Overexpression of SLC38A1 is associated with poorer prognosis in Chinese patients with gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Current literature has demonstrated that host glutamine depletion facilitates tumorigenesis. Likewise, the glutamine transporter SLC38A1 is putatively associated with malignant transformation and tumor progression. Taken together, this forms the premise for undertaking the current study. The twofold aim of this study was to provide insight into whether or not a variance in the expression of SLC38A1 exists between human gastric cancer and healthy human tissues, and to determine how silencing the SLC38A1 gene could affect the proliferation, viability, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells. METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining was used to analyze the expression of SLC38A1 in gastric cancer tissues and adjacent healthy mucosa in 896 patients with pathologically confirmed gastric cancer who had underwent R0 resection. SH-10-TC cells (a gastric cancer cell line) were used to examine whether silencing SLC38A1 with siRNA could affect cell viability, migration and invasion. RESULTS: The SLC38A1 protein was very low or undetectable in healthy gastric mucosa. In contrast, strong staining of SLC38A1 protein was found in the cytoplasm in 495 out of the 896 gastric cancer samples. More pronounced SLC38A1 expression in gastric cancer tissues was significantly associated with age, differentiation status, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage and PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) expression. Upon univariate survival analysis, SLC38A1 expression was correlated with poor survival. Multivariate survival analysis revealed that SLC38A1 was an independent prognostic factor. CONCLUSION: SLC38A1 is overexpressed in gastric cancer, which suggests that it is contributory to tumor progression. These results encourage the exploration of SLC38A1 as a target for intervention in gastric cancer.

[Clinical observation of prophylactic lactulose for prevention of oral morphine-induced constipation].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of different doses of lactulose on preventing oral morphine-induced constipation. METHODS: From January 2011 to May 2012, a total of 112 patients received oral lactulose solution to prevent morphine-induced constipation at our hospital and their clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. The doses of morphine were adjusted according to the pain scores and lactulose was taken simultaneously. There were 52 males and 60 females. They were randomized into Group 30 ml/d (n = 40), Group 60 ml/d (n = 43) and Group 90 ml/d (n = 29). The incidences of constipation and adverse reactions were obtained at 1 week after the start of medicine. The measurement data were analyzed with analysis of variance. And the enumeration data were analyzed with χ(2), Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: The incidence of constipation was 67.5% (27/40) in Group 30 ml/d, 46.5% (20/43) in Group 60 ml/d, and 37.9% (11/29) in Group 90 ml/d. And there were statistical differences (P = 0.036). The incidence of constipation in Group 30 ml was significantly higher than Group 90 ml/d (P = 0.015). No statistical difference existed in the incidence of constipation between Groups 30 ml/d and 60 ml/d (P = 0.054) or Groups 60 ml/d and 90 ml/d (P = 0.471). The incidence of vomiting was 34.5% (10/29) in Group 90 ml/d and it was significantly higher than 10.0% (4/40) in Group 30 ml/d (P = 0.013) and 9.3% (4/43) in Group 60 ml/d (P = 0.009). No statistical difference existed in the incidence of vomiting between Groups 30 ml/d and 60 ml/d (P = 0.915). The incidence of diarrhea was 17.2% (5/29) in Group 90 ml/d and it was significantly higher than 0 (0/40) in Group 30 ml/d (P = 0.007). No statistical difference existed in the incidence of diarrhea between Groups 30 ml/d and 60 ml/d (4.7% (2/43), P = 0.170) or Groups 60 ml/d and 90 ml/d (P = 0.072). CONCLUSION: The correct dosage of lactulose for the prevention of oral morphine-induced constipation is 60 ml/d.

[Cryosurgical ablation for 23 cases of prostate cancer guided by rectal ultrasound].

OBJECTIVE: To detect the short-term clinical and side effects of cryosurgical ablation for prostate cancer. METHODS: The ENDOCAm cryosurgical system with 2 mm Cryo-probes was used to treat the prostate cancer guided by rectal ultrasonic. 1. Completeness of freeze; 2. Complications; 3. The changes of PSA and PSMA before and after operation were observed respectively. RESULTS: 1. The completeness of freeze rate and non-completeness of freeze rate were 34.8% (8/23) and 65.2% (15/23) showed by MRI 3 weeks later after operation; the biopsy results showed that tumor positive rates in completeness of freeze group and non-completeness of freeze group were 0 and 20% (3/15) respectively after 6 months. 2. The incontinence rate was 13%, and all recovered during 1 month; and the erectile dysfunction rate post-operation was 56.2% (9/16). 3. The levels of PSA before and after cryosurgical ablation were (32.98 +/- 35. 50) microg/L, (11.65 +/- 26. 51) microg/L respectively (P < 0.05). PSMA increased significantly after the cryosurgical ablation. CONCLUSION: The short-term curative effects of cryosurgical ablation, which guided by rectal ultrasound for prostate cancer is satisfied with low complication rate and minor vulnus.

[Study on factors affecting the quality of life to cancer patients at the community level in Shanghai].

OBJECTIVE: A survey on cancer patients at the community level in Shanghai was performed, in order to study the factors affecting the quality of life (QOL) on them. METHODS: To evaluate the QOL of cancer patients, self-administered Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) questionnaire and personal interview methods were used. Data analysis was performed by SPSS software (SPSS,Chicago, IL), including one-way ANOVA and linear regression methods. RESULTS: There were 7580 valid questionnaires retrieved. Many factors were certificated to have significant relationship with QOL of cancer patients,such as family incomes, education, occupation, awareness of disease, physical exercise, cost of health care and pain (P < 0.01). Some factors however, only affecting certain aspects of the QOL, of which age, marriage state, type of tumor and stage were also noticed. KPS had strong Linear correlation with every aspect of FACT-G (P < 0.000). CONCLUSION: Patients having a poor KPS, metastasis, low educational level, divorced or lost of spouse, pain, poor income, little exercise and old age would tend to have a poor QOL outcome.

Quantum algorithm for programmed cell death of Caenorhabditis elegans.

During the development of Caenorhabditis elegans, through cell divisions, a total of exactly 1090 cells are generated, 131 of which undergo programmed cell death (PCD) to result in an adult organism comprising 959 cells. Of those 131, exactly 113 undergo PCD during embryogenesis, subdivided across the cell lineages in the following fashion: 98 for AB lineage; 14 for MS lineage; and 1 for C lineage. Is there a law underlying these numbers, and if there is, what could it be? Here we wish to show that the count of the cells undergoing PCD complies with the cipher laws related to the algorithms of Shor and of Grover.