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Background: The increasing incidence and poor outcome associated with malignant pleural effusion (MPE) requires finding an effective treatment for this disease. Inhibitory B7-H4 is expressed in many different human cancers but its role in malignant pleural tissue has yet to be established.Methods: Here, patients with metastatic pleural adenocarcinoma (MPA) or with early-stage lung adenocarcinoma were clinically and statistically analyzed. Immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy were used to determinate the expression of B7-H4 in the cancer cells. By using MPE model, we sought to a potential immunotherapy for MPE with anti-B7-H4 mAb.Results: When compared to early-stage lung adenocarcinoma, MPA possessed higher level of nuclei membranous B7-H4 and lower cytoplasmic B7-H4 expression. Also, nuclei membranous B7-H4 expression was found to be positively correlated to Ki-67 expression, and indicated a possible poor prognosis of MPA. In mouse MPE model, intra-pleurally injection of anti-B7-H4 mAb effectively suppressed MPE formation.Conclusions: Taken together, our data was in support of the significance of B7-H4 expression in MPA, which also suggest it warrants further exploration for potential immunotherapy of MPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nosocomial infections by Klebsiella pneumoniae, especially those due to multidrug-resistant strains, are being increasingly detected. In this report, we present the case of a 63-year-old man with lung squamous carcinoma who received nivolumab therapy due to failure of first-line chemotherapy. This report also demonstrates an association of nivolumab therapy and neutropenia, and supports the use of a combination of tigecycline and meropenem in managing hospitalization-acquired pneumonia caused by multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae. It also implicates that a further evaluation is required in lung cancer patients with a suspected metastatic or recurrent carcinoma, and an antibiotic therapy is valuable in ruling out a potential lung infection since a risk of hospitalization-acquired pneumonia may exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recurrent lung cancer is a common clinical condition. 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is currently the predominant non-invasive imaging technique used for the detection of tumor recurrence. In the present study, the case of a 67-year-old male suspected to have postoperative recurrence of primary lung cancer was examined. Chest computed tomography (CT) scans identified a subpleural nodule grown within a short time period, along with the occurrence of multiple patchy shadows on the right lung. PET-CT scans revealed an increased FDG uptake in the surgical site, which exhibited features of a malignant disease. However, a video-assisted thoracoscopic biopsy provided the diagnosis of tuberculosis and guided further appropriate treatment. In conclusion, further evaluation is required in all patients with suspected metastatic and recurrent carcinoma.

Objective: To explore the value of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG PET-CT) combined with transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) in diagnosing atypical relapsing polychondritis (RP)., Methods: Data from two patients with atypical RP, which had been diagnosed in our hospital using FDG PET-CT combined with TBNA, were retrospectively analyzed. A review of the relevant literature was also performed., Results: Consistent with the previously reported 20 cases of RP that had been diagnosed using FDG PET-CT, the two patients in the present study showed the involvement of multiple organs, including the nose, throat, trachea, bronchi, costicartilage and joint cartilages, and increased FDG uptake was found in these areas. The mean value of SUVmax was 5.14. PET-CT revealed that 86.4% of the patients with RP had airway involvement. TBNA technique was used for biopsy of the hypermetabolic lesions, and pathologic examinations confirmed the diagnosis of RP. The time to diagnosis in these two patients and the 20 cases reported previously was about 6.9 months, significantly shorter than the average diagnosis time (20 months)., Conclusions: FDG PET-CT has several advantages for diagnosing RP, especially atypical RP. TBNA is a minimally invasive and safe technique for obtaining airway cartilage. Combining PET-CT with TBNA may play an important role in shortening the time to diagnosis in patients with RP involvement of airway.

Objective: To discuss the influence of chronic intermittent hypoxia and secundum oxidative stress on insulin resistance and the function of Pancreatic beta cells in OSAHS patients., Methods: 15 patients with primary snoring, 31 patients with light to moderate OSAHS and 34 patients with severe OSAHS were investigated. General clinical data of every patient were collected, while nocturnal data were gained by using PSG with entire night monitor. 8-isoprostane and fasting insulin (FINS) were detected through ELISA; GSH-Px through Spectrophotometer. Insulin resistance was evaluated by measuring HOMA-IR and FINS, while the function of Pancreatic beta cells by HOMA-beta. The comparison among the three groups were used by the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis H test, and Nemenyi test was used for pairwise comparison. The relativity between the variables were assessed by Spearman correlation test, and multiple linear regression was used to remove interference between variables. The enumeration data were compared with chi2 test., Results: 1. Along with the aggravation of OSAHS, the three groups were statistically different from each other on 8-isoprostane, GSH-Px, fasting blood glucose (FBG), FINS, and HOMA-IR (P=0.0034, P<0.0001), but not on HOMA-beta (P>0.05). 2. ODI, CT90%, lowest SaO2 and mean SaO2 were correlated with FINS and HOMA-IR in the serum, while the coefficient of correlation r decreased from ODI to mean SaO2. After ruling out the influence of age, BMI by multiple linear regression, ODI, CT90% and lowest SaO2 still correlated with FINS and HOMA-IR, the standardized regression coefficient R diminished from ODI, CT90% to lowest SaO2. 3. 8-isoprostane and GSH-Px correlated with FINS and HOMA-IR in OSAHS patients (P<0.05). After eliminated the influence of age, BMI by multiple linear regression, 8-isoprostane still correlated with FINS and HOMA-IR. 4. HOMA-beta has no correlation with AHI, BMI, ODI, CT90%, lowest SaO2, mean SaO2, 8-isoprostane and GSH-Px (P>0.05)., Conclusion: 1. Chronic intermittent hypoxia of OSAHS was independently correlated with IR. Compared with the severity of hypoxia, the insulin resistance has a closer relation with oxygen desaturation index. 2. Secundum oxidative stress in OSAHS was independently correlated with IR. 3. We didn't find the function of Pancreatic beta cells correlating with chronic intermittent hypoxia and secundum oxidative stress.

The hIL24 cDNA sequence was cloned into prokaryotic high expressive vector pET-21a(+) and recombinant hIL24 was expressed in E. coli with IPTG induction. The purified recombinant hIL24 exhibits following functions in HeLa cell: inhibiting cell growth, inducing apoptosis, inducing PMBC to secrete IL-6, TNF-alpha, IFN-r and inhibiting blood vessel formation. Our preliminary results suggest that the apoptosis induced by rhIL24 is through down-regulating expression of anti-apoptosis factor Bcl-2 and activation of mitochondria apoptosis pathway.