLR may be superior to Deauville criteria in identifying low-risk DLBCL patients with negative EoT-PET after the first-line immunochemotherapy and sparing them the cost and toxicity of additional treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim was to explore the role of crizotinib, targeted anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), on r/r systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (sALCL). The treated group prospectively screened 20 patients. After taking crizotinib in the first week, 16 patients who were tolerant and sensitive received the combination of crizotinib with chemotherapy. The control group included 27 patients receiving chemotherapy in the same hospital during the same period. The objective remission rates of the treated and control group were 81.3% and 74.1% (p =.869), respectively. The progression-free survival rates at two years in treated and control group were 68.7% and 45.0% (HR = 0.42, 95% CI 0.17–0.99, p <.05), respectively. The overall survival rates at two years in the treated and control group were 86.1% and 78.9% (p =.385, HR = 0.51, 95% CI 0.11–2.30), respectively. The main adverse events included elevated transaminase, diarrhea, and vision abnormalities. Thus, the combination of crizotinib with chemotherapy might be effective in ALK-positive and crizotinib sensitive r/r sALCL patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During 1997–2012 we conducted a nationwide camera-trapping survey and assessed the availability of prey and habitat for the clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa in Taiwan. We surveyed 1,249 camera-trap sites over 113,636 camera-trap days, from the seashore to an altitude of 3,796 m and covering various types of vegetation. No clouded leopards were photographed during 128,394 camera-trap days, including at 209 sites in other studies, confirming the presumed extinction of clouded leopards in Taiwan. Assessment of the prey base revealed altitudinal distribution patterns of prey species and prey biomass. Areas at lower altitudes and with less human encroachment and hunting supported a higher prey biomass and more of the typical prey species of clouded leopards. Habitat analysis revealed 8,523 km2 of suitable habitat but this was reduced to 6,734 km2 when adjacent areas of human encroachment were subtracted. In the absence of hunting and large mammalian carnivores the major prey of clouded leopards in Taiwan, such as Formosan macaques Macaca cyclopis, Reeves's muntjacs Muntiacus reevesi, Formosan serow Capricornis swinhoei and sambar Rusa unicolor, could become over-abundant. Thus, it is important to address the cascading effect of the disappearance of top-down predator control. Our assessment indicated that, with proper regulation of hunting, habitat restoration and corridor improvement, it may be possible to reintroduce the clouded leopard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine shipping emissions have important impacts on air quality and climate. This type of anthropogenic emission remains largely unclear due to complex vessel types and activities. A coastal site near the Ningbo-Zhoushan port along the East China Sea was selected for this study, representing one of the hotspot regions globally with the most intensive shipping activities, in combination with vessels for both domestic and international transportation. Long-term temporal variations in key gaseous and particulate pollutants were obtained at the site using in-situ measurements, and the vessel speed associated with each classified vessel type was obtained according to the automatic identification system (AIS). In combination of backward trajectories, we were able to identify the periods predominated by the surrounding vessel emissions (in warm seasons, dominated by vessels in full operation or idle mode) or influenced by continental outflow (in cold season). We found that emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ), nitrogen oxides (NO x ), and black carbon (BC) aerosol were highly correlated with high-speed vessels, whereas carbon monoxide (CO) was likely related to lower operation speed. The total particulate matter (PM) was not directly linked to vessel activities. The enhancement factor in operation mode compared to that in idle mode was approximately 1-4 for most pollutants. This direct ambient observation of the emissions from a range of mixed vessel types may provide a basis for evaluating the shipping emission inventory.

Objective To analyze the predictive factor of surgical efficacy in male patients with prolactinoma. Method The clinical data of 184 male patients with prolactinoma who had undergone surgery were retrospectively analyzed.Results Before the surgery,the serum prolactin level from 150 to 204 952 ng/ml,the tumors sized 6 to 70 mm. Macroadenoma was seen in 152 cases (82.6%) and suprasellar adenoma with visual deficitsin 75 cases (40.7%). Complete resection was achieved in 149 patients. After surgical therapy,postoperative immediate prolactin level declined in 182 patients (98.4%);57 patients (31.0%)achieved initial remission,while the disease recurred in 26 patients (45.6%).Larger tumor had significantly lower rate of complete resection (P<0.05). The recurrence rate was significantly higher in the group with higher Ki-67 index (P<0.001). The recurrence rate was significantly lower in patients with intrasellar adenoma (P<0.001).No significant relationship was found between preoperative prolactin level and complete resection (P=0.306). Conclusions Tumor size can predictthe degree of surgical resection. The prognostic factors include tumor size,preoperative growth pattern of prolactinoma,and Ki-67 index.

The increasing number of major depressive patients with negative thinking warrants that cognitive therapy be recommended to correct negative-automatic thinking and inculcate positive thinking as a way to face problems. The purpose of this paper was to describe the nursing experience and effectiveness of implementing individual cognitive therapy on a patient with major depression in an acute ward over a one-month period. Through observation, interviewing, and comprehensive nursing assessment, the patient's negative thinking toward herself and her problems was identified, and her thoughts of suicide emerged. The following three major health problems were identified: risk of suicide, disturbed sleep pattern and ineffective coping. The patient underwent homework training throughout the ten individual cognitive therapy sessions, and was expected to use positive thinking instead of automatic thinking. After the intervention, the patient's depressive mood, sleep quality, and coping ability were improved. In addition, the patient no longer talked of suicide and was able to show stable emotions, maintain a homework, and attend church activities on her own initiative after discharge. It is therefore, suggested that cognitive therapy can be an effective intervention for nurses planning to care for this group of people.