Combination of Decitabine and a Modified Regimen of Cisplatin, Cytarabine and Dexamethasone: A Potential Salvage Regimen for Relapsed or Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma After Second-Line Treatment Failure

ObjectiveThe prognosis for patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (R/R-DLBCL) after second-line treatment failure is extremely poor. This study prospectively observed the efficacy and safety of decitabine with a modified cisplatin, cytarabine, and dexamethasone (DHAP) regimen in R/R-DLBCL patients who failed second-line treatment.MethodsTwenty-one R/R-DLBCL patients were enrolled and treated with decitabine and a modified DHAP regimen. The primary endpoints were overall response rate (ORR) and safety. The secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).ResultsORR reached 50% (complete response rate, 35%), five patients (25%) had stable disease (SD) with disease control rate (DCR) of 75%. Subgroup analysis revealed patients over fifty years old had a higher complete response rate compared to younger patients (P = 0.005), and relapsed patients had a better complete response rate than refractory patients (P = 0.031). Median PFS was 7 months (95% confidence interval, 5.1-8.9 months). Median OS was not achieved. One-year OS was 59.0% (95% CI, 35.5%-82.5%), and two-year OS was 51.6% (95% confidence interval, 26.9%-76.3%). The main adverse events (AEs) were grade 3/4 hematologic toxicities such as neutropenia (90%), anemia (50%), and thrombocytopenia (70%). Other main non-hematologic AEs were grade 1/2 nausea/vomiting (40%) and infection (50%). No renal toxicity or treatment-related death occurred.ConclusionDecitabine with a modified DHAP regimen can improve the treatment response and prognosis of R/R-DLBCL patients with good tolerance to AEs, suggesting this regimen has potential as a possible new treatment option for R/R-DLBCL patients after second-line treatment failure.Clinical Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT03579082

Lattice QCD and Particle Physics

Contribution from the USQCD Collaboration to the Proceedings of the US Community Study on the Future of Particle Physics (Snowmass 2021).Comment: 27 pp. main text, 4 pp. appendices, 30 pp. reference

Lattice QCD and Particle Physics

Contribution from the USQCD Collaboration to the Proceedings of the US Community Study on the Future of Particle Physics (Snowmass 2021)

Leading factors in job satisfaction of Chinese seafarers

One needs special skills and training to become a seafarer. Seafarers are unique and the most important human resources for the shipping industry. As a major seafarer supply nation, China has to improve quality and increase retention rate to achieve sustainable development for its shipping industry. This paper is to investigate the main factors that contribute to job satisfaction of Chinese seafarer, which factor has a significant bearing on the retention rate in the seafaring profession. The data used in this study was collected through questionnaires, and a structural equation modelling (SEM) method is used to test and estimate causal relations by using a combination of statistical data and qualitative causal assumptions. The results show that the promotion is the most significant factor in job satisfaction, followed by salary and benefits, working environment and feeling of status. This paper further examines relevant measures that can be taken at both national and management levels to increase the retention rate of seafarers. The study provides a scientific basis for policy-making in national maritime education and training, and ship and crew management.Department of Logistics and Maritime Studie

Insecticidal Activity of 11 Bt toxins and 3 Transgenic Maize Events Expressing Vip3Aa19 to Black Cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel)

Black cutworm (BCW), Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel), is an occasional pest of maize that can cause considerable economic loss and injury to corn seedlings. This research mainly assessed the susceptibility of BCW neonates to 11 Bt toxins (Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, Cry1Ah, Cry1F, Cry1Ie, Cry1B, Cry2Aa, Vip3_ch1, Vip3_ch4, Vip3Ca2, Vip3Aa19) by exposing neonates to an artificial diet containing Bt toxins and evaluated the efficacy of three transgenic maize events (C008, C009, C010) expressing Vip3Aa19 toxin against BCW. The toxin-diet bioassay data indicated that Vip3Aa19 protein (LC50 = 0.43 μg/g) was the most active against BCW. Chimeric protein Vip3_ch1 (LC50 = 5.53 μg/g), Cry1F (LC50 = 83.62 μg/g) and Cry1Ac (LC50 = 184.77 μg/g) were less toxic. BCW was very tolerant to the other Bt toxins tested, with LC50 values more than 200 μg/g. Greenhouse studies were conducted with artificial infestations at the whorl stage by placing second-instar BCW larvae into whorl leaf and the fourth-instar larvae at the base of maize seedings. These results suggest that these transgenic maize events expressing Vip3Aa19 can provide effective control for BCW

Transcriptome Analysis of <i>Rhododendron liliiflorum</i> H. Lév. Flower Colour Differences

Rhododendron liliiflorum H. Lév., with white outer edges and yellow inner edges of petals, is an ornamental flower that originated in China. In this study, we analysed the white (W) and yellow (Y) parts of R. liliiflorum flowers by RNA sequencing. Then, unigene assembly, unigene annotation, and classification of Eukaryotic Orthologous Groups (KOGs) were performed. Gene ontology (GO) classification and pathway enrichment analysis for unigenes were also conducted. A total of 219,221 transcripts and 180,677 unigenes of R. liliiflorum were obtained from 48.52 Gb of clean reads. Differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis indicated that 2310 unigenes were upregulated and 3062 were downregulated in W vs. Y. Thirty-six of these DEGs were involved in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. Pathway enrichment analysis showed that DEGs were significantly enriched in phenylpropanoid, flavonoid, and isoflavone biosynthesis. The expression of dihydroflavonol-4-reductase (DFR) and chalcone synthase (CHS) may affect differences in R. liliiflorum flower colour. The findings on flavonoid biosynthesis and other related genes in this study will provide guidance for exploring the mechanism of flower colour formation in Rhododendron

TIPE2 suppresses progression and tumorigenesis of esophageal carcinoma via inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Abstract Background Esophageal carcinoma is the eighth prevalent malignancy and ranks the sixth in carcinoma-related death worldwide. Tumor necrosis factor-α-induced protein-8 like-2 (TIPE2) has been identified as a tumor suppressor in multiple carcinomas. However, its roles and molecular mechanisms underlying esophageal carcinoma progression are still undefined till now. Methods RT-qPCR assay was employed to detect the expression of TIPE2 mRNA. TIPE2 protein expression was measured by using western blot assay. Ad-V and Ad-TIPE2 adenoviruses were constructed to overexpress TIPE2. The effects of TIPE2 overexpression on cell proliferation, invasion and apoptosis were assessed by MTT and Edu incorporation assays, transwell invasion assay and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. The effect of TIPE2 overexpression on xenograft tumor growth was determined by measuring tumor volume and weight, together with immunohistochemistry assay. The effect of TIPE2 overexpression on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was evaluated by detecting the protein levels of β-catenin, c-Myc and cyclinD1 in EC9076 cells and xenograft tumors of esophageal carcinoma. Results TIPE2 expression was downregulated in esophageal carcinoma tissues and cells. Adenovirus-mediated TIPE2 overexpression suppressed cell proliferation and invasion, and induced apoptosis in esophageal carcinoma cells. Enforced expression of TIPE2 inhibited tumor growth in vivo, as evidenced by the reduced tumor volume, tumor weight and proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression. Overexpression of TIPE2 inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in esophageal carcinoma in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions These results suggest that TIPE2 suppressed progression and tumorigenesis of esophageal carcinoma via inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway