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Abstract The emergence of bacterial resistance due to the evolution of microbes under antibiotic selection pressure, and their ability to form biofilm, has necessitated the development of alternative antimicrobial therapeutics. Physical stimulation, as a powerful antimicrobial method to disrupt microbial structure, has been widely used in food and industrial sterilization. With advances in nanotechnology, nanophysical antimicrobial strategies (NPAS) have provided unprecedented opportunities to treat antibiotic‐resistant infections, via a combination of nanomaterials and physical stimulations. In this review, NPAS are categorized according to the modes of their physical stimulation, which include mechanical, optical, magnetic, acoustic, and electrical signals. The biomedical applications of NPAS in combating bacterial infections are systematically introduced, with a focus on their design and antimicrobial mechanisms. Current challenges and further perspectives of NPAS in the clinical treatment of bacterial infections are also summarized and discussed to highlight their potential use in clinical settings. The authors hope that this review will attract more researchers to further advance the promising field of NPAS, and provide new insights for designing powerful strategies to combat bacterial resistance.

Abstract Background Tobacco use is one of the most important risk factors for health, and China is the largest producer and consumer of tobacco in the world. Monitoring and controlling the tobacco epidemic is an important issue. However, the motivation underlying smoking behavior is complex and specific to the individual. The Habit, Reward and Fear Scale (HRFS) is a feasible tool to evaluate this complex motivation. Objectives To validate the psychometric properties of the HRFS Chinese version (HRFS‐C) and to assess the relationship between motivation and smoking behavior. Method We recruited 967 participants through social media and assessed their smoking behavior with three instruments: the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence‐Chinese version (FTND‐C), the Questionnaire on Smoking Urges‐Brief Scale‐Chinese version (QSU‐brief‐C), and the HRFS‐C. Ultimately, we retained 700 valid data points. Cronbach's α and split‐half tests were used to evaluate the reliability. Confirmatory factor analysis, Pearson's r and an analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to evaluate the validity. In addition, linear regression was used to explore the relationship among the three instruments. The HRFS‐C showed good homogeneity (α = 0.965), concurrent validity, and discriminant validity. A significant linear relationship was observed among the FTND‐C, QSU‐brief‐C, and HRFS‐C (p

Abstract Objectives Although axitinib has achieved a preferable response rate for advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), patient survival remains unsatisfactory. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of a combination treatment of axitinib and a low dose of pembrolizumab‐activated autologous dendritic cells–co‐cultured cytokine‐induced killer cells in patients with advanced RCC. Methods All adult patients, including treatment‐naive or pretreated with VEGF‐targeted agents, were enrolled from May 2016 to March 2019. Patients received axitinib 5 mg twice daily and pembrolizumab‐activated dendritic cells–co‐cultured cytokine‐induced killer cells intravenously weekly for the first four cycles, every 2 weeks for the next four cycles, and every month thereafter. Results The 43 patients (22 untreated and 21 previously treated) showed a median progression‐free survival (mPFS) of 14.7 months (95% CI, 11.16–18.30). mPFS in treatment‐naive patients was 18.2 months, as compared with 14.4 months in pretreated patients (log‐rank P‐value = 0.07). Overall response rates were 25.6% (95% CI, 13.5–41.2%). Grade 3 or higher adverse events occurred in 5% of patients included hypertension (11.6%) and palmar‐plantar erythrodysesthesia (7.0%). Peripheral blood lymphocyte immunophenotype and serum cytokine profile analyses demonstrated increased antitumor immunity after combination treatment particularly in patients with a long‐term survival benefit, while those with a minimal survival benefit demonstrated an elevated proportion of peripheral CD8+TIM3+ T cells and lower serum‐level immunostimulatory cytokine profile. Conclusions The combination therapy was active and well tolerated for treatment of advanced RCC, either as first‐ or second‐line treatment following other targeted agents. Changes in immunophenotype and serum cytokine profile may be used as prognostic biomarkers.

Abstract Objectives Fluoropyrimidine‐based chemotherapy regimens are the current first‐line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC); however, the outcome is often unsatisfactory. The present study aimed to determine the effect of combined cytokine‐induced killer (CIK) cell immunotherapy and first‐line chemotherapy in patients with mCRC. Methods This retrospective study included 252 patients with mCRC treated with first‐line chemotherapy. Among them, 126 patients received first‐line chemotherapy only (control group), while the other 126 patients, with similar demographic and clinical characteristics, received CIK cell immunotherapy combined with first‐line chemotherapy (CIK group). Overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS) were compared between the two groups using the Kaplan–Meier method. Results The median OS for the CIK group was 54.7 versus 24.1 months for the controls, and the median PFS for the CIK group was 25.7 versus 14.6 months for the controls. Univariate and multivariate analyses indicated that CIK cell treatment was an independent prognostic factor for patients' OS and PFS. Subgroup analyses showed that CIK cell treatment significantly improved the OS and PFS of patients with metastatic colon cancer, but not those with metastatic rectal cancer. Additionally, the change in CD3+CD56+ subsets after the fourth treatment cycle might be an indicator of successful CIK cell treatment: Patients with increased CD3+CD56+ subsets had better survival than those with decreased CD3+CD56+ subsets. Conclusion Cytokine‐induced killer cell immunotherapy combined with first‐line chemotherapy could significantly improve the OS and PFS of patients with mCRC, particularly for patients with metastatic colon cancer.