Objective To investigate demographic factors implicated in the functional maturation of autologous arteriovenous fistula in a population of patients with end-stage renal disease. Methods The data of 335 consecutive patients with end-stage renal disease who were performed autologous arteriovenous fistula from January 2010 to December 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. The parameters affecting autologous arteriovenous fistula functional maturation were screened. Results Overall arteriovenous fistula functional maturation rate was 78.14%(218/279). The arteriovenous fistula functional maturation rate was 68.33%(82/120) in diabetes and 85.54%(136/159) in non-diabetes, and there was significant difference (χ2=11.844, P<0.01). The arteriovenous fistula functional maturation rate was 62.26%(33/53) in hypoproteinemia and 81.86%(185/226) in non-hypoproteinemia, and there was significant difference (χ2=9.648, P<0.01). Diabetes and hypoproteinemia were the risk factors to promote functional maturation (OR=6.003, 8.476). The arteriovenous fistula functional maturation rate was 87.10%(81/93) in calcium channel blockers using and 73.66%(137/186) in non-calcium channel blockers using, and there was significant difference (χ2=6.556, P<0.05). Calcium channel blockers was the protective factor for promoting functional maturation (OR=0.086). Conclusions Diabetes and hypoproteinemia are found to be associated with functional non-maturation, while calcium channel-blocker agents are associated with better functional maturation.

Teaching reform for medical statistics in postgraduate students was undertaken in order to comply with the longitudinal thought of medical research and to cultivate student's abilities of solving actual problems. The contents of theory courses and practicum courses were re-enacted and some advanced statistical methods commonly used in medical research were added. Meanwhile,the contents of practicum courses were reformed following the guideline of ‘application of statistics in the research’ and the teaching method of task-driven teaching combined with problem-based learning was used in the process. Furthermore, evaluation on the teaching effect was made. The reformed teaching model greatly excited student's learning enthusiasm and developed their abilities of applying statistics in scientific research.

An effective quality control system is the key to ensuring the quality, safety and efficacy of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). However, the current quality standard research lacks top-level design and systematic design, mostly based on specific technologies or evaluation methods. To resolve the challenges and questions of quality control of TCMs, a brand-new quality standard system, named "iVarious", was proposed. The system comprises eight elements in a modular format. Meaning of every element was specifically illustrated via corresponding research instances. Furthermore, frankincense study was taken as an example for demonstrating standards and research process, based on the "iVarious" system. This system highlighted a holistic strategy for effectiveness, security, integrity and systematization of quality and safety control standards of TCMs. The establishment of "iVarious" integrates multi-disciplinary technologies and progressive methods, basis elements and key points of standard construction. The system provides a novel idea and technological demonstration for regulation establishment of TCMs quality standards.

An effective quality control system is the key to ensuring the quality, safety and efficacy of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). However, the current quality standard research lacks top-level design and systematic design, mostly based on specific technologies or evaluation methods. To resolve the challenges and questions of quality control of TCMs, a brand-new quality standard system, named "iVarious", was proposed. The system comprises eight elements in a modular format. Meaning of every element was specifically illustrated via corresponding research instances. Furthermore, frankincense study was taken as an example for demonstrating standards and research process, based on the "iVarious" system. This system highlighted a holistic strategy for effectiveness, security, integrity and systematization of quality and safety control standards of TCMs. The establishment of "iVarious" integrates multi-disciplinary technologies and progressive methods, basis elements and key points of standard construction. The system provides a novel idea and technological demonstration for regulation establishment of TCMs quality standards.

Aim To evaluate the short-term biocompatibility of a newkind of prosthetic nucleus-Evergel, which is made from the modifiedpolyvinyl alcohol hydrogel. Methods According to China national standardGB/T16886 documents, the toxicity of Evergel prosthetic nucleus materialwas investigated by the cytotoxicity test, sensitization test, haemolysis test,Ames test, mice marrow micronucleus test and chromosome aberration test ofmammalian cell in vitro. Results This material had no cytoxicity, no sen-sitivity, no obvious haemolysis, and no mutagencity in Ames test, micemarrow micronucleus test and chromosome aberration test of mammalian cellin vitro. Conclusion The Evergel prosthetic nucleus has a good biocom-patibility and can be used clinically.

Background and purpose:To date, it mainly depended on imaging examination for detection of residual lesions, recurrence and distant metastasis, evaluation the sensitivity of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and prognosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Thus, searching for new tumor markers for NPC early diagnosis and individualized treatment is still merited. This study was aimed to investigate the expressions of serum macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-3α and cystatin A in patients with NPC before and after treatment, and to explore two markers’ value in NPC diagnosis, clinicopathological characteristics and clinical outcome assessment. Methods:The serum levels of MIP-3αand cystatin A in 140 primary NPC patients without distant metastasis before and after treatment were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and compared with those in 100 healthy controls. Results:The sensitivity of MIP-3αand cystatin A were 92.1%and 42.1%, respectively;and the specificity of MIP-3αand cystatin A were 86.0%and 85.0%, respectively. All 140 NPC patients had complete remission (CR) or partial remission (PR). Serum levels of MIP-3αand cystatin A in pre-treatment patients with NPC were higher than those in post-treatment patients and controls. Serum MIP-3αand cystatin A levels were associated with overall stage of NPC, and MIP-3αwas also associated with T classification of NPC. The serum MIP-3αlevel in NPC with CR after treatment reduced to the level in control group, and that was still significantly higher in NPC with PR than in control group. No significant difference was found in the serum cystatin A level between NPC with CR or PR after treatment and control group. During 1-year follow-up, the post-treatment serum levels of MIP-3αand cystatin A were significantly higher in patients with distant metastasis than in patients without distant metastasis and controls. There was found statistically significant correlation between MIP-3α and cystatin A.Conclusion:MIP-3α may be a potential marker of NPC serological diagnosis. The detection of serum MIP-3αand cystatin A may contribute to the NPC staging and prediction of short-term clinical outcomes.

Metabolic reprogramming is a common phenomenon in cancer, with aerobic glycolysis being one of its important characteristics. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF1Α) is thought to play an important role in aerobic glycolysis. Meanwhile, naringin is a natural flavanone glycoside derived from grapefruits and many other citrus fruits. In this work, we identified glycolytic genes related to HIF1Α by analyzing the colon cancer database. The analysis of extracellular acidification rate and cell function verified the regulatory effects of HIF1Α overexpression on glycolysis, and the proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells. Moreover, naringin was used as an inhibitor of colon cancer cells to illustrate its effect on HIF1Α function. The results showed that the HIF1Α and enolase 2 (ENO2) levels in colon cancer tissues were highly correlated, and their high expression indicated a poor prognosis for colon cancer patients. Mechanistically, HIF1Α directly binds to the DNA promoter region and upregulates the transcription of ENO2; ectopic expression of ENO2 increased aerobic glycolysis in colon cancer cells. Most importantly, we found that the appropriate concentration of naringin inhibited the transcriptional activity of HIF1Α, which in turn decreased aerobic glycolysis in colon cancer cells. Generally, naringin reduces glycolysis in colon cancer cells by reducing the transcriptional activity of HIF1Α and the proliferation and invasion of colon cancer cells. This study helps to elucidate the relationship between colon cancer progression and glucose metabolism, and demonstrates the efficacy of naringin in the treatment of colon cancer.
Glycolysis ; Colonic Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/metabolism* ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase/metabolism* ; Flavanones/pharmacology* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Databases, Genetic ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Transfection ; Warburg Effect, Oncologic