Receptors for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is associated with microvessel density and is a prognostic biomarker for clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is involved in a variety of biological processes, including tumorigenisis. Previous studies have demonstrated that RAGE regulates the neo-angiogenesis related downstream molecule - vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2). Here, we investigated the potential relationship between RAGE, VEGFR-2 and angiogenesis in 80 renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients. Real-time quantitative PCR and ELISA analysis were used to explore the RAGE and VEGFR-2 gene expression levels and the protein of VEGFR-2 expression. Meanwhile, angiogenesis was detected by the semi-quantification of endothelial cell marker CD34 combined with caldesmon, which was detected by microvessel density (MVD) technique and immunohistochemistry. Tumors were classified as low or high RAGE-expressing using the median as the cut-off. Immunofluorescence staining for RAGE protein was performed as well. Additionally, the median gene expression levels of VEGFR-2 in the tumors were significantly lower expressing low levels of RAGE expression, 0.34 (95% CI, 0.28-0.39) compared to the expressing high levels of RAGE expression, 0.45 (95% CI, 0.29-0.61), (P=0.03). The median MVD was significantly lower in the tumors expressing low levels of RAGE, 6.5 (95% CI, 6.21-7.43), compared to the expressing high levels, 7.9 (95% CI, 6.25-8.93), (P<0.01). Further, a positive association was certified with VEGFR-2 protein levels, P=0.07. Besides, RCC with high levels of RAGE expression are associated with high VEGFR-2 mRNA/protein levels and a higher density of microvessels; conversely, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis suggests that a significant correlation of elevated RAGE expression with decreased overall survival and metastasis-free survival. Our results establish that RAGE was identified as a potential prognostic biomarker for disease prognosis of RCC.

[Maintenance capacity of plant community diversity of wetlands in patch scale].

Based on GIS and principal component analysis method, this paper analyzed the relationships between the patch characteristics and the plant community diversity in the patches of wetlands in Naoli River Watershed in 1950, 1967, 1983 and 2000. The results showed that in 1950-2000, the average patch size of the wetlands and the number of the patches that had the capacity of maintaining more than two types of wetland plant community decreased dramatically, and the minimum patch size was 10.1 km2. Both the plant community diversity index and the number of plant community types had significant positive correlations with the patch size of the wetlands. The larger the patch size, the higher maintenance capacity of plant community diversity. With the decrease of patch size, the patch fragmentation index and patch fragmental dimension increased, while the patch shape index and the plant community diversity index in the patches decreased. With the increase of patch spatial separation, the plant community diversity index in the patches decreased. Principal component analysis indicated that patch size was the most important factor affecting the plant community diversity of wetlands, followed by patch fragmentation and separation.

[Impact of heavy metals pollution on the community structure and spatial distribution of soil animals].

By sampling at 8 plots surrounding the coal-mining and coal-ash areas in Huannan City of Anhui Province, a total of 3859 individuals of soil macro-, meso-, and micro-fauna belonging to 22 groups, 9 classes and 4 phyla were collected. The dominant groups were Collembola, Acarina and Nematoda, accounting for 74% of the total, and the others were frequent and rare groups. Heavy metals pollution had powerful impact on soil animals. The individual numbers and groups of soil animals declined with the aggravation of heavy metals pollution from out of the dam site to the nearing site of coal-ash area in Luohe Power Plant, and showed an abnormal distribution or little change in vertical and disappeared in surface layer. The heavy metals pollution resulted in a decline in the diversity index, evenness and density-group index, but a rise in the dominance index of soil animals.