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The article discusses a research on rectification and diffusion of non-interacting self-propelled particle in a two-dimensional corrugated channel. Topics of discussion included were calculation of average velocity and the effective diffusion coefficient, types of Brownian ratchet models including flashing ratchets, correlation and entropic ratchets, and realization of self-propelled particles ranging from bacteria and spermatozoa to artificial colloidal microswimmers.

Background: Recent studies have indicated that the expression of endothelin A receptor (ETAR) and chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) could be used as an indicator of the metastatic potential of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of ETAR and CXCR4 in NPC patients and to reveal the interplay of the endothelin-1 (ET-1)/ETAR and stromal-derived factor-1(SDF-1)/CXCR4 pathways in promoting NPC cell motility. Methods: Survival analysis was used to analyze the prognostic value of ETAR and CXCR4 expression in 153 cases of NPC. Chemotaxis assays were used to evaluate alterations in the migration ability of non-metastatic 6-10B and metastatic 5-8F NPC cells. Real-time PCR, immunoblotting, and flow cytometric analyses were used to evaluate changes in the expression levels of CXCR4 mRNA and protein induced by ET-1. Results: The expression levels of ETAR and CXCR4 were closely related to each other and both correlated with a poor prognosis. A multivariate analysis showed that the expression levels of both ETAR and CXCR4 were independent prognostic factors for overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). The migration of 6-10B and 5-8F cells was elevated by ET-1 in combination with SDF-1α. The knockdown of ETAR protein expression by siRNA reduced CXCR4 protein expression in addition to ETAR protein expression, leading to a decrease in the metastatic potential of the 5-8F cells. ET-1 induced CXCR4 mRNA and protein expression in the 6-10B NPC cells in a time- and concentration-dependent fashion and was inhibited by an ETAR antagonist and PI3K/AKT/mTOR and MAPK/ERK1/2 pathway inhibitors. Conclusions: ETAR and CXCR4 expression levels are potential prognostic biomarkers in NPC patients. ETAR activation partially promoted NPC cell migration via a mechanism that enhanced functional CXCR4 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To clarify the feasibility and efficacy of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in elderly (age≥65 years) patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods: From January 2000 to December 2006, 101 newly diagnosed elderly non-metastatic NPC patients (age=65 years) who received cisplatin 3-weekly or weekly concurrent CRT with/without sequential chemotherapy were recruited. Each patient from the CRT group was matched to another patient treated with radiotherapy (RT) alone based on age, gender, pathological type, performance status, overall stage, stage method, Adult Comorbidity Evaluation-27 (ACE-27) score and RT technique, from the same institute and time period. We also recruited 101 young patients (age<65 years) as the referent group, which had been matched to the CRT group based on patient characteristics and treatment parameters. Treatment tolerability and toxicity were clarified, and treatment outcomes were calculated and compared among groups. Results: CRT was feasible in elderly NPC patients, while a concurrent regimen of weekly cisplatin was more tolerable. Grade=3 acute toxicity in CRT group was similar with referent group, although it was significantly higher than the RT alone group (65.3% vs. 43.6%, P=0.002). Furthermore, patients with ACE-27 score≥2 in the CRT group had significantly higher severe acute toxicity and dose reduction. Survival was poorer in elderly patients than the referent group. Compared to RT alone, CRT significantly improved the 5-year overall survival (OS: 54.6% vs. 39.3%, P=0.009), cancer-specific survival (CSS: 56.6% vs. 42.7%, P=0.022), disease-free survival (DFS: 51.6% vs. 30.2%, P=0.028) and locoregional relapse-free survival (LRRFS: 78.4% vs. 52.2%, P=0.003), but not distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS: 69.6% vs. 63.6%, P=0.669). However, CRT did not significantly improve 5-year OS (43.6% vs. 27.3%, P=0.893) or CSS (43.6% vs. 34.1%, P=0.971) in elderly NPC patients with ACE-27 score≥2. Conclusions: CRT is feasible and effective in elderly patients with locoregionally advanced NPC without severe comorbidities. CRT should be used under serious consideration and be further tested in elderly patients with severe comorbidities. As such, it is essential to perform a comprehensive evaluation of pretreatment comorbidity status for all elderly NPC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate the prognostic value of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (sVEGF) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods. sVEGF was prospectively detected in 306 patients with NPC with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay before treatment. The correlations between sVEGF and the survival of these patients were evaluated. Results. Patients were followed for at least 36 months. The mean sVEGF was 387.0 ng/L. sVEGF showed no difference in sex, age, and local recurrence. However, sVEGF was positively associated with histology, TNM classification, distant metastasis, and overall survival (OS; p < .05). The 4-year OS and distant metastasis–free survival (DMFS) of the high-sVEGF versus low-sVEGF groups were 68% versus 86% and 70% versus 89%, respectively (p < .05). Stratified analysis showed that patients with stage IVa,b, T4, N1, or Npositive disease with high VEGF levels had worse 4-year OS and 4-year DMFS than those with low VEGF levels (p < .05). Multifactorial Cox regression confirmed sVEGF was among the independent prognostic factors. Conclusion. Elevation of sVEGF in patients with NPC predicts more posttreatment distant metastases and shorter OS and can be used as an independent poor prognostic indicator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE:This study aimed to clarify the prognostic utility of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients in the Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) era. PATIENTS AND METHODS:In this observational study, 1,589 non-metastatic NPC patients treated with IMRT were recruited. Blood samples were collected before treatment for examination of hs-CRP levels. We evaluated the association of pretreatment hs-CRP levels with overall survival rate (OS), progression free survival rate (PFS), locoregional relapse free survival rate (LRFS) and distant metastasis free survival rate (DMFS). RESULTS:Baseline hs-CRP levels were correlated with sex, clinical stage, body mass index, smoking status, and EBV DNA level. Multivariate analysis showed that hs-CRP had significant association with OS (HR:1.723; 95%CI:1.238-2.398; p = 0.001), PFS (HR:1.621; 95%CI:1.273-2.064; p

The accumulation of an intratumoral CD4+ interleukin-17- producing subset (Th17) of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is a general characteristic in many cancers. The relationship between the percentage of Th17 cells and clinical prognosis differs among cancers. The mechanism responsible for the increasing percentage of such cells in NPC is still unknown, as is their biological function. Here, our data showed an increase of Th17 cells in tumor tissues relative to their numbers in normal nasopharynx tissues or in the matched peripheral blood of NPC patients. Th17 cells in tumor tissue produced more IFN-than did those in the peripheral blood of matched NPC patients and healthy controls. We observed high levels of CD154, G-CSF, CXCL1, IL-6, IL-8, and macrophage inhibitory factor (MIF) out of 36 cytokines examined in tumor tissue cultures. MIF promoted the generation and recruitment of Th17 cells mediated by NPC tumor cells in vitro; this promoting effect was mainly dependent on the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway and was mediated by the MIF-CXCR4 axis. Finally, the expression level of MIF in tumor cells and in TILs was positively correlated in NPC tumor tissues, and the frequency of MIF-positive TILs was positively correlated with NPC patient clinical outcomes. Taken together, our findings illustrate that tumor-derived MIF can affect patient prognosis, which might be related to the increase of Th17 cells in the NPC tumor microenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to screen the endophytic fungi that can enhance the host(Dendrobium catenatum) resistance to Sclerotium delphinii, the antagonism between each of the 43 endophytic fungi and the pathogen S. delphinii were tested. The results showed that 6 endophytic fungi(DCR2, DCR5, DCR21, DCR22, DCR42, DCR43) have strong activities against the pathogen, the inhibition rates were 49.2%, 49.2%, 47.2%, 56.2%, 53.2%, 48.0%, respectively. Then D. catenatum plantlets were inoculated with both S. delphinii and each of these six endophytic fungi. As a result, the incidence rates of leaves and stems of the D. catenatum plantlets inoculated with DCR2 and the pathogen were both significantly lower than those with other treatments, and the plantlet death rate was 0. It showed that DCR2 Trichoderma polysporum could effectively inhibit the southern blight disease of D. catenatum. Through the endophytic fungal re-isolation test, it was found that DCR2 can colonize in the roots, stems, and leaves of D. catenatum. The research will provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of the southern blight disease of D. catenatum. It is also significant for reducing pesticide use, ensuring food safety, and promoting the sustainable development of D. catenatum industry. Furthermore, it will provide a basis for the disease control in other crops.