Identification of an E3 ligase-encoding gene RFWD3 in non-small cell lung cancer / 医学前沿

In order to unveil ubiquitin pathway genes (UPGs) that are essential for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell proliferation, we recently conducted a siRNA screening experiment to knockdown the expression of 696 UPGs found in the human genome in A549 and H1975 NSCLC cells. We found that silencing of one of the candidates, RFWD3 that encodes an E3 ubiquitin ligase essential for the repair of DNA interstrand cross-links in response to DNA damage, led to dramatic inhibition of NSCLC cell proliferation with significant Z-scores. Knockdown of RFWD3 suppressed colony forming activity of NSCLC cells.We further evaluated the significance of RFWD3 in NSCLCs and found that this gene was more elevated in tumor samples than in paired normal lung tissues and was inversely associated with the clinical outcome of patients with NSCLC. Moreover, RFWD3 expression was significantly higher in smokers than in non-smokers. These results show for the first time that RFWD3 is required for NSCLC cell proliferation and may have an important role in lung carcinogenesis.

Carcinogens that induce the A:T > T:A nucleotide substitutions in the genome / 医学前沿

Recently, Ng et al. reported that the A:T > T:A substitutions, proposed to be a signature of aristolochic acid (AA) exposure, were detected in 76/98 (78%) of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from the Taiwan Province of China, and 47% to 1.7% of HCCs from the Chinese mainland and other countries harbored the nucleotide changes. However, other carcinogens, e.g., tobacco carcinogens 4-aminobiphenyl and 1,3-butadiene, air toxic vinyl chloride and its reactive metabolites chloroethylene oxide, melphalan and chlorambucil, also cause this signature in the genome. Since tobacco smoke is a worldwide public health threat and vinyl chloride distributes globally and is an air pollutant in Taiwan Province, the estimation of the patients' exposure history is the key to determine the "culprit" of the A:T > T:A mutations. Apparently, without estimation of the patients' exposure history, the conclusion of Ng et al. is unpersuasive and misleading.

Effects of Clostridium Butyricum Combined with Antibiotics on Postoperative Inflammatory Factors and Gastrointestinal Function of Patients with Acute Appendicitis after Laparoscopic Surgery / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of clostridium butyricum combined with antibiotics on inflammatory factors and gastrointestinal function of patients with acute appendicitis after laparoscopic surgery. METHODS:A total of 102 patients with acute appendicitis undergoing laparoscopic surgery in our hospital during Jan. 2014-Jan. 2015 were divided into observation group and control group according to odd-even admission number,with 51 cases in each group. Control group was given Cefuroxime sodi-um for injection,Metronidazole injection and Cefixime dispersible tablets for anti-infective therapy after surgery. Observation group was additionally given Clostridium butyricum capsule 1260 mg,tid,for consecutive 3 d,on the basis of control group. The levels of serum inflammatory factors(TNF-α,IL-6),gastrin(GAS)and motilin(MTL)were compared between 2 groups before surgery and 3 d after surgery. The time of gastrointestinal function recovery(the time of bowel sounds,the time of first flatus,the time of postoperative first defecation)and the occurrence of compliance were recorded in 2 groups. RESULTS:Before surgery,there was no statistical significance in the levels of serum inflammatory and GAS,MTL factors between 2 groups (P>0.05). 3 d after sur-gery,the levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and CRP in 2 groups were decreased significantly,while the levels of GAS and MTL were in-creased significantly;above indexes of observation group were significantly better than those of control group,with statistical sig-nificance(P<0.05). The time of bowel sounds,the time of first flatus and the time of postoperative first defecation in observation group were significantly shorter than control group,with statistical significance(P<0.05). The incidence of complications in obser-vation group was 3.92％,which was significantly lower than 15.69％of control group(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Clostridium bu-tyricum combined with antibiotics can effectively relieve inflammatory state of patients with acute appendicitis after laparoscopic sur-gery,promote gastrointestinal function recovery,and reduce the occurrence of complications.

Test and analysis of radioactivity levels in main agricultural production around a uranium mine in Northern Guangxi / 中华放射医学与防护杂志

Objective To investigate radioactivity levels in the main agriculture products around a uranium mine in Northern Guangxi.Methods The agriculture products and soil samples were collected and analyzed by using HPGe gamma ray spectrometer.Results The specific activity of 226Ra in radish (including leaf),radish leaves and radish,collected in one place,were 45.0,66.7 and 32.3 Bq/kg,respectively.Those of 226Ra and 23SU in the radish soil collected in the same place were 19 672 and 85 917 Bq/kg,respectively.The transfer coefficients of soil-to-radish and soil-to-leaves were 1.61 × 10-3 and 3.40 × 10-3,consistent with those reported in relevant literature.Radioactivity levels in agricultural products in another survey was in consistence with those in the national survey for food products.Radioactivity levels in soil elsewhere near the radish site was consistent with the results of the national soil radioactivive background survey.Conclusions The soil in this place has been contaminated by the nearby uranium mine.It is important to investigate this place further and take the necessary measures.

Using CT density-difference postprocessing in early diagnosis of acute middle cerebral artery occlusion / 中华神经科杂志

Objective To examine the feasibility by applying the CT density-difference postprocessing in early diagnosis of middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion. Methods The possible MCA occlusion patients were scanned with CT in early stage (within 3 hours) and divided into two groups randomly.Each group included 50 samples and one was processed technologically by CT density-difference and the other one was not.The two groups were scanned once more in 24 hours later and the data being processed by statistical method. Results The results showed that the accurate diagnosis rates were 14.3% within 60 minutes,93.3% from 60 to 119 minutes and 100% from 120 to 180 minutes .In comparing these two groups,there appeared no significant differences in the situation within 60 minutes and there was found significant difference in the other two situations. Conclusion Applying the technology of CT density-difference postprocessing,the middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion in early stage might be diagnosed.

Study on the relationship between vascular dementia in senitity and diffuse white matter lucencice / 临床神经病学杂志

Objective To analyse the relationship between vascular dementia in senitity and diffuse white matter lucencice.Methods Observing 54 patients older than 60 of diffuse white matter lucencice for three years with clinical methods CT and/or MRI.Diagnosing vascular dementia by MMSE and Hachinski.Results The degree of diffuse white matter lucencice within the 54 patients were 34 cases as first degree,14 cases as second degree, 6 cases as third degree in the first year, 17 cases, 19 cases and 18 cases in the second year restectively, 8 cases, 17 cases and 29 cases in the third year.The 6 cases of group suffer from the vascular dementia in senitity in the first year,13 cases in the second year,33 cases in the third year.The average annual growth was 32%.Conclusion Diffuse white matter lucencice is a critical factor of vascular dementia in senitity. The positive correlation between the degree of diffuse white matter lucencice and the occurrence of vascular dementia in senitity has been shown( r =0.82, P

Validation of the DNATyper~(TM)15 PCR amplification kit / 中国法医学杂志

Objective Developmental validation studies were designed according to the standards of forensic DNA community on DNATyperTM15 kit,which simultaneously amplifies 14 STR loci(D6S1043、D21S11、D7S820、CSF1PO、D2S1338、D3S1358、D13S317、D8S1179、D16S539、Penta E、D5S818、VWA、D18S51、FGA)and amelogenin,a sex-determining locus.Methods Several key factors were tested including:Ⅰ.amount of hot-start Taq polymerase;Ⅱ.annealing temperature;Ⅲ.sensitivity;Ⅳ.reaction volume;Ⅴ.cycle number;Ⅵ.primer concentration.DNATyperTM15 was also compared with two other widely used commercial STR amplification kits,namely IdentifilerTM and PowerPlex.Results No difference in performance was observed with three lots of DNATyperTM15.Performance was not affected even after 20 times of repeated freeze-and-thaw.All three kits performed comparably in the following aspects:Ⅰ.sensitivity;Ⅱ.ability to genotype mixed samples;Ⅲ.amplification of DNA from various sample sources.DNA extraction methods(Chelex-100,magnetic beads,silica beads)did not result in any observable effect on performance with any of the three kits.Conclusion All the results demonstrated that DNATyperTM15 is suitable for both forensic DNA database work and casework.