Clinicopathologic Characteristics and Prognostic Factors in Patients with Operable HER-2 Overexpressing Breast Cancer

Liu, Ai-Na,Sun, Ping,Liu, Jian-Nan,Ma, Jin-Bo,Qu, Hua-Jun,Zhu, Hua,Yu, Cai-Yan,Zhang, Liang-Ming Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.4

Objective: To study the relationship between clinical pathologic characteristics, treatment modalities and prognostic factors in HER-2 (Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor-2) overexpressed breast carcinoma. Materials and Methods: Major clinico-pathological factors including therapeutic modalities and survival status of 371 breast cancer patients with HER2 over-expression, teated at Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital from March of 2002 to December of 2010 were retrospectively studied, with special attention focused on survival-related factors. Results: The median age of the total 371 patients in this study was 48 years at time of diagnosis, among which, the leading pathological type was infiltrating ductal carcinoma (92.5%); 62.8% presented with a primary tomor larger than 2 cm in diameter at diagnosis, 51.0% had axillary lymph node (ALN) metastases; ER (Estrogen receptor)/PR (Progesterone receptor) double negative occured in 52.8% of cases, and PCNA (proliferation cell nuclear antigen) (+++) was found in 55.1%. HER-2 overexpressed patients were usually in advanced stage when the diagnosis was made (72.8% at stages IIA~IIIC). The prognosis and survival were assessed in 259 patients with complete follow-up data. 5-year DFS (disease-free survival) and OS (overall survival) rate was 68.0% and 78.0% respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that age, tumor size, ALN metastases, LVSI (lymph-vascular space involvement), PCNA status, hormonal therapy, chemotherapy cycles, and HER-2 overexpression, correlated closely with the prognosis. ALN metastases, LVSI, PCNA status and chemotherapy cycles were independent predictors of survival. Conclusions: HER-2 overexpressed breast cancer has special clinical and pathological characteristics, with advanced clinical stages and high rate of ER/PR double negative. Lymph node metastases, LVSI, PCNA and chemotherapy cycles are independent predictors of prognosis.

Influence of Perineural Invasion on Survival and Recurrence in Patients with Resected Pancreatic Cancer

Zhang, Jun-Feng,Hua, Rong,Sun, Yong-Wei,Liu, Wei,Huo, Yan-Miao,Liu, De-Jun,Li, Jiao Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.9

Background: Perineural invasion (PNI) has been reported as one of the sources of locoregional recurrence in resected pancreatic cancer (PC). However the impact of PNI in resected pancreatic cancer remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between PNI status and clinical outcomes. Methods: Publications were identified which assessed prognostic significance of PNI status in resected pancreatic cancer up to February 2013. A meta-analysis was performed to clarify the association between PNI status and clinical outcomes. Results: A total of 21 studies met the inclusion criteria, covering 4,459 cases. Analysis of these data showed that intrapancreatic PNI was correlated with reduced overall survival only in resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients (HR=1.982, 95%CI: 1.526-2.574, p=0.000). Extrapancreatic PNI was correlated with reduced overall survival in all resected pancreatic cancer patients (HR=1.748, 95%CI: 1.372-2.228, p=0.000). Moreover, intrapancreatic PNI status may be associated with tumor recurrence in all resected pancreatic cancer patients (HR=2.714, 95%CI: 1.885-3.906, p=0.000). Conclusion: PNI was an independent and poor prognostic factor in resected PDAC patients. Moreover, intrapancreatic PNI status may be associated with tumor recurrence.

Low Expression of the FoxO4 Gene may Contribute to the Phenomenon of EMT in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Xu, Ming-Ming,Mao, Guo-Xin,Liu, Jian,Li, Jian-Chao,Huang, Hua,Liu, Yi-Fei,Liu, Jun-Hua Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.9

Because of its importance in tumor invasion and metastasis, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has become a research focus in the field of cancer. Recently, evidence has been presented that FoxO4 might be involved in EMT. Our study aimed to detect the expression of FoxO4, E-cadherin and vimentin in non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). We also investigated clinical features and their correlations with the markers. In our study, FoxO4, E-cadherin and vimentin were assessed by immunohistochemistry in a tissue microarray (TMA) containing 150 cases of NSCLC. In addition, the expression level of FoxO4 protein was determined by Western blotting. The percentages of FoxO4, E-cadherin and vimentin positive expression in NSCLCs were 42.7%, 38.7% and 55.3%, respectively. Immunoreactivity of FoxO4 was low in NSCLC when compared with paired normal lung tissues. There were significant correlations between FoxO4 and TNM stage (P<0.001), histological differentiation (P=0.004) and lymph node metastasis (P<0.001), but no significant links with age (P=0.323), gender (P=0.410), tumor size (P=0.084), smoking status (P=0.721) and histological type (P=0.281). Our study showed that low expression of FoxO4 correlated with decreased expression of E-cadherin and elevated expression of vimentin. Cox regression analysis indicated FoxO4 to be an independent prognostic factor in NSCLC (P=0.046). These data suggested that FoxO4 might inhibit the process of EMT in NSCLC, and might therefore be a target for therapy.

Enrichment and verification of differentially expressed miRNAs in bursa of Fabricius in two breeds of duck

Jun Luo,Junying Liu,He-he Liu,Tao Zhang,Jiwen Wang,Hua He,Chunchun Han 아세아·태평양축산학회 2017 Animal Bioscience Vol.30 No.7

Objective: The bursa of Fabricius (BF) is a central humoral immune organ belonging specifically to avians. Recent studies had suggested that miRNAs were active regulators involved in the immune processes. This study was to investigate the possible differences of the BF at miRNA level between two genetically disparate duck breeds. Methods: Using Illumina next-generation sequencing, the miRNAs libraries of ducks were established. Results: The results showed that there were 66 differentially expressed miRNAs and 28 novel miRNAs in bursa. A set of abundant miRNAs (i.e., let-7, miR-146a-5p, miR-21-5p, miR-17~92) which are involved in immunity and disease were detected and the predicted target genes of the novel miRNAs were associated with duck high anti-adversity ability. By gene ontology analysis and enriching KEGG pathway, the targets of differential expressed miRNAs were mainly involved in immunity and disease, supporting that there were differences in the BF immune functions between the two duck breeds. In addition, the metabolic pathway had the maximum enriched target genes and some enriched pathways that were related to cell cycle, protein synthesis, cell proliferation and apoptosis. It indicted that the difference of metabolism may be one of the reasons leading the immune difference between the BF of two duck breeds. Conclusion: This data lists the main differences in the BF at miRNAs level between two genetically disparate duck breeds and lays a foundation to carry out molecular assisted breeding of poultry in the future.

Impact of the geometric properties of intracranial vascular bifurcation and the mechanism of aneurysm occurrence and rupture

Liu, Jun,Zhang, Qingyun,Chen, Hua Techno-Press 2022 Advances in nano research Vol.13 No.4

One factor that can heighten the risk of the rapture intracranial aneurysm (IA) is bifurcations, which can cause the IA to evaluate. This study presents the effect of geometric of intracranial vascular on the bifurcation analysis of the aneurysm occurrence. The aneurysm mechanism is mathematically modeled based on the nano pipe structures under the thermal stresses, and the impact of the aneurysm geometric on the stability and bifurcation points is analyzed. Because of the dimension of these structures, the classical theories could not predict their behavior perfectly, so the nonclassical and nonlocal theories are required for the mechanical modeling of the aneurysm. The presented results show that the bifurcation point of the aneurysm mechanism is dependent on the environment temperature, and the temperature change plays an essential role in the stability of these structures.

Activin pathway enhances colorectal cancer stem cell self-renew and tumor progression

Liu, Rui,Wang, Jun-Hua,Xu, Chengxiong,Sun, Bo,Kang, Sa-Ouk Elsevier 2016 Biochemical and biophysical research communication Vol.479 No.4

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Activin belongs to transforming growth factor (TGF)-β super family of growth and differentiation factors and activin pathway participated in broad range of cell process. Studies elaborated activin pathway maintain pluripotency in human stem cells and suggest that the function of activin/nodal signaling in self-renew would be conserved across embryonic and adult stem cells. In this study, we tried to determine the effect of activin signaling pathway in regulation of cancer stem cells as a potential target for cancer therapy in clinical trials. A population of colorectal cancer cells was selected by the treatment of activin A. This population of cell possessed stem cell character with sphere formation ability. We demonstrated activin pathway enhanced the colorectal cancer stem cells self-renew and contribute to colorectal cancer progression in vivo. Targeting activin pathway potentially provide effective strategy for colorectal cancer therapy.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Activin pathway contributes to maintain colorectal cancer stem cells. </LI> <LI> Activin pathway inhibition suppresses colorectal cancer stem cell tumor formation. </LI> <LI> SB431542 inhibit tumor formation in vivo by blocking activin receptor. </LI> </UL> </P>

Study on the response surface optimization of online upgrading of bio-oil with MCM-41 and catalyst durability analysis

Liu Sha,Cai Yi-xi,Fan Yong-sheng,Li Xiao-hua,Wang Jia-jun 대한환경공학회 2017 Environmental Engineering Research Vol.22 No.1

Direct catalysis of vapors from vacuum pyrolysis of biomass was performed on MCM-41 to investigate the effects of operating parameters including catalyzing temperature, catalyzing bed height and system pressure on the organic yields. Optimization of organic phase yield was further conducted by employing response surface methodology. The statistical analysis showed that operating parameters have significant effects on the organic phase yield. The organic phase yield first increases and then decreases as catalyzing temperature and catalyzing bed height increase, and decreases as system pressure increases. The optimal conditions for the maximum organic phase yield were obtained at catalyzing temperature of 502.7℃, catalyzing bed height of 2.74 cm and system pressure of 6.83 kPa, the organic phase yield amounts to 15.84% which is quite close to the predicted value 16.19%. The H/C, O/C molar ratios (dry basis), density, pH value, kinematic viscosity and high heat value of the organic phase obtained at optimal conditions were 1.287, 0.174, 0.98 g/cm3, 5.12, 5.87 mm2/s and 33.08 MJ/kg, respectively. Organic product compositions were examined using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and the analysis showed that the content of oxygenated aromatics in organic phase had decreased and hydrocarbons had increased, and the hydrocarbons in organic phase were mainly aliphatic hydrocarbons. Besides, thermo-gravimetric analysis of the MCM-41 zeolite was conducted within air atmosphere and the results showed that when the catalyst continuously works over 100 min, the index of physicochemical properties of bio-oil decreases gradually from 1.15 to 0.45, suggesting that the refined bio-oil significantly deteriorates. Meanwhile, the coke deposition of catalyst increases from 4.97% to 14.81%, which suggests that the catalytic activity significantly decreases till the catalyst completely looses its activity.

Giant Diamagnetism in AuFe Nanoparticles

Jun-Hua Wu,Ji Hyun Min,Hong-Ling Liu,Ji Ung Cho,Young Keun Kim IEEE 2009 IEEE transactions on magnetics Vol.45 No.6

<P>Multifunctional Au<SUB>0.5</SUB>Fe<SUB>0.5</SUB> alloy nanoparticles from a polyol process were investigated, showing the alloy nanostructures with the formation of a new phase and twin microstructures. Giant diamagnetism, on the order of -10<SUP>-</SUP> <SUP>2</SUP> emu g<SUP>-1</SUP> Oe<SUP>-1</SUP> , is observed in the zero-field cooled process of the nanoparticles, which is modeled in terms of the spin-orbital interactions tuned by the modified potential energy as a result of the shrinking dimension, peculiar disordered microstructure, and heterogeneous elemental composition.</P>

Neuron Discharge and c-Fos Expression in the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract Following Electroacupuncture at Acupoints of the Yangming Stomach Meridian of Foot

Jun-Feng He,Jie Yan,Jiang-Shan Li,Jian-Hua Liu,Chao Wang,Xiao-Rong Chang,Ya-Ting Qu 사단법인약침학회 2013 Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies Vol.6 No.2

The nucleus of the solitary tract (nucleus tractus solitarii; NTS) is a primary center for both visceral afferents and somatic afferents. Previous experiments have demonstrated that the NTS is closely connected to the stomach and acupoints in the Yangming Stomach Meridian of Foot (ST Meridian). In this study, extracellular recording and immunochemistry methods were used to analyze the discharge of neurons and c-Fos protein expression in the NTS following acupuncture at different acupoints and a nonacupoint. A total of 104 discharging neurons were detected in the NTS of 52 rats, of which 86 provided complete data. After acupuncture at Sibai (ST 2), Zusanli (ST 36), Neiting (ST 44), Quanliao (SI 18), and the nonacupoint, the neuron response rate in the NTS was 65.12%, 51.16%, 46.51%, 34.88% and 31.40% respectively. For neuron response rate, there was a significant difference among Sibai (ST 2), Zusanli (ST 36), Neiting (ST 44), Quanliao (SI 18), and the nonacupoint (p < 0.01 or p < 0.05). In the other 48 rats, the number of c-Fos immunoreactive neurons in the NTS by electroacupuncture (EA) at Sibai (ST 2) group was significantly higher than that EA at other acupoints and the nonacupoint (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). EA at both Zusanli (ST 36) and Neiting (ST 44) increased c-Fos immunoreactive neurons significantly over EA at Quanliao (SI 18) and the nonacupoint (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01), while there was no difference between EA at Quanliao (SI 18) and the nonacupoint group (p > 0.05). The experiments demonstrated that the afferent convergence in NTS are different by body surface points stimulus, which suggests that the NTS might be a primary center in the central nervous system receiving acupoints stimulus from the ST Meridian.

Circular RNA circ-4099 is induced by TNF-α and regulates ECM synthesis by blocking miR-616-5p inhibition of Sox9 in intervertebral disc degeneration

Hua Wang,Peiheng He,Hehai Pan,Jun long,Jianru Wang,Zemin Li,Hui Liu,Weiying Jiang,Zhaomin Zheng 생화학분자생물학회 2018 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.50 No.-

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play important roles in the initiation and development of different diseases. Here, we detected their role in intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. An Arraystar human circular RNA microarray assay was used to detect circRNAs in normal and degenerated human IVD nucleus pulposus (NP) tissues. The role of circ-4099 in IVDD and its mechanism were evaluated by qRT-PCR and gain-of-function/loss-of-function studies. Interaction networks for competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs), miRNAs, and miRNA target gene were detected by bioinformatics analysis, RNA immunoprecipitation and luciferase assay. Expression of seventy-two circRNAs were increased by more than twofold in degenerated NP tissues. qRT-PCR showed that the expression of circ-4099 in NP tissues was consistent with that of the array screening. Over-expression of circ-4099 increased the expression of Collagen II and Aggrecan and decreased the secretion of the pro-inflammatory factors IL-1β, TNF-α, and PGE2. TNF-α treatment increased circ-4099 expression in NP cells. NF-κB/MAPK inhibitors or shRNAs abolished the inductive effects of TNF-α on circ-4099 expression. We further demonstrated that circ-4099 was able to function as a “sponge” by competitively binding miR-616-5p, which reversed the suppression of Sox9 by miR-616-5p. We used DNA pull-down and spectrometry experiments to show that TNF-α can promote circ-4099 transcription through upregulation of GRP78. We provide the first evidence that shows circRNAs are differentially expressed in degenerated and normal NP tissues. Circ-4099 may play a role in a protective mechanism and be part of a compensatory response that maintains the synthesis and secretion of the extracellular matrix in NP cells and might be a protective factor in IVD degeneration as well as restore NP cell function.