MicroRNA-204 targets SOX4 to inhibit metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: The dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been found in human cancers. In this study, the functions of miR-204 and SOX4 (sex-determining region Y-box 4) and their interaction on lung adenocarcinoma cell metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: MiR-204 and SOX4 expressions were examined via quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in lung adenocarcinoma. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of SOX4 and EMT markers. The relationship between miR-204 and SOX4 was verified by a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Transwell assay was utilized to explore the functions of miR-204 and SOX4 associated with lung adenocarcinoma metastasis. RESULTS: First, downregulation of miR-204 was examined in lung adenocarcinoma tissues. Moreover, overexpression of miR-204 inhibited metastasis and EMT of lung adenocarcinoma cells. In addition, SOX4 has been shown to be a direct target of miR-204 in lung adenocarcinoma. SOX4 silencing suppressed cell metastasis and EMT in lung adenocarcinoma. And the upregulation of SOX4 impaired the inhibitory effect of miR-204 on lung adenocarcinoma metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: MiR-204 inhibited cell metastasis and EMT in lung adenocarcinoma through targeting SOX4.

Imported cases and minimum temperature drive dengue transmission in Guangzhou, China: evidence from ARIMAX model.

Dengue is the fastest spreading mosquito-transmitted disease in the world. In China, Guangzhou City is believed to be the most important epicenter of dengue outbreaks although the transmission patterns are still poorly understood. We developed an autoregressive integrated moving average model incorporating external regressors to examine the association between the monthly number of locally acquired dengue infections and imported cases, mosquito densities, temperature and precipitation in Guangzhou. In multivariate analysis, imported cases and minimum temperature (both at lag 0) were both associated with the number of locally acquired infections (P < 0.05). This multivariate model performed best, featuring the lowest fitting root mean squared error (RMSE) (0.7520), AIC (393.7854) and test RMSE (0.6445), as well as the best effect in model validation for testing outbreak with a sensitivity of 1.0000, a specificity of 0.7368 and a consistency rate of 0.7917. Our findings suggest that imported cases and minimum temperature are two key determinants of dengue local transmission in Guangzhou. The modelling method can be used to predict dengue transmission in non-endemic countries and to inform dengue prevention and control strategies.

Development of an empirical model to predict malaria outbreaks based on monthly case reports and climate variables in Hefei, China, 1990-2011.

Malaria remains a significant public health concern in developing countries. Drivers of malaria transmission vary across different geographical regions. Climatic variables are major risk factor in seasonal and secular patterns of P. vivax malaria transmission along Anhui province. The study aims to forecast malaria outbreaks using empirical model developed in Hefei, China. Data on the monthly numbers of notified malaria cases and climatic factors were obtained for the period of January 1st 1990 to December 31st 2011 from the Hefei CDC and Anhui Institute of Meteorological Sciences, respectively. Two logistic regression models with time series seasonal decomposition were used to explore the impact of climatic and seasonal factors on malaria outbreaks. Sensitivity and specificity statistics were used for evaluating the predictive power. The results showed that relative humidity (OR = 1.171, 95% CI = 1.090-1.257), sunshine (OR = 1.076, 95% CI = 1.043-1.110) and barometric pressure (OR = 1.051, 95% CI = 1.003-1.100) were significantly associated with malaria outbreaks after adjustment for seasonality in Hefei area. The validation analyses indicated the overall agreement of 70.42% (sensitivity: 70.52%; specificity: 70.30%). The research suggested that the empirical model developed based on disease surveillance and climatic conditions may have applications in malaria control and prevention activities.

Risk assessment of dengue fever in Zhongshan, China: a time-series regression tree analysis.

Dengue fever (DF) is the most prevalent and rapidly spreading mosquito-borne disease globally. Control of DF is limited by barriers to vector control and integrated management approaches. This study aimed to explore the potential risk factors for autochthonous DF transmission and to estimate the threshold effects of high-order interactions among risk factors. A time-series regression tree model was applied to estimate the hierarchical relationship between reported autochthonous DF cases and the potential risk factors including the timeliness of DF surveillance systems (median time interval between symptom onset date and diagnosis date, MTIOD), mosquito density, imported cases and meteorological factors in Zhongshan, China from 2001 to 2013. We found that MTIOD was the most influential factor in autochthonous DF transmission. Monthly autochthonous DF incidence rate increased by 36·02-fold [relative risk (RR) 36·02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 25·26-46·78, compared to the average DF incidence rate during the study period] when the 2-month lagged moving average of MTIOD was >4·15 days and the 3-month lagged moving average of the mean Breteau Index (BI) was ⩾16·57. If the 2-month lagged moving average MTIOD was between 1·11 and 4·15 days and the monthly maximum diurnal temperature range at a lag of 1 month was <9·6 °C, the monthly mean autochthonous DF incidence rate increased by 14·67-fold (RR 14·67, 95% CI 8·84-20·51, compared to the average DF incidence rate during the study period). This study demonstrates that the timeliness of DF surveillance systems, mosquito density and diurnal temperature range play critical roles in the autochthonous DF transmission in Zhongshan. Better assessment and prediction of the risk of DF transmission is beneficial for establishing scientific strategies for DF early warning surveillance and control.

Ontogeny of the stomach in yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco): detection and quantifictation of pepsinogen and H+/K+ -ATPase gene expression.

Yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco) is an important commercial species with high aquaculture potential in China. To better understand the process of digestive functioning of gastric gland development during the larval from 1 dph (day post-hatching) to 30 dph, real-time PCR was used to detect and quantify the pepsinogen and H(+) /K(+) -ATPase gene expression in P. fulvidraco. These data were also compared with the adult situation. The results showed that the expression of pepsinogen and H(+) /K(+) -ATPase genes in P. fulvidraco larvae both started at 1 dph, though the expression level was very low until 3 dph. The quantification of pepsinogen gene expression increased significantly from 4 to 8 dph, increased fluctuantly from 8 to 23 dph and rose sharply from 23 to 30 dph. In comparison with adult fish, there were no significant differences with larvae at 5 and 23 dph. However, data of 10 and 30 dph larvae were obviously higher than those of adult group. H(+) /K(+) -ATPase gene expression increased linearly from 1 to 30 dph. However, it was significantly lower than that of adult. The results show that P. fulvidraco larvae have an earlier functional stomach, though the function of the stomach is still not perfect. There is a gradual acidification environment within the stomach during the P. fulvidraco larvae development. Based on these results, we suggest that the weaning time for P. fulvidraco larvae would be much better after 23 dph.

Lack of replication of a previously reported association between polymorphism in the 3'UTR of the alpha-synuclein gene and Parkinson's disease in Chinese subjects.

Recent studies have implicated polymorphisms in the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of the alpha-synuclein (SNCA) gene in the development of Parkinson's disease (PD). Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs356165 is one of polymorphisms located in the 3'UTR and its association with PD has been reported but remains controversial. Herein, we conducted a case-control study to further evaluate the possible association between SNP rs356165 and PD in Chinese. All subjects (330 PD patients and 300 normal controls) were successfully genotyped using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. No statistically significant difference in genotype frequency between cases and controls was observed (P=0.863), suggesting no association of SNP rs356165 with PD in our population. Thus, it may be premature to conclude an association between the 3'UTR of the SNCA gene and PD, and this association should be further examined in different ethnic populations.

Effect of the coil-globule transition on the free-energy barrier for intrachain crystal nucleation.

The rate of crystal nucleation of colloids and globular proteins can be enhanced by critical density fluctuations. It has been argued that a closely related phenomenon influences the rate of intramolecular "crystallization" of single-chain polymers. We report Monte Carlo simulations of the free-energy barrier that separates the crystalline state of a homopolymer chain from the disordered state. The simulations show that the barrier for nucleation of the ordered state is drastically lowered as the disordered state changes from a coil to a globule. We discuss the relation of the present findings to intramolecular nucleation of heteropolymers, such as proteins.

[Perspective study on effect of gandou tablet I on biliary trace elements in treating hepatolenticular degeneration].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of gandou tablet I (GDI), a Chinese herbal recipe, on the content of biliary trace elements in hepatolenticular degeneration(HLD) patients. METHODS: Before and after 4 weeks treatment by oral taken GDI, bile of 32 cases of HLD were collected by duodenal drainage for determining biliary trace elements, including copper, zinc, iron and calcium, by spectrophotometer of atom absorption spectrum, and compared with those of 30 cases of non-HLD patients as the control. RESULTS: The contents of copper, iron and copper/zinc ratio were obviously lower, while the content of calcium greatly higher (P < 0.01), in the HLD group before GDI treatment than those in the control (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), but the content of zinc was not significantly different between the two groups. The output of biliary copper after GDI treatment was significantly increased compared with that before treatment (P < 0.05), but the contents of zinc, iron, calcium and copper/zinc ratio were not markedly changed. CONCLUSION: The impediment to output of biliary copper was one of the mechanisms for copper storage in body of HLD patients. GDI could promote excretion of biliary copper in the HLD patients.