RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Cryoablation (Cryo) is a minimally invasive treatment for tumors. Cryo can activate the body's immune response, although it is typically weak. The immune response induced by Cryo in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is poorly understood. PD-1 and CTLA-4 monoclonal antibodies are immune checkpoint inhibitors used in immunotherapy for tumors. The combined use of these antibodies with Cryo may enhance the immune effect. METHODS: A Balb/c mouse model of HCC was established and treated with Cryo, immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), or Cryo + ICB (combination therapy). The growth trend of right untreated tumors and survival time of mice were determined. The expression of apoptosis-related proteins was detected by Western blot (WB) assay. The percentages of immune cells and immunosuppressive cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. The numbers of infiltrating T lymphocytes were checked by immunohistochemistry, and the levels of T-cell-associated cytokines were detected by Quantitative real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) assays and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA) assays. RESULTS: Cryo + ICB inhibited the growth of right untreated tumors, promoted tumor cell apoptosis, and prolonged the survival time of mice. Local T-cell infiltration in right tumor tissues increased after the combination therapy, while the number of immunosuppressive cells was significantly reduced. In addition, the combination therapy may induce the production of multiple Th1-type cytokines but reduce the production of Th2-type cytokines. CONCLUSIONS: Cryo can activate CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell immune responses. Cryo + ICB can relieve the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and shift the Th1/Th2 balance toward Th1 dominance, further enhancing the Cryo-induced T-cell immune response and resulting in a stronger antitumor immune response.

Asunto(s)

Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Criocirugía , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Ratones Endogámicos BALB C , Animales , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/terapia , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/inmunología , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patología , Ratones , Neoplasias Hepáticas/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/inmunología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/terapia , Criocirugía/métodos , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/farmacología , Inhibidores de Puntos de Control Inmunológico/uso terapéutico , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Línea Celular Tumoral

RESUMEN

AIM: To test the contributions of self-efficacy, resilience, social support, and negative moods (i.e., anxiety, depression) to patient activation among persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: One hundred and twenty-two participants with SCI were recruited from the spinal surgery department at a large general hospital. During the period before discharge after surgery, standardized self-assessment questionnaires were used to collect data on patient activation, self-efficacy, resilience, social support, anxiety, depression, demographics (age, gender, education, marital status), and disease-related information (etiologies, level of injury, American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale score). Hierarchical regression analysis, mediation analysis, and moderation analysis were performed in SPSS, Amos, and Jamovi to determine the influencing factors of patient activation. RESULTS: Self-efficacy, resilience, social support, anxiety, and depression uniquely explained 38.2% (p < .001) of the variance in patient activation after controlling for demographic and disease-related covariates. The full model explained 53.7% (p < .001) of the variance in patient activation. In the mediation analysis, self-efficacy, resilience, and social support had partial mediating effects (p < .05). In the moderation analysis, marital status moderated the relationship between self-efficacy and patient activation (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Activation of persons with SCI is a positive psychosocial resource related to higher self-efficacy, resilience, and social support. Marital status may affect activation in persons with SCI. The causal relationship between these psychosocial variables needs to be proved by further intervention studies.

Asunto(s)

Autoeficacia , Traumatismos de la Médula Espinal , Humanos , Estudios Transversales , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Alta del Paciente , Traumatismos de la Médula Espinal/psicología

RESUMEN

Black carbon (BC), by the combustion of fossil fuels and biomass, has profound effects on climate change and glacier retreat in industrial eras. In the present study, we report refractory BC (rBC) in an ice core spanning 1850-2014, retrieved from the Hariqin Glacier of the Tanggula Mountains in the central Tibetan Plateau, measured using a single particle soot photometer (SP2). The rBC concentration shows a three-fold increase since the 1950s. The mean rBC concentration was 0.71 ± 0.52 ng mL-1 during 1850s-1940s and 2.11 ± 1.60 ng mL-1 during 1950s-2010s. The substantial increase in rBC since the 1950s is consistent with rBC ice core records from the Tibetan Plateau and Eastern Europe. According to the predominant atmospheric circulation patterns over the glacier and timing of changes in regional emissions, the post-1950 amplification of rBC concentration in the central Tibetan Plateau most likely reflects increases in emissions in Eastern Europe, former USSR, the Middle East, and South Asia. Despite the low-level background rBC concentrations in the ice cores from the Tibetan Plateau, the present study highlights a remarkable increase in anthropogenic BC emissions in recent decades and the consequent influence on glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau.