Assessing the effectiveness of camrelizumab plus apatinib versus sorafenib for the treatment of primary liver cancer: a single-center retrospective study

Abstract Although the effectiveness of camrelizumab plus apatinib has been confirmed in a phase II clinical study, the efficacy of camrelizumab plus apatinib versus sorafenib for primary liver cancer (PLC) remains unverified. We retrospectively collected the data of 143 patients with PLC who received camrelizumab plus apatinib or sorafenib as the first-line treatment at The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from April 2018 to November 2021. Of these, 71 patients received an intravenous injection of camrelizumab 200 mg (body weight ≥ 50 kg) or 3 mg/kg (body weight < 50 kg) followed by an oral dosage of apatinib 250 mg/day every 3 weeks and 72 patients received sorafenib 400 mg orally, twice a day in 28-day cycles. The primary outcomes were overall survival and progression-free survival. The secondary outcomes were objective response rate, disease control rate, and safety. The median median progression-free survival and median overall survival with camrelizumab plus apatinib and sorafenib were 6.0 (95% confidence interval (CI) 4.2–7.8) and 3.0 months (95% CI 2.3–3.7) and 19.0 (95% CI 16.4–21.6) and 12.0 months (95% CI 8.9–15.1), respectively (death hazard ratio: 0.61, P = 0.023). Grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events were noted in 50 (70.4%) patients in the camrelizumab plus apatinib group and 19 (26.4%) patients in the sorafenib group. Two treatment-related deaths were recorded. Clinically significant improvements were observed in overall survival and progression-free survival with camrelizumab plus apatinib versus sorafenib. Although the side effects of camrelizumab plus apatinib are relatively high, they can be controlled

Targeted Molecular Magnetic Resonance Imaging Detects Brown Adipose Tissue with Ultrasmall Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide

The peptide (CKGGRAKDC-NH2) specifically targets the brown adipose tissue (BAT). Here we applied this peptide coupled with polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) nanoparticles to detect BAT in vivo by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The peptide was conjugated with PEG-coated USPIO nanoparticles to obtain targeted USPIO nanoprobes. Then the nanoprobes for BAT were evaluated in mice. T2⁎-weighted images were performed, precontrast and postcontrast USPIO nanoparticles. Finally, histological analyses proved the specific targeting. The specificity of targeted USPIO nanoprobes was observed in mice. The T2⁎ relaxation time of BAT in the targeted group decreased obviously compared to the controls (P<0.001). Prussian blue staining and transmission electron microscope confirmed the specific presence of iron oxide. This study demonstrated that peptide (CKGGRAKDC-NH2) coupled with PEG-coated USPIO nanoparticles could identify BAT noninvasively in vivo with MRI

Isolation and Characterization of Broad Spectrum Coaggregating Bacteria from Different Water Systems for Potential Use in Bioaugmentation

<div><p>The bridging bacteria with broad-spectrum coaggregation ability play an important role during multispecies-biofilm development. In this study, through a visual and semi-quantitative assay, twenty-two bacterial strains with aggregation ability were obtained from 8 different water environments, and these strains were assigned to 7 genera according to their 16S rDNA and they were <i>Aeromonas</i>, <i>Bacillus</i>, <i>Comamonas</i>, <i>Exiguobacterium</i>, <i>Pseudomonas</i>, <i>Shewanella</i> and <i>Comamonas</i>. Furthermore, all possible 231 pairwise combinations among these 22 strains were explored for coaggregation ability by spectrophotometric assay. Among all these strains, it was found that <i>Bacillus cereus</i> G5 and <i>Bacillus megaterium</i> T1 coaggregated with themajority of assayed other strains, 90.5% (19 of 21 strains) and 76.2% respectively (17 of 21 strains) at a higher coaggregation rates (A.I. greater than 50%), indicating they have a broad-spectrum coaggregation property. The images of coaggregates also confirmed the coexistence of G5 and T1 with their partner strains. Biofilm biomass development of G5 cocultured with each of its partner strains were further evaluateded. The results showed that 15 of 21 strains, when paired with G5, developed greater biofilm biomass than the monocultures. Furthermore, the images from both fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated that G5 and A3-GFP (a 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid-degrading strain, staining with gfp),could develop a typical spatial structure of dual-species biofilm when cocultured. These results suggested that bridging-bacteria with a broad spectrum coaggregating ability, such as G5,could mediate the integration of exogenous degrading bacteria into biofilms and contribute to the bioaugmentation treatment.</p></div

The characterization and identification of bacterial isolates by sequencing of 16S rRNA genes.

<p>The characterization and identification of bacterial isolates by sequencing of 16S rRNA genes.</p

Numbers of strains pairings and their percentages for each of the 22 strains at 2 h (a) and 20 h (b) in different A.I. ranges (A.I.: coaggregation index).

<p>The bacteria were incubated at 20°C for 2 h or 20 h.</p

Association of Serum Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase and Ferritin with the Metabolic Syndrome

Aim. To investigate the relationship among GGT, ferritin, and the risk of metabolic syndrome. Methods. A total of 1024 eligible individuals of the Chinese Yi ethnic group were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The presence of metabolic syndrome was determined using the revised NCEP-ATP III and CDS criteria. Odds ratios for the metabolic syndrome and its components for different groups based on the levels of GGT and ferritin were calculated using multiple logistic regressions. Results. Serum GGT and ferritin concentrations were significantly higher in subjects with metabolic syndrome compared to those without metabolic syndrome in both genders (p < 0.05). Serum GGT was positively correlated with ferritin (p < 0.05). The risk of the metabolic syndrome was significantly higher in female subjects who had elevated GGT and ferritin levels (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the increased risk of having each of the metabolic syndrome components (overweight or obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance) was also observed in those subjects after adjustment for possible confounders (p < 0.05). Conclusions. These data indicate that GGT and ferritin synergistically correlate with the risk of the metabolic syndrome, suggesting that they could potentially be used as predictive biomarkers for the metabolic syndrome

Scanning electron micrograph of the coaggregates.

<p>a: G5 with A3; b: G5 with M22; c: T1 with A3; d: T1 with M22; Larger G5 and T1 cells were surrounded by many smaller bacterial cells (A3 or M22), showing stable coaggregate mixtures.</p

Fluorescence microimages (a) and Scanning electron micrograph (b) of G5-A3/GFP biofilms.

<p>Biofilms were developed on slide surfaces and were visualized with FM and SEM using G5 and A3/GFP (expressing GFP). Two different sizes bacteria were observed in the structural biofilms.</p