Decreased expression of speckle-type POZ protein for the prediction of poor prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Speckle-type POZ domain protein (SPOP) has been acknowledged as a tumor suppressor gene in numerous types of cancer. However, SPOP expression and its prognostic role in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain unknown. The present study investigated SPOP expression in NSCLC and evaluated its prognostic significance in patients with NSCLC. The results demonstrated that SPOP expression was significantly downregulated in NSCLC tissues at the mRNA and protein level compared with normal lung tissues using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and western blot analysis. Immunohistochemical staining results also demonstrated that SPOP was expressed at a low level in 84.1% (132/157) of NSCLC samples and at a high level in 52.2% (12/23) of normal lung samples, whereby the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). In addition, it was revealed that the level of SPOP was associated with histologic type (P=0.003), tumor differentiation (P=0.046), tumor size (P=0.0036), lymph node metastasis (P=0.041) and clinical stages (P=0.046). Furthermore, the overall survival of patients with high SPOP expression was significantly increased compared with that of patients with low SPOP expression (P=0.003). These results revealed that SPOP expression was downregulated in NSCLC tissues and associated with poor prognosis in patients with NSCLC, suggesting that SPOP is an independent prognostic marker candidate for NSCLC.

[Effects of sprinkler irrigation on the plant nitrogen accumulation and translocation and kernel protein content of winter wheat].

Taking wheat cultivar Bainong AK58 as test material, a field experiment was conducted to study the plant nitrogen accumulation and translocation and kernel protein content of winter wheat under sprinkler irrigation and surface irrigation, aimed to understand the differences in the nitrogen metabolism characteristics of winter wheat under different irrigation regimes. At booting stage, no significant difference was observed in the total amount of plant nitrogen accumulation between sprinkler irrigation and surface irrigation; while from booting stage to maturing stage, the total amount of plant nitrogen accumulation under sprinkler irrigation was significantly higher. Under sprinkler irrigation, the translocation amount and contribution rate of the nitrogen stored in leaf, glume, stem and sheath at pre-anthesis to the kernel increased, while the contribution rate of the assimilated nitrogen after anthesis to the kernel nitrogen declined. Both the relative protein content and the total protein yield in the kernel increased significantly under sprinkler irrigation. In conclusion, sprinkler irrigation could significantly regulate the nitrogen translocation and kernel protein accumulation of winter wheat.

[Effects of 5-aminolevulinic acid on winter wheat dry matter accumulation after anthesis and flag leaf senescence].

Taking wheat cultivar Bainong AK58 as test material, a field experiment was conducted to study the effects of different concentration 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) (0,10, 30 and 50 mg x L(-1)) applied at initial heading stage on the post-anthesis dry matter accumulation and flag leaf senescence of the cultivar. Applying 10-50 mg x L(-1) of ALA benefited the dry matter accumulation, with its total amount at maturing stage being significantly higher than that of the control (0 mg x L(-1) ALA). 10-50 mg x L(-1) of ALA had no significant effects on the distribution of accumulated dry matter in leaf, stem and sheath, and grain, but increased the contribution of the dry matter to grain yield. 10-50 mg x L(-1) of ALA increased the leaf area index at milky and dough stages, but had no effects on it at flowering stage. After treated with 10-50 mg x L(-1) ALA, the leaf SPAD value and net photosynthetic rate from anthesis to milky stage were significantly higher, and the MDA content and relative electric conductivity at later grain-filling stage were lower, compared with those of the control. Applying 10-50 mg x L(-1) of ALA increased the grain number per spike, 1000-grain mass, and grain yield significantly, with the best effect when applying 30 mg x L(-1) ALA.

1-(5-Bromo-2-hydr-oxy-4-methoxy-phen-yl)ethanone.

In the title compound, C(9)H(9)BrO(3), the dihedral angle between the ethanone group and the aromatic ring is 3.6 (2)°. The mol-ecular conformation is consolidated by an intra-molecular O-H⋯O hydrogen bond. The crystal structure is stabilized by π-π inter-actions between the benzene rings [centroid-centroid distance = 3.588 (2) Å].

[Association between residual sleepiness and central sleep apnea events in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible association between residual sleepiness (RS) and central sleep apnea events in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) following continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment, as well as the effects of adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) on RS. METHODS: Following correct application of CPAP treatment and exclusion of other sleepiness-associated disorders, 50 patients with moderate-to-severe OSAS were recruited, including 26 patients with RS (RS group) and 24 patients without RS (control group). The treatment of one month's auto-CPAP (AutoCPAP) followed by one week ASV with autoCS2 ventilator was performed. Comparisons were made separately before treatment, on AutoCPAP and ASV treatments in both groups of the following parameters: polysomnographic parameters including central sleep apnea index (CSAI), micro-arousal index (MAI), etc; daytime Epworth sleepiness score (ESS), and possibly sleepiness-associated factor, i.e., plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Plasma TNF-alpha levels were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). t test and single factor analysis of variances were used for comparison between two groups and within group respectively. q test was used for couple comparison within group at 3 different stages. Pearson correlation test was performed for correlation analysis between 2 variables. RESULTS: Before treatment there was no significant difference between two groups in apnea hypopnea index (AHI), MAI, minimal pulse oxygen saturation (minSpO2), ESS and plasma TNF-alpha levels (t: 0.630, 1.223, 0.691, 0.764 and 0.19 2, all P > 0.05). However, the CSAI in RS group was significantly higher than that in the control group [(7.19 +/- 1.75) times/h vs (3.37 +/- 1.04) times/h, t = 4.097, P < 0.05)]. After 1 month's AutoCPAP treatment there was a significant decrease in AHI, CSAI, MAI and ESS in both groups (q: 0.87-112.55, all P < 0.05), but CSAI, MAI and ESS in the RS group than those in the control group [CSAI: (7.19 +/- 1.75) times/h vs (3.37 +/- 1.04) times/h, t = 9.473, P < 0.05; MAI: (9.00 +/- 1.95) times/h vs (2.36 +/- 0.66) times/h, t = 14.385, P < 0.05; ESS: 9.54 +/- 0.51 vs 5.42 +/- 1.32, t = 2.857, P < 0.05). On one weeks' ASV treatment there was such a further significant decrease in CSAI, MAI and daytime ESS in the RS group and the control group. In addition, compared with the plasma TNF-alpha level before treatment in the RS group, there was no statistical difference on AutoCPAP treatment but a significant decrease on ASV treatment. Plasma TNF-alpha levels were positively correlated with ESS (r = 0.503, P < 0.01) and MAI (r = 0.545, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: RS in OSAS patients following CPAP treatment was associated with their CSAI before and during treatment. By effectively eliminating CSA events with ASV, RS was significantly improved, which suggested that ASV was effective in treatment of RS. The elevation of plasma TNF-alpha level was correlated with the severity of sleepiness and may be involved in the pathogenesis of RS.