Predictors of lung adenocarcinoma with leptomeningeal metastases: A 2022 targeted-therapy-assisted molGPA model

Objective: To explore prognostic indicators of lung adenocarcinoma with leptomeningeal metastases (LM) and provide an updated graded prognostic assessment model integrated with molecular alterations (molGPA). Methods: A cohort of 162 patients was enrolled from 202 patients with lung adenocarcinoma and LM. By randomly splitting data into the training (80%) and validation (20%) sets, the Cox regression and random survival forest methods were used on the training set to identify statistically significant variables and construct a prognostic model. The C-index of the model was calculated and compared with that of previous molGPA models. Results: The Cox regression and random forest models both identified four variables, which included KPS, LANO neurological assessment, TKI therapy line, and controlled primary tumor, as statistically significant predictors. A novel targeted-therapy-assisted molGPA model (2022) using the above four prognostic factors was developed to predict LM of lung adenocarcinoma. The C-indices of this prognostic model in the training and validation sets were higher than those of the lung-molGPA (2017) and molGPA (2019) models. Conclusions: The 2022 molGPA model, a substantial update of previous molGPA models with better prediction performance, may be useful in clinical decision making and stratification of future clinical trials

Processing and in vitro assembly of virus like particle nanostructures

Virus-Like-Particles (VLPs) are self-assembling biomolecular nano-structures with current and potential uses in drug delivery, gene therapy and most notably as vaccines (the world's first successful cancer vaccine is composed of VLPs). The production process for murine polyomavirus VLPs is described, involving expression of the major precursor (VP1) in Escherichia coli with an N-terminal GST tag. Affinity Chromatography is used to capture the tagged precursor on resin and subsequent release of the precursor is achieved by enzymatic cleavage. Size exclusion chromatography is used to isolate precursor intermediate structures (capsomeres) from contaminants and these are then assembled in vitro into VLPs by dialysis. VLP structure has been validated qualitatively by transmission electron microscopy (TEM)

Analysis and prediction of the summer cooling load characteristics

Nowadays, cooling load is mainly attributable to upgrade of a new high of power grid load. An accurate calculation and prediction of cooling load can better meet power demands at peak hours in summer. Based on the historical summer cooling load and temperature data of Sichuan province, the characteristics of summer cooling load and temperature in Sichuan are examined firstly. Next, the random and nonlinear relations of power load are studied. Finally, the BP neural network model optimized by the genetic algorithm (GA) is employed to achieve accurate prediction of summer cooling load in Sichuan province. Results suggest that cooling load is closely connected with temperature and air-conditioner ownership, and that the BP neural network optimized by the GA is effective in predicting summer cooling load. To sum up, this research can provide solid basis for power load scheduling

Analysis and prediction of the summer cooling load characteristics

Nowadays, cooling load is mainly attributable to upgrade of a new high of power grid load. An accurate calculation and prediction of cooling load can better meet power demands at peak hours in summer. Based on the historical summer cooling load and temperature data of Sichuan province, the characteristics of summer cooling load and temperature in Sichuan are examined firstly. Next, the random and nonlinear relations of power load are studied. Finally, the BP neural network model optimized by the genetic algorithm (GA) is employed to achieve accurate prediction of summer cooling load in Sichuan province. Results suggest that cooling load is closely connected with temperature and air-conditioner ownership, and that the BP neural network optimized by the GA is effective in predicting summer cooling load. To sum up, this research can provide solid basis for power load scheduling

Bioengineering virus-like particles as vaccines

Virus-like particle (VLP) technology seeks to harness the optimally tuned immunostimulatory properties of natural viruses while omitting the infectious trait. VLPs that assemble from a single protein have been shown to be safe and highly efficacious in humans, and highly profitable. VLPs emerging from basic research possess varying levels of complexity and comprise single or multiple proteins, with or without a lipid membrane. Complex VLP assembly is traditionally orchestrated within cells using black-box approaches, which are appropriate when knowledge and control over assembly are limited. Recovery challenges including those of adherent and intracellular contaminants must then be addressed. Recent commercial VLPs variously incorporate steps that include VLP in vitro assembly to address these problems robustly, but at the expense of process complexity. Increasing research activity and translation opportunity necessitate bioengineering advances and new bioprocessing modalities for efficient and cost-effective production of VLPs. Emerging approaches are necessarily multi-scale and multi-disciplinary, encompassing diverse fields from computational design of molecules to new macro-scale purification materials. In this review, we highlight historical and emerging VLP vaccine approaches. We overview approaches that seek to specifically engineer a desirable immune response through modular VLP design, and those that seek to improve bioprocess efficiency through inhibition of intracellular assembly to allow optimal use of existing purification technologies prior to cell-free VLP assembly. Greater understanding of VLP assembly and increased interdisciplinary activity will see enormous progress in VLP technology over the coming decade, driven by clear translational opportunity. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2014;111: 425-440. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc