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Probing the interfacial dynamics of single bacterial cells in complex environments is crucial for understanding the microbial biofilm formation process and developing antifouling materials, but it remains a challenge. Here, we studied single bacterial interfacial behaviors modulated by surfactants via a plasmonic imaging technique. We quantified the adhesion strength of single bacterial cells by plasmonic measurement of potential energy profiles and dissected the mechanism of surfactant-tuned single bacterial adhesion. The presence of surfactant tuned single bacterial adhesion by increasing the thickness of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and reducing the degree of EPS cross-linking. The adhesion kinetics and equilibrium state of bacteria attached to the surface confirmed the decrease in adhesion strength tuned by surfactants. The information obtained is valuable for understanding the interaction mechanism between a single bacterial cell and surface, developing new biofilm control strategies, and designing anticontamination materials. IMPORTANCE Studying the interfacial dynamic of single bacteria in complex environments is crucial for understanding the microbial biofilm formation process and developing antifouling materials. However, quantifying the interactions between microorganisms and surfaces in the presence of pollution at the single-cell level remains a great challenge. This paper presents the analysis of single bacterial interfacial behaviors modulated by surfactants and quantification of the adhesion strength via a plasmonic imaging technique. Our study provided insights into the mechanism of initial bacterial adhesion, facilitating our understanding of the adhesion process at the microscopic scale, and is of great value for controlling membrane fouling biofilm formation.

Measurement of electron transfer at the single-particle or -cell level is crucial to the

In the past two decades, the concept of microbial resources evolved from the conserved strains in culture collection centers and microbial genome data in databases to functional microbial consortia, strains with superior phenotypes, novel biochemical and signaling systems, highly efficient enzymes, secondary metabolites, and unique genetic traits. Natural and engineered water environments provide diverse ecological niches for microorganisms to evolve and thrive, serving as treasure troves of microbial resources. Compared with that of chemical and energy resources from water, mining of microbial resources is severely underexplored. In this review, we first summarize various approaches (e.g., cultivation, functional metagenomics, and single-cell genomics) that have been employed to mine microbial resources from water, and then discuss their distinctive advantages and limitations. Lastly, we explore future directions on the mining of microbial resources from water. Nanyang Technological University National Research Foundation (NRF) This research / project is supported by the National Research Foundation, Singapore, under its NERC-NRF Joint Grant Call (Award no. NRF-NERC-SEAP-2020-02). This research is also supported by the Accelerating Creativity and Excellence (ACE) grant (Award no. NTUACE2021-01), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Xu Wang,&ast; Yi-Nan Liu,&ast; Di Sun, Si Chen, Bao-Lei Huang, Jian-Dong Tai Department of Colorectal Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130000, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Jian-Dong Tai, Department of Colorectal Surgery, the First Hospital of Jilin University, No. 1 of Xinmin Street, Chaoyang District, Changchun, 130000, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 431-88782291, Fax +86 431-85612352, Email taijdmed@163.comObjective: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical effectiveness of modified perineal reconstruction combined with anal sphincter repair in the treatment of obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS).Methods: Twenty consecutive patients with an OASI who underwent modified perineal reconstruction combined with anal sphincter repair in the Department of Colorectal and Anal Surgery of the First Hospital of Jilin University from October 2015 to September 2017 were retrospectively enrolled in this study. Anal function was evaluated using the Williams grade, the Wexner score, anorectal manometry, and transrectal ultrasound.Results: Differences in both the Williams grade and the Wexner score prior to operation and following surgery indicated that anal function had improved, and these differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). These indices also showed further improvement six months after surgery as compared with values at one month, and again, these differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). In addition, anorectal manometry at six months following surgery showed statistically significant differences in the maximum anal resting pressure, maximum anal systolic pressure, and anal defecation pressure as compared with values prior to operation (P < 0.05). Postoperative endorectal ultrasound revealed that the anal sphincter presented with close imbricated overlapping.Conclusion: Modified perineal reconstruction combined with anal sphincter repair in the treatment of female perineal defect is associated with a good clinical outcome, strengthening anal function, and reconstructing the perineum, and is a possible method for clinical treatment.Keywords: modified perineal reconstruction, bilateral V-Y island flap, perineal laceration, fecal incontinence, anal function

Five undescribed enantiomeric pairs of acylphloroglucinol-monoterpene meroterpenoids ((+)-/(-)-eucateretins A-E) resolved by chiral-phase HPLC were obtained from the leaves of Eucalyptus tereticornis Smith, along with nine known analogues. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and ECD calculations. This is the first report of meroterpenoid enantiomers from this plant. Some of the isolates, (-)-eucateretin A, (+)-/(-)-eucateretins E, 7'α-eucalrobusone X, eucalrobusone X, and robustadial B, exhibited inhibitory effects on ATP citrate lyase, and 7'α-eucalrobusone X significantly suppressed the hepatocyte lipogenesis.

Significance Studying interfacial dynamics of a single biological entity (cell, virus, or organelle) is critical for understanding microbial biofilm formation processes, developing biosensors, and designing biomaterials. However, the ability to measure the binding force between a single biological entity and surface remains a great challenge due to the hydrated feature of biological entity. In this paper, we present an optical imaging method that is able to measure the adhesion strength of single microbial cells. Unlike the existing methods with limited throughput, this method determines the adhesion strength of multiple individual cells simultaneously. This approach has the potential to contribute to a better understanding of the adhesion process at the microscopic scale and probe the biointerfaces., Probing the binding between a microbe and surface is critical for understanding biofilm formation processes, developing biosensors, and designing biomaterials, but it remains a challenge. Here, we demonstrate a method to measure the interfacial forces of bacteria attached to the surface. We tracked the intrinsic fluctuations of individual bacterial cells using an interferometric plasmonic imaging technique. Unlike the existing methods, this approach determined the potential energy profile and quantified the adhesion strength of single cells by analyzing the fluctuations. This method provides insights into biofilm formation and can also serve as a promising platform for investigating biological entity/surface interactions, such as pathogenicity, microbial cell capture and detection, and antimicrobial interface screening.

Microarray data of hippocampal tissue(HC) of the cognitively intact elderly(60-99 years old) were compared with those of the middle-aged and the young(20-59 years old) by bioinformatics techniques to initially screen out differentially expressed genes(DEGs) and then predict potential effective Chinese medicinals for the treatment of brain aging. The gene expression profile(accession: GSE11882) was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO) and DEGs were screened based on R package. The key DEGs were identified by STRING, Cytoscape and the plug-in, followed by Gene Ontology(GO) term and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway analysis. Then the key genes and the medical ontology information retrieval platform(Coremine Medical) were mapped against each other to single out the Chinese medicinals for the treatment of brain aging and construct thequot; Chinese medicinal-active constituent-targetquot; network. Among the resultant 268 DEGs(246 down-regulated and 22 up-regulated), the 15 key genes were mainly involved in biological processes such as leukocyte migration, neutrophil activation, cell chemotaxis, microglia activation and response to external stimulus, and pathways such as inflammatory process, immune response, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, PI3 K-Akt signaling pathway, Rap1 signaling pathway, chemokine signaling pathway and Toll-like receptor signaling pathway. The potential effective Chinese medicinals were Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and Astragali Radix. The analysis of DEGs and key genes enhances the understanding of the mechanisms of brain aging. This study provides potential gene targets and ideas for the development of Chinese medicine for brain aging.

Yan-Yan Fan,1 Yi-Nan Liu,2 Xin-Tong Mao,3 Yan Fu1 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Jilin Province Faw General Hospital, Changchun, 130011, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 10010, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yan-Yan Fan Tel +86 431 88785228Fax +86 431 88785228Email fanyanyan@jlu.edu.cnObjective: This study aims to investigate the prevalence, related risk factors, manifestations, and management of ectopic pregnancy in the first hospital of the Jilin University over a five-year period.Methods: A retrospective study of ectopic pregnancy was conducted in the First Hospital of the Jilin University between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2014. The results were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics and reported as frequencies and percentages.Results: The results revealed that out of 16,050 gynecological admissions to the hospital over the five-year period, there were 1273 ectopic pregnancies, with a prevalence rate of 7.93% of all gynecological admissions. The majority of these patients were aged 25– 34 y and had a past history of abortion (61%) and uterine cavity surgery (38.6%), and a significant number were nulliparous (549, 43.1%). Bleeding accompanied by abdominal pain were the most common presenting complaints (65.2%). A unilateral salpingectomy was performed for most of these patients.Conclusion: Ectopic pregnancy had notable morbidity over the five-year period under study, and a history of abortion and uterine cavity surgery were identified as associated risk factors that limited the future reproductive potential of nulliparous women. Therefore, targeted health education campaigns should be conducted in order to enlighten this group of women and the public at large.Keywords: ectopic pregnancy, risk factors, fertilized ovum, fallopian tube, reproductive accomplishments

Understanding the nanoparticle deposition process is important for predicting the transport and fate of nanoparticles in natural and engineered aquatic environments. Traditional methods for deposit...

The ability to rapidly and accurately detect water toxicity is crucial for monitoring water quality and assessing toxic risk, but such detection remains a great challenge. Here, we present a plasmonic nanomechanical sensing (PNMS) system for the rapid assessment of water toxicity. This technique is based on the plasmonic sensing of the nanomechanical movement of single bacterial cells, which could be inhibited upon exposure to potential toxicants. By correlating the amplitude of nanomechanical movement with bacterial activity, we detected a variety of toxic substances in water. The direct readout of bacterial activity via PNMS allowed for a high sensitivity to toxicants in water, thereby enabling us to evaluate the acute toxicological effect of chemical compounds rapidly. The PNMS method is promising for online alerts of water quality safety and for assessing chemical hazards. We anticipate that PNMS is also suitable for a wide range of other applications, including bacterial detection and high-throughput screening of antibacterial materials.

Two new oleanane-triterpenoid saponins, clinograsaponins A (1) and B (2), together with twelve known ones (3-14), were isolated from the whole herb of Clinopodium gracile (Bentham) Matsumura. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis and chemical method. All the isolated compounds were evaluated for their activities against ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB).

Pulmonary invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (IMA) has unique histological patterns. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the clinicopathological features, prognosis, and survival outcomes of IMAs. We retrospectively identified 77 patients with pulmonary IMA and reviewed their clinical and pathological features. Another 520 patients with non-IMA-type ADC were retrieved for comparison with patients with IMA. A new two-tier grading system (high-grade and low-grade IMAs) modified from the pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia classification system was used for survival analyses. Compared to patients with non-IMA-type ADC, patients with IMA tended to have never smoked (p = 0.01) and had early-stage IMA at initial diagnosis (p &lt, 0.001). For stage I–II diseases, the five-year overall survival (OS) rates were 76% in IMAs and 50% in non-IMA-type ADCs, and a longer OS was observed in patients with IMA (p = 0.002). KRAS mutations were the most commonly detected driver mutations, which occurred in 12 of the 28 (43%) patients. High-grade IMAs were associated with a shorter recurrence-free survival (RFS) for stage I–IIIA diseases (p = 0.010) than low-grade IMAs but not for OS. In conclusion, patients with stage I and II IMA had better OS than those with non-IMA-type ADC. A new two-tier grading system might be useful for predicting RFS in stage I–IIIA IMAs.

T-2 toxin leads to chondrocyte apoptosis and excessive extracellular matrix degradation. The aim of this study is to investigate if endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) - initiated apoptosis is involved in the chondrocyte damage induced by T-2 toxin. In vivo, rats were divided into a control group, T-2 toxin 200 ng/g BW/d group, the protein levels of GRP78, CHOP, and caspase-12 were detected using immunohistochemistry in articular cartilage tissues. In vitro, C28/I2 and ATDC5 chondrocytes were treated with various concentrations of T-2 toxin. For the salubrinal protection assay, cells were pretreated with 20 μM salubrinal for 1 h, and treated with and without T-2 toxin for 24 h. The cell viability was determined using the MTT assay; and the cell apoptosis was determined using the Flow Cytometry Assay; the mRNA and protein levels of the ERS markers and ECM were determined using RT-PCR and western blotting. This study found that the expressions of GRP78, CHOP, and caspase-12 is higher in T-2 toxin group than in control group both in vivo and in vitro, and the T-2 toxin administration promoted chondrocyte apoptosis, suppressed matrix synthesis, and accelerated cellular catabolism via the ERS signaling pathway. In addition, this study found that salubrinal prevented chondrocyte injury by inhibiting ERS-mediated apoptosis via the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4-CHOP signaling pathway. Collectively, this study provides a new clue to elucidate the mechanism of T-2 toxin-induced chondrocyte damage, and presents a novel therapeutic possibility of salubrinal for Osteoarthropathy such as osteoarthritis (OA) and Kaschin-Beck disease (KBD).

Probing molecular interactions is critical for screening drugs, detecting pollutants, and understanding biological processes at the molecular level, but these interactions are difficult to detect, especially for small molecules. A label-free optical imaging technology that can detect molecule binding kinetics is presented, in which free-moving particles are driven into oscillations with an alternating electrical field and the interferometric scattering patterns of the particles are imaged via an optical imaging method. By tracking the charge-sensitive variations in the oscillation amplitude with sub-nanometer precision, the small molecules and metal ions binding to the surface as well as protein-protein binding kinetics were measured. The capability of the label-free measurement of molecular interactions can provide a promising platform for screening small-molecule drugs, probing conformational changes in proteins, and detecting environmental pollutants.

Constitutive activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway is implicated in the initiation and progression of lung cancer. EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-targeted therapy has become the standard treatment for nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, acquired resistance to these agents remains a major obstacle for managing NSCLC. Here, we investigated a novel strategy to overcome EGFR TKI resistance by targeting the stanniocalcin 2 (STC2)-JUN-AXL pathway. We revealed that STC2 was expressed at significantly higher levels in EGFR TKI-resistant cells. Further, clinical analysis showed that STC2 expression was increased after the development of EGFR TKI resistance and that higher levels were correlated with shorter progression-free survival in EGFR TKI-treated lung cancer patients. Moreover, STC2 overexpression in EGFR TKI-sensitive cells resulted in EGFR TKI resistance. Conversely, genetic silencing of STC2 rendered EGFR TKI-resistant cells more sensitive to EGFR TKIs. Mechanically, STC2 enhanced AXL promoter activity by increasing the phosphorylation of c-Jun, which is an indispensable transcription factor that transactivates AXL. STC2 promoted activation of the JUN-AXL-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling axis in lung cancer cells. Pharmacological or genetic inhibition of AXL-ERK activity inhibited STC2-mediated EGFR TKI resistance. We also demonstrated that PE2988 cells, a C797S-independent osimertinib-resistant primary cancer cell line from a lung cancer patient, responded to combined AXL inhibitor and osimertinib treatment. In conclusion, our research indicates that STC2 overexpression is important for acquired resistance to EGFR TKIs and that STC2-JUN-AXL-ERK signaling might be a potential therapeutic target to overcome resistance to EGFR TKIs.

Background Cystic adenomyosis is a special type of adenomyosis. Its clinical manifestations lack specificity. Pelvic ultrasound and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging can help clarify the diagnosis. Because cystic uterine adenomyosis is rare in clinical work, it can be easily misdiagnosed or its diagnosis can be missed. Early surgical treatment and postoperative drug treatment can alleviate dysmenorrhea, menorrhagia, anemia, and other symptoms. Case summary Two cases complained about abnormal vaginal bleeding and were diagnosed with intrauterine cystic adenomyosis by gynecological ultrasound and pathological examination. The clinical manifestations included dysmenorrhea, hypermenorrhea, and a history of cesarean section. Both cases underwent a surgery, and chocolate-like liquid was released from the cystic mass in the uterus and the manifestations were relieved. Conclusion Intrauterine cystic adenomyosis could be diagnosed by pathological examination and treated by hysterectomy or hystscopy to release the liquid inside.

As a plasma facing material, tungsten (W) is exposed to high-flux hydrogen isotope plasma, enduring unwanted surface blistering. Here, we performed first-principles calculations on the interaction between H and W surfaces, aiming to understand the surface bubble formation. We calculated the energetics of H at the top-surface and sub-surface regions of W(110) and W(001), in together with the migration energy barriers of H at different near-surface sites. We found that H prefers to be adsorbed on the top-surface rather than dissolving into the sub-surface regions, where H atoms generally exhibit a repulsive repulsion between each other to prevent the formation of H clusters. While migration of H from top-surface into sub-surface is difficult, the reverse migration is extremely easy. These findings suggest that retained H species during irradiation at sub-surface region of W are energetically unstable, and surface H bubble formation would not occur without the presence of defects.

Microplastics (MPs) have the potential to interact with the toxicity of other common environmental contaminants, such as heavy metals. Here, we investigated the impacts of polystyrene-MPs (32–40 μm), cadmium (Cd) and their combination on early juveniles of the discus fish (Symphysodon aequifasciatus) in relation to Cd accumulation, antioxidant defence and innate immunity. Animals were exposed to three concentrations of MPs (0, 50 or 500 μg L−1) crossed with two levels of Cd (0 or 50 μg L−1) for 30 days. Our findings showed that MPs and Cd had no adverse effects on growth and survival. Under exposure to Cd, however, accumulation of Cd in the body of fish decreased with increasing MP concentrations as supported by a reduced metallothionein content. The activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase increased with MPs but decreased with Cd. MPs, Cd or the mixture increased catalase activity, despite an antagonistic interaction between the two stressors. Glutathione levels increased when exposed to high MP concentrations but decreased when co-exposed to Cd. Malondialdehyde content was only influenced by MPs and increased with elevated MPs. MPs or Cd alone did not increase protein carboxyl content but showed a synergistic effect and increased content. MPs or Cd alone showed no effect on lysozyme activity but had a synergistic effect and activated activity. Activities of both acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase were enhanced by MPs, Cd or their mixture, although there was an antagonistic interaction between the two stressors. In contrast, MPs, Cd or their mixture decreased complement 3 content, despite an antagonistic interaction between the two stressors. Collectively, this study suggests that exposure to Cd led to reduced Cd accumulation in the presence of MPs. Nevertheless, co-exposure could induce severe oxidative stress and stimulate innate immunity in the juvenile S. aequifasciatus.

Nine undescribed acylphloroglucinol derivatives, oblatones A−I, along with three known ones, were isolated from Syzygium oblatum. Their structures were determined on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, including NMR and MS data interpretation. Oblatones A and B possess an alkylated chromanone scaffold featuring a hemiketal moiety. Oblatones C and D are the first acylphloroglucinol derivatives with an α,β-unsaturated ketone lipid chain. Some of the isolates showed inhibitory effects on ATP citrate lyase in vitro. The binding mode of oblatone A was predicted by molecular docking.

The frequent detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA in healthcare environments, accommodations, and wastewater has attracted great attention to the risk of viral transmission by environmental fomites. However, the process of SARS-CoV-2 adsorption to exposed surfaces in high-risk environments remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the interfacial dynamics of single SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviruses with plasmonic imaging technology. Through the use of this technique, which has high spatial and temporal resolution, we tracked the collision of viruses at a surface and differentiated their stable adsorption and transient adsorption. We determined the effect of the electrostatic force on virus adhesion by correlating the solution and surface chemistry with the interfacial diffusion velocity and equilibrium position. Viral adsorption was found to be enhanced in real scenarios, such as in simulated saliva. This work not only describes a plasmonic imaging method to examine the interfacial dynamics of a single virus but also provides direct measurements of the factors that regulate the interfacial adsorption of SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus. Such information is valuable for understanding virus transport and environmental transmission and even for designing anticontamination surfaces.

Background EGFR-mutant lung cancer inevitably develops resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Objective To investigate the clinical relevance of microRNAs (miRNAs) in TKI therapy response and resistance. Methods We performed a miRNA PCR array analysis and used The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to identify potential miRNAs related to EGFR TKIs resistance. We then correlated miRNA expression in 70 surgical and 50 malignant pleural effusion specimens with patient outcomes in those with non-small cell lung carcinoma. Molecular manipulation was performed in EGFR mutant lung cancer cells to assess the effect of miR-200c-3p on cell migratory ability and EGFR-TKI sensitivity. Results We identified miR-200c-3p and miR-203a-3p as potential EGFR TKI resistance regulators via their modulation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). MiR-200c-3p and miR-203a-3p were down-regulated in EGFR TKI-resistant cell lines. Progression-free survival (PFS) with EGFR-TKI treatment of patients with high miR-200c-3p expression, but not miR-203a-3p, in the specimens was significantly longer than that of patients with low expression. MiR-200c-3p overexpression inhibited the EMT process in EGFR TKI resistance cell lines and promoted cell death. MiR-200c-3p silencing in EGFR TKI sensitive cell lines increased drug resistance. Conclusion MiR-200c-3p plays a role in sensitivity to EGFR TKIs via modulating EMT process.

The T-2 toxin exerts a variety of toxic effects on both experimental animals and humans. The integrin family plays a major role in mediating cell-ECM interactions. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the involvement of integrin α2β1 in T-2 toxin-induced C28/I2 chondrocyte damage. The pathological damage of articular cartilage injury induced by T-2 toxin was observed by HE staining. The expression levels of collagen 2 and MMP-13 (Matrix metalloproteinases 13) were detected using immunohistochemistry in articular cartilage tissues and western blotting in the cells. The blocking effect of integrin α2β1 inhibitor on T-2 toxin-induced chondrocyte matrix degradation was examined by western blotting. Further, the effect of integrin α2β1 inhibitor on T-2 toxin-induced chondrocyte apoptosis was analyzed. About 100 ng/g body weight (BW)/day T-2 toxin was fed to Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, T-2 toxin treatment (0, 6, 12, and 24 ng/mL) induced C28/I2 chondrocytes. Both in vivo and in vitro, chondrocyte survival was inhibited, and the production of type II collagen was significantly reduced (p 0.05). However, the level of MMP-13 was up-regulated (p 0.05). Matrix degradation was effectively blocked after the pre-treatment by integrin α2β1 inhibitor (p 0.05). Conclusively, Integrin α2β1 is a critical signaling pathway for communication between cells and the extracellular matrix, the present study provides a new clue to elucidate the mechanism of T-2 toxin-induced chondrocyte damage.

Background Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression is associated with clinical outcomes of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutant lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, whether PD-L1 expression plays a role in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive lung ADC is unknown. We aimed to evaluate the impact of PD-L1 in patients with ALK-positive lung ADC receiving crizotinib. Materials and Methods PD-L1 expression was identified by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was used for ALK variant detection, and immunofluorescence-based multiplex staining was applied for exploring immune cells in tumor microenvironments. Results A total of 78 patients with ALK-positive advanced ADC were enrolled in our study, of whom 52 received crizotinib. Compared with EGFR/ALK wild-type tumors, PD-L1 expression was lower in ALK-positive ADC. ALK fusion variants were identified in 32 patients, and those with variant 3 and 5 (short variants) had higher PD-L1 expression than those with other variants. The crizotinib objective response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival (PFS) was better in tumors with negative PD-L1 expression (ORR/PFS in PD-L1 0% vs. 1%–49% vs. 50%–100%: 60.7%/11.8 months vs. 38.5%/6.5 months vs. 36.4%/4.0 months, p = .007/.022). The multivariate Cox proportional hazards model revealed that PD-L1 0% (vs. ≥1%) was an independent factor for longer PFS (adjusted hazard ratio 0.322, 95% confidence interval 0.160–0.650, p = .002). Multiplex IHC in three cases showed a varied extent of immune cell infiltrations in tumors with different PD-L1 expression. Conclusion Positive PD-L1 expression was associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes in patients with ALK-positive lung ADC receiving crizotinib. Implications for Practice Not all lung adenocarcinoma with sensitizing driver mutations experienced durable responses to small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Similar to the negative impact of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in epidermal growth factor receptor mutant tumors treated with TKIs, this study demonstrated that positive PD-L1 expression was also associated with worse response rate and shorter progression-free survival of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive adenocarcinoma treated with crizotinib. Among different ALK fusion partners, tumors with short variants (V3 and V5) had higher PD-L1 compared with long variants (V1, V2, and V6). Testing PD-L1 before initiating crizotinib for ALK-positive lung cancer could be a simple method to provide important prognostic information.

A kinesin family member 5b (KIF5B)-MET proto-oncogene, receptor tyrosine kinase (MET) rearrangement was reported in patients with lung adenocarcinoma but its oncogenic function was not fully evaluated. We used one-step reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for RNA samples to screen for the KIF5B-MET fusion in 206 lung adenocarcinoma and 28 pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma patients. Genomic breakpoints of KIF5B-MET were determined by targeted next-generation sequencing. Soft agar colony formation assays, proliferation assays, and a xenograft mouse model were used to investigate its oncogenic activity. In addition, specific MET inhibitors were administered to evaluate their anti-tumor activities. A KIF5B-MET fusion variant in a patient with a mixed-type adenocarcinoma and sarcomatoid tumor was identified, and another case was found in a pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma patient. Both cases carried the same chimeric gene, a fusion between exons 1–24 of KIF5B and exons 15–21 of MET. KIF5B-MET-overexpressing cells exhibited significantly increased proliferation and colony-forming ability. Xenograft tumors harboring the fusion gene demonstrated significantly elevated tumor growth. Ectopic expression of the fusion gene stimulated the phosphorylation of KIF5B-MET as well as downstream STAT3, AKT, and ERK1/2 signaling pathways. The MET inhibitors significantly repressed cell proliferation; phosphorylation of downstream STAT3, AKT, and ERK1/2; and xenograft tumorigenicity. In conclusion, the KIF5B-MET variant was demonstrated to have an oncogenic function in cancer cells. These findings have immediate clinical implications for the targeted therapy of subgroups of non-small cell lung cancer patients.

An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of different levels of dietary calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) on growth performance and tissue Ca and P deposition of juvenile discus fish Symphysodon haraldi. Discus with an initial body weight of 4.98 ± 0.26 g were fed three times daily with one of the 12 experimental diets containing 0, 5, 10 and 15 g/kg of Ca cross with 0, 5 and 10 g/kg P. Levels of aqueous Ca and total P, temperature and pH were detected daily with mean values of 36.50 ± 0.48 mg/L, 1.42 ± 0.04 mg/L, 29.0 ± 0.5 °C and 7.8 ± 0.3, respectively. After 8-week feeding, it showed a remarkable decline on survival with dietary P (P 0.05). When P inclusion was 5 or 10 g/kg, the specific growth rate and protein efficiency ratio of discus were all reduced with Ca level (P 0.05). Dietary Ca and P had interactive effects on whole-body crude protein and ash (P