CPT1A mediates chemoresistance in human hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma via ATG16L1-dependent cellular autophagy.

Hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC) is a highly aggressive malignancy that constitutes approximately 95% of all hypopharyngeal carcinomas, and it carries a poor prognosis. The primary factor influencing the efficacy of anti-cancer drugs for this type of carcinoma is chemoresistance. Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A) has been associated with tumor progression in various cancers, including breast, gastric, lung, and prostate cancer. The inhibition or depletion of CPT1A can lead to apoptosis, curbing cancer cell proliferation and chemoresistance. However, the role of CPT1A in HSCC is not yet fully understood. In this study, we discovered that CPT1A is highly expressed in HSCC and is associated with an advanced T-stage and a poor 5-year survival rate among patients. Furthermore, the overexpression of CPT1A contributes to HSCC chemoresistance. Mechanistically, CPT1A can interact with the autophagy-related protein ATG16L1 and stimulate the succinylation of ATG16L1, which in turn drives autophagosome formation and autophagy. We also found that treatment with 3-methyladenine (3-MA) can reduce cisplatin resistance in HSCC cells that overexpress CPT1A. Our findings also showed that a CPT1A inhibitor significantly enhances cisplatin sensitivity both in vitro and in vivo. This study is the first to suggest that CPT1A has a regulatory role in autophagy and is linked to poor prognosis in HSCC patients. It presents novel insights into the roles of CPT1A in tumorigenesis and proposes that CPT1A could be a potential therapeutic target for HSCC treatment.

N4-acetylcytidine-dependent GLMP mRNA stabilization by NAT10 promotes head and neck squamous cell carcinoma metastasis and remodels tumor microenvironment through MAPK/ERK signaling pathway.

N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) is a post-transcriptional RNA modification that regulates in various important biological processes. However, its role in human cancer, especially lymph node metastasis, remains largely unknown. Here, we demonstrated N-Acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10), as the only known "writer" of ac4C mRNA modification, was highly expressed in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients with lymph node metastasis. High NAT10 levels in the lymph nodes of patients with HNSCC patients are a predictor of poor overall survival. Moreover, we found that high expression of NAT10 was positively upregulated by Nuclear Respiratory Factor 1 (NRF1) transcription factor. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments displayed that NAT10 promoted cell metastasis in mice. Mechanistically, NAT10 induced ac4C modification of Glycosylated Lysosomal Membrane Protein (GLMP) and stabilized its mRNA, which triggered the activation of the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. Finally, the NAT10-specific inhibitor, remodelin, could inhibit HNSCC tumorigenesis in a 4-Nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO)-induced murine tumor model and remodel the tumor microenvironment, including angiogenesis, CD8+ T cells and Treg recruitment. These results demonstrate that NAT10 promotes lymph node metastasis in HNSCC via ac4C-dependent stabilization of the GLMP transcript, providing a potential epitranscriptomic-targeted therapeutic strategy for HNSCC.

[Analysis of efficacy and prognosis of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and （or） surgery plus radiotherapy for hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma].

Objective:To analyze the risk factors that affect the prognosis of patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma（HPSCC） and to compare the efficacy of surgical resection followed by adjuvant radiotherapy（SR） with that of neoadjuvant therapy consisting of platinum-based chemotherapy and fluorouracil combined with either cetuximab or nimotuzumab, followed by SR. The study also aimed to evaluate the overall survival（OS） of patients, their postoperative eating function, tracheostomy decannulation rate, and tumor response to the two neoadjuvant chemotherapies. Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical records of HPSCC patients who received SR or neoadjuvant therapy followed by SR treatment at the Shanghai General Hospital from 2012 to 2019 and had not undergone any prior treatment. The prognostic factors were analyzed, and the survival analysis of patients who underwent SR treatment with two neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens was performed. Results:A total of 108 patients were included in the study. The results of the univariate analysis showed that gender（P=0.850） had no significant correlation with the survival rate of HPSCC patients who underwent SR. However, age, smoking history, alcohol consumption history, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio（PLR）, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio（NLR）, T stage, N stage, neoadjuvant therapy with either cetuximab or nimotuzumab combined with platinum-based chemotherapy and fluorouracil, and histological grade were significantly associated with prognosis（P<0.05）. The multivariate analysis revealed that smoking history, histological grade, and neoadjuvant therapy with either cetuximab or nimotuzumab combined with platinum-based chemotherapy and fluorouracil were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of HPSCC（P<0.05）. Patients who received neoadjuvant therapy had longer OS than those who underwent SR only（P<0.001）. There was no significant difference in tumor response to the two neoadjuvant therapies and in OS（P>0.05）, and there was no significant difference in the rate of oral feeding and tracheostomy decannulation among the three treatment groups（P>0.05）. Conclusion:Univariate analysis showed that age at tumor onset, smoking history, alcohol consumption history, NLR, PLR, T stage, N stage, whether receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and pathological grade were associated with the prognosis of HPSCC patients receiving SR treatment. Multivariate analysis showed that smoking history, pathological grade, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with cetuximab or nimotuzumab can prolong the OS of patients, providing a certain basis and reference for the treatment of HPSCC.

Oncological and functional impact of adjuvant treatments after open partial laryngeal surgery: a systematic review of the literature and a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The oncological and functional role of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) after open partial laryngeal surgery (OPLS) remains debatable. METHODS: A systematic review and a meta-analysis of the literature were conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. Outcomes of patients receiving OPLS with and without PORT for laryngeal cancer were summarized. RESULTS: In the 10 studies that were included in the meta-analysis, no significant difference emerged in terms of pooled overall survival between OPLS patients who did and who did not receive PORT (- 0.3%, 95% CI - 5.4 to 4.9%, p = 0.922). Only one study showed a significantly higher incidence of complications in the PORT cohort. CONCLUSIONS: PORT may apparently be performed after OPLS in face of adverse postoperative features without an increased risk of toxicities affecting the neolarynx. Because of the limitations in the available literature, the oncological and functional effects of PORT in this setting needs to be prospectively assessed to strengthen the evidence of this treatment strategy for laryngeal cancer.

Integrating metabolite and transcriptome analysis revealed the different mechanisms of characteristic compound biosynthesis and transcriptional regulation in tea flowers.

The flowers of tea plants (Camellia sinensis), as well as tea leaves, contain abundant secondary metabolites and are big potential resources for the extraction of bioactive compounds or preparation of functional foods. However, little is known about the biosynthesis and transcriptional regulation mechanisms of those metabolites in tea flowers, such as terpenoid, flavonol, catechins, caffeine, and theanine. This study finely integrated target and nontarget metabolism analyses to explore the metabolic feature of developing tea flowers. Tea flowers accumulated more abundant terpenoid compounds than young leaves. The transcriptome data of developing flowers and leaves showed that a higher expression level of later genes of terpenoid biosynthesis pathway, such as Terpene synthases gene family, in tea flowers was the candidate reason of the more abundant terpenoid compounds than in tea leaves. Differently, even though flavonol and catechin profiling between tea flowers and leaves was similar, the gene family members of flavonoid biosynthesis were selectively expressed by tea flowers and tea leaves. Transcriptome and phylogenetic analyses indicated that the regulatory mechanism of flavonol biosynthesis was perhaps different between tea flowers and leaves. However, the regulatory mechanism of catechin biosynthesis was perhaps similar between tea flowers and leaves. This study not only provides a global vision of metabolism and transcriptome in tea flowers but also uncovered the different mechanisms of biosynthesis and transcriptional regulation of those important compounds.

Exosomes Derived from Adipose Mesenchymal Stem Cells Carrying miRNA-22-3p Promote Schwann Cells Proliferation and Migration through Downregulation of PTEN.

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is often resulting from trauma, which leads to severe and permanently disability. Schwann cells are critical for facilitating the regeneration process after PNI. Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) exosomes have been used as a novel treatment for peripheral nerve injury. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we isolated ADSCs and extracted exosomes, which were verified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and western blot (WB). Cocultured with Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) and Schwann cells (SCs) to evaluate the effect of exosomes on the growth of DRG axons by immunofluorescence, and the proliferation and migration of SCs by CCK8 and Transwell assays, respectively. Through exosomal miRNA sequencing and bioinformatic analysis, the related miRNAs and target gene were predicted and identified by dual luciferase assay. Related miRNAs were overexpressed and inhibited, respectively, to clarify their effects; the downstream pathway through the target gene was determined by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and WB. Results found that ADSC-exosomes could promote the proliferation and migration of SCs and the growth of DRG axons, respectively. Exosomal miRNA-22-3p from ADSCs directly inhibited the expression of Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog deleted on Chromosome 10 (PTEN), activated phosphorylation of the AKT/mTOR axis, and enhanced SCs proliferation and migration. In conclusion, our findings suggest that ADSC-exosomes could promote SCs function through exosomal miRNA-22-3p, which could be used as a therapeutic target for peripheral nerve injury.

CSMD1 suppresses cancer progression by inhibiting proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, chemotherapy-resistance and inducing immunosuppression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Human CUB and Sushi multiple domains (CSMD1) is considered a crucial role in cancer progression, but the specific function in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is not clear. Understanding the role of CSMD1 in ESCC progression may lead to a novel strategy for ESCC treatment. Here, we found that both CSMD1 mRNA and protein levels were downregulated in ESCC tissues. Reduced CSMD1 expression was correlated with a poor prognosis in ESCC patients. CSMD1 expression inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion in ESCC cell lines in vitro. CSMD1 deficiency in established xenografted tumors increases tumor size and weight. We further found that CSMD1-overexpression cells are more sensitive to chemotherapy. Moreover, we addressed the role of CSMD1 in the CD8+ T cell immune response. An in vitro killing assay showed that the cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells was inhibited in CSMD1-overexpression tumor cells. In vivo, in CSMD1 deficiency tumor-bearing mice activation and expansion of CD8+ T cells were increased. Further investigation showed that CSMD1 expression on tumor cells was positively correlated with CD8+ T cells infiltration and cytokines secretion. These findings highlight that CSMD1 is a tumor suppressor gene in ESCC patients and a positive regulator of CD8+ T cells expansion and activation, and could increase cytokines secretion, indicating that tumor cell-associated CSMD1 might be a target for ESCC.

Prevalence and Characteristics of Erectile Dysfunction in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients.

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common and severe social problem. Erectile dysfunction (ED) is an important health concern. The prevalence of OSA with ED is increasing, which significantly affects the quality of life and work efficiency of patients. However, the mechanism underlying the comorbidity of these two diseases remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: (1) Investigate the prevalence of OSA with ED; (2) analyze the correlation between OSA and ED; and (3) explore the treatment response to and possible mechanism of uvulapalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) in patients with OSA and ED. This study aims to provide a theoretical basis for the clinical diagnosis and comprehensive treatment of OSA with ED and improve prevention and treatment strategies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 135 subjects were enrolled in the study. Clinical data, polysomnography, the ESS score, Beck anxiety score, Beck depression score, IIEF-5 score and ASEX score were recorded before UPPP and 6 months after UPPP. Sex hormones were measured for all subjects using a Roche electrochemiluminescence analyzer. RESULT: The prevalence of OSA with ED was 64.52%, and the prevalence of severe OSA with ED was 73.02%. The prevalence of OSA with ED increased with age, BMI and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) value. Among polysomnography indicators, minimum oxygen saturation and average oxygen saturation may predict the occurrence of OSA with ED. Improving the patient's anxiety and depression is very important for treating OSA with ED. Sex hormone levels were not significantly correlated with the occurrence of OSA with ED. CONCLUSION: ED is a common symptom of OSA patients. This study showed that sex hormone levels in OSA patients with ED were not significantly correlated with the condition, but further investigation of this relationship is worthwhile. It is recommended that the free and combined types of sex hormones be further distinguished during testing because the free type is the active form. UPPP surgical treatment is effective for OSA with ED, and its possible mechanism is protection of the peripheral nerves of the sex organs by improving nighttime hypoxia and arousal.

The RNA N6-Methyladenosine Demethylase FTO Promotes Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Proliferation and Migration by Increasing CTNNB1.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of RNA N6-methyladenosine demethylase fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). METHODS: Clinical data downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were used to analyze the relationship between mRNA levels of FTO, METTL3, METTL14, and ALKBH5, and the overall survival in cancer and para-cancer datasets. FTO expression in tumor and normal tissues was compared using immunohistochemistry, and its relationship with overall survival was analyzed based on the Kaplan-Meier method. The FaDu cell line with high FTO levels was chosen from five HNSCC cell lines for further experiments. FTO was verified as an oncogene in HNSCC by in vitro loss-of-function and overexpression studies, cell proliferation assay, wound healing assay, and identification of expression changes of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related markers. Catenin beta 1 (CTNNB1) was confirmed as a downstream target gene of FTO with additional methods like the GEPIA online tool, qRT-PCR, Western blotting, and dot blot assay. RESULTS: We found that FTO expression was significantly upregulated in HNSCC datasets and tissues. Increased FTO expression indicated a trend towards poor prognosis and was found to promote disease proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, cell proliferation assay, wound healing assay, and identification of expression changes of EMT-related markers demonstrated that FTO could act as an oncogene in HNSCC. FTO expression was significantly correlated with CTNNB1 expression. Moreover, it exerted a tumorigenic effect by increasing CTNNB1 expression in an m6A-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: FTO promotes head and neck squamous cell carcinoma proliferation and migration by increasing CTNNB1 in an m6A-dependent manner.

RNA methyltransferase NSUN2 promotes hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma proliferation and migration by enhancing TEAD1 expression in an m5C-dependent manner.

RNA methyltransferase NSUN2 is involved in cell proliferation and invasion in a variety of tumors. However, the expression, function, and mechanism of NSUN2 in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPSCC) remains unknown. We used a bioinformatics database, polymerase chain reaction, cell culture and transfection, immunohistochemistry, cell proliferation assay, wound healing experiments, transwell assays, western blotting, RNA-seq detection, dual-luciferase reporter assay, in vivo experiments, and a dot blot assay to evaluate the role of NSUN2 in HPSCC. NSUN2 mRNA and protein were highly expressed in HPSCC; NSUN2 knockdown in vitro and in vivo decreased cell proliferation and invasion. Studies have shown that TEAD1, a transcription factor, may act downstream of NSUN2 in HPSCC. NSUN2 was found to promote the proliferation and invasion of HPSCC by upregulating TEAD1 in an 5-methylcytosine-dependent manner, thereby representing an oncogene and potential new target for treating HPSCC.

Identification and functional analysis of a novel phospholipase D2 gene mutation associated with familial systemic lupus erythematosus. / ä¸Žå®¶æ—æ€§ç³»ç»Ÿæ€§çº¢æ–‘ç‹¼ç–®æœ‰å ³çš„PLD2åŸºå› æ–°çªå˜åŠå ¶åŠŸèƒ½åˆ†æž.

OBJECTIVES: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a kind of autoimmune inflammatory connective tissue disease which seriously endangers human health. Genetic factors play a key role in the pathogenesis of SLE. This study aims to investigate a novel phospholipase D2 (PLD2) mutation associated with familial SLE, and further explore the underlying mechanism of the mutation in SLE. METHODS: The blood samples from a SLE patient, the patient's parents, and 147 normal controls were collected and DNA was extracted. Whole genome high-throughput sequencing was performed in the patient and her parents and the results were further analyzed by various bioinformatics methods. The wild type (wt), mutant type (mu), and negative control PLD2 plasmids were further constructed and transfected into 293 cells. The expression level of HRAS protein in 293 cells was detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: In this SLE family, the female SLE patient and her mother, 1 in generation II and 1 in generation III had typical clinical manifestations of SLE, and all of them had lupus nephritis at early stage. The genetic characteristics are consistent with autosomal dominant inheritance. A novel PLD2 heterozygous mutation (c.2722C>T) was found in the patient and her mother, but not in her father and other normal controls. Compared with wtPLD2 plasmid and negative control PLD2 plasmid, the expression of HRAS in 293 cells transfected with muPLD2 plasmid was significantly up-regulated (both P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: PLD2 c.2722C>T mutation may be one of the pathogeny of SLE in this family.

Detection of human papillomavirus infection in laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinoma using droplet digital PCR and its correlation with prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: To use droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) to detect human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx and hypopharynx (SCCLHP) and to analyze its association with the prognosis of patients with HPV. METHODS: We used ddPCR for HPV detection in 114 patients with SCCLHP; clinical data were collected, and the patients were followed-up for prognosis analysis. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to complete the analysis of risk factors. This clinical study was registered (clinical trial registration no. ChiCTR2000033032). RESULT: Of the total cases, 15.79% (18/114) were HPV-positive and 8 (8/18, 44.4%) patients had tumors with HPV-16. There was a significant correlation between HPV-16 and the T classification and Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) (P = 0.025 and 0.036, respectively). The 3-year overall survival rates in the HPV-positive and HPV-negative patients were 39.8% and 48.6% (P = 0.776), respectively. In the univariate analysis, HPV infection was not associated with the relative risk of progression (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.109, P = 0.778). Patients with laryngeal carcinoma (HR = 1.805, P = 0.037), no alcohol consumption (HR = 0.430, P = 0.009), well-differentiated tumors (HR = 2.570, p = 0.006), TNM I-II (HR = 2.482, P = 0.003), and no lymph node metastasis (HR = 2.615, P = 0.001) had better prognoses. In the multivariate analysis, tumor location (HR = 3.044, P = 0.001), alcohol consumption (HR = 0.474, P = 0.022), tumor differentiation (HR = 2.131, P = 0.030), and lymph node metastasis (HR = 4.179, P < 0.001) were independent predictors of better overall survival in SCCLHP. CONCLUSION: ddPCR is an advanced technology that can accurately diagnose HPV infection with high specificity and sensitivity. The HPV infection rate in SCCLHP was low, and there was no significant difference in the prognosis of SCCLHP.

[Preparation of reversed-phase/hydrophilic chromatographic stationary phase based on dialdehyde microcrystalline cellulose-functionalized C18].

A novel reversed/hydrophilic chromatographic stationary phase based on dialdehyde microcrystalline cellulose (DMCC)-functionalized C18 was prepared by covalent bonding between the amino groups of octadecylamine with the aldehyde groups of DMCC, which was used in reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) modes. The prepared DMCC-functionalized C18 modified silica (C18-DMCC/SiO2) stationary phase exhibited good hydrophobic selectivity and aromatic selectivity by separating alkylbenzenes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the RPLC mode. Polar compounds, including anilines, phenols, and glycosides were chosen as analytes to evaluate the polar selectivity of this column in the RPLC mode, and the evaluation results were satisfactory compared with the commercial C18 column. Nucleobases were used for evaluating the hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography performance of the C18-DMCC/SiO2 column. By investigating the impact of organic solvent content on the retention, it could be found that this new stationary phase had the typical characteristics of reversed-phase/hydrophilic chromatography.

Preparation and chromatographic performance of a multifunctional immobilized chiral stationary phase based on dialdehyde microcrystalline cellulose derivatives.

A novel high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) multifunctional immobilized chiral stationary phase was prepared by bonding dialdehyde microcrystalline cellulose to aminosilica via Schiff base reaction and then derivatized with 3,5-dimethylphenyl isocyanate. The HPLC multifunctional immobilized chiral stationary phase could not only achieve chiral separation but also achieve achiral separation. Chiral separation evaluation showed that 1-(1-naphthyl)ethanol and mandelonitrile got separation in normal phase (NP) mode. Ranolazine, benzoin ethyl ether, metalaxyl, and diclofop were successfully separated in reversed phase (RP) mode. Aromatic compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), anilines, and aromatic acids were selected as analytes to investigate the achiral separation performance of the multifunctional immobilized chiral stationary phase in NP and RP modes. The achiral separation evaluation showed that six PAHs could get good separation within 10 minutes in NP mode. Four aromatic acids were well separated in RP mode. The retention mechanism of aromatic compounds on the stationary phase was discussed, founding that π-π interaction, π-π electron-donor-acceptor (EDA) interaction, and hydrogen bonding interaction played important roles during the achiral separation process. This multifunctional immobilized chiral stationary phase had the advantages of simple bonding steps, short reaction time, and no need for space arm.

Graphene quantum dots functionalized ß-cyclodextrin and cellulose chiral stationary phases with enhanced enantioseparation performance.

Graphene quantum dots (GQD) functionalized ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) and cellulose silica composites were first prepared and applied in HPLC as chiral stationary phases (CSP) to investigate the effect of GQDs on chiral separation. Through comparing the enantioseparation performance of GQDs functionalized ß-CD or cellulose CSPs and unmodified ß-CD or cellulose CSPs, we found GQDs enhanced the enantioseparation performance of nature ß-CD, ß-CD-3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate derivative and cellulose-3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate derivative. Molecular modeling was applied to understand and theoretically study the enhancement mechanism of GQDs for enantioseparation. According to molecular simulation results, GQDs provide extra interactions such as hydrophobic, hydrogen bond and π-π interaction when chiral selector interacts with enantiomers, which enhances the chiral recognition ability indirectly. The molecular simulation results showed a good agreement with the experimental results. Our work reveals the enhancement performance of GQDs for chiral separation, it can be expected that GQDs-based chiral composites and chiral GQDs have great prospect in chiral separation and other research fields such as asymmetric synthesis, chiral catalysis, chiral recognition and drug delivery.

Graphene quantum dots-functionalized C18 hydrophobic/hydrophilic stationary phase for high performance liquid chromatography.

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) were chosen as functional material to improve the separation performance of C18 column since GQDs could provide multiple interactions such as hydrophilic, π-π stacking and hydrogen bonding interactions. In this study, a novel octadecyl modified GQDs-bonded silica (C18/GQDs/SiO2) stationary phase was prepared and applied in reversed-phase and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography. This column showed satisfactory separation performance for both hydrophobic, polar and hydrophilic compounds including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, alkylbenzenes, anilines, phenols, aromatic acids, alkaloids, nucleosides and nucleobases. Through investigating the impact of organic solvent content on retention, it was found this new stationary phase had typical characteristics of hydrophobic/hydrophilic chromatography. Compared with commercial C18 column, this column showed better separation performance for polar aromatic compounds because the introduction of GQDs provided more interactions such as π-π stacking, hydrophilic and hydrogen bonding interaction with analytes. To get an in-depth understanding of the retention mechanism, linear solvation energy relationship model was established for both C18/GQDs/SiO2 and C18 columns, theoretically calculated data indicated that C18/GQDs/SiO2 column had higher π-π stacking and hydrogen-bonding acceptance ability. C18/GQDs composite stationary phase equipped with hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties has great prospect in separation science.

A case of dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma arising in the cricoid cartilage that mimicked an aneurysmal bone cyst.

Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma of the larynx is a rare and highly malignant tumor. We present the report of a 59-year-old man with dedifferentiated laryngeal chondrosarcoma, which was difficult to diagnose even under microscopic examination. The original diagnosis was an aneurysmal bone cyst, and the final diagnosis was established only after careful consideration of the imaging, surgical, and microscopic findings. In clinical practice, there are many similarities between dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma and aneurysmal bone cysts. Furthermore, it is difficult to identify dedifferentiated laryngeal chondrosarcoma with a giant-cell malignant mesenchymal component. This report describes our experience and discusses this phenomenon.

[Study on commercial specification of atractylodes based on Delphi method].

This research adopts "Delphi method" to evaluate atractylodes traditional traits and rank correlation. By using methods of mathematical statistics the relationship of the traditional identification indicators and atractylodes goods rank correlation was analyzed, It is found that the main characteristics affectingatractylodes commodity specifications and grades of main characters wereoil points of transaction,color of transaction,color of surface,grain of transaction,texture of transaction andspoilage. The study points out that the original "seventy-six kinds of medicinal materials commodity specification standards of atractylodes differentiate commodity specification" is not in conformity with the actual market situation, we need to formulate corresponding atractylodes medicinal products specifications and grades.This study combined with experimental results "Delphi method" and the market actual situation, proposed the new draft atractylodes commodity specifications and grades, as the new atractylodes commodity specifications and grades standards. It provides a reference and theoretical basis.

Association of the MDR1 3435 polymorphism in patients with refractory rheumatoid arthritis in a Chinese population.

To evaluate whether the multidrug resistance gene 1 (MDR1) exon 26 polymorphisms are associated with the refractory rheumatoid arthritis (RRA). The study was carried out on two hundred and twenty-three patients with RA treated and one hundred and three normal controls. The RA treated were divided into two groups according the response to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). There were 108 patients in the effective group and 115 patients in the ineffective group. Genotypes of the C3435T polymorphism were determined by polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction digestion (PCR-RFLP). There were significant differences in the genotype frequency and allele frequency among three groups. Compared to responders and controls, the nonresponders carried more CC genotype (χ(2) = 5.306, P = 0.021; χ(2) = 7.810, P = 0.005) and more C allele (χ(2) = 6.601, P = 0.010; χ(2) = 12.172, P = 0.000). But, there were no statistically significant differences in genotype nor allele frequency between RA and healthy controls. The results from our study suggest that the C3435T MDR1 gene polymorphism may not be related with the RA susceptibility, but may influence the efficacy of RA therapy with DMARDs, and the 3435CC genotype may be related with RRA.