Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain, which causes learning and memory to become seriously impaired. AD not only influences the patient's quality of life, but also places a great burden on caregivers. With the increasing of aging population, the pressures can be wide-ranging, involving social, psychological, physical, and economic elements of the caregivers' life.The cause and progression of Alzheimer's disease are not well understood. Currently used treatments include pharmaceutical and psychosocial ones, each offering a small symptomatic benefit. Actually, there are still no available medicines and treatments to delay the progression of the disease. Therefore, the development of a new ideal medicine to treat AD patients becomes the first priority. In recent years, most researchers have turned to natural products, hoping to find a drug candidate to cure AD patient. Baicalein, a traditional Chinese medicine extracted from Scutellaria Baicalensis (Chinese herb), has been demonstrated holding the properties of anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptosis, anti-oxidant, and improving learning and memory of human brain. Baicalein is becoming a potential ideal medicine for treating AD patient.

Objective To investigate the expression of microRNA -216a(miR -216a)in patients suf-fering with breast cancer ,and identify the function and mechanism of miR -216 a on autophagy .Methods The expression of miR-216 a in 30 tumor tissues and paired normal tissue of breast cancer were detected by qRT -PCR.Inhibiton of miR-216a in MCF-7 cell lines was done by transfection of miR -216a inhibitor ( AMO-216a).Cell viability was detected by MTT assay .The level of Beclin 1 was detected by western blot .Results The level of miR-216 a was significant elevated in tumor tissue .Cell viability was markedly decreased owing to inhibition of miR-216a in MCF-7 cells.The level of Beclin 1 was significantly increased by transfection of miR-216a inhibitor in MCF-7cells(P<0.05).Conclusion The level of miR-216a is increased in breast canc-er tissue, and it might at least in part promote breast cancer via downregulating Beclin 1 and affecting autophagy .

MiRNA is a class of small endogenous non -coding molecule RNA with regulatory functions , which regulates the target genes at the post -transcriptional level by binding with 3′untranslated regions (3′UTR) specifically.Nuclear factor kappaB(NF-κB)is a kind of significant intranuclear transcription factor .Being activ-ized,it easily combines with the fixed nucleotide sequence in promoter region to initiate gene transcription and participates in the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer .Recent researches showed that miRNA not only influ-ences on tumor invasion and metastasis by regulating the expression of downstream target gene NF -κB,and itself also could be regulated by NF -κB transcription factors .This essay mainly narrates the expression of microRNA and NF-κB in gastric carcinoma ,and summarize the influence to the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer cells by regulating thier expression interction .

Aim To investigate the effect of hesperidin on human lung cancer cell A549 and the possible mechanism.Methods The cell apoptosis and necrosis of A549 treated with hesperidin were measured by the Hoechst 33342/PI fluorescent dye based on microfluidic chip technology.Cell cycle and apoptosis rate were evaluated by flow cytometry(FCM).The expressions of the related genes were detected through the real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR technology(RT-PCR) including VEGF, PI3K and PTEN.The protein expressions of Bcl-2, Cyclin B1, PI3K, Akt and PTEN were detected by Western blot after hesperidin intervention.Results The proliferation of A549 cells was significantly inhibited by hesperidin in a dose-dependent manner.FCM results showed that hesperidin could not only influence the G0/G1 phase and S phase, but also promote the apoptosis of lung cancer cells.Meanwhile, the apoptosis and necrosis rate was increased from(6.7±0.6)% to(27.9±1.1)% compared with that of control group(P<0.05).From the level of molecular, the gene expressions of VEGF and PI3K were decreased, while the PTEN was increased after hesperidin stimulation.Western blot results showed that the expression of protein Bcl-2, Cyclin B1 and Akt were decreased, which all showed close relationship with cell apoptosis, cell cycle and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.The expression of PI3K was increased, but the change of PTEN was not statistically significant compared with that of control group.Conclusion Hesperidin induces lung cancer cell apoptosis through PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, which blocks cancer cell division and destroys the balance of related protein expression.

In order to solve the problem of selection and in vivo delivery problem in siRNA treatment, hepatitis B virus (HBV) HBx gene which could be targeted by siRNA was studied. The siRNA expression plasmid which specific inhibits HBx expression was obtained by in vitro selection via a dual-luciferase plasmid including HBx-Fluc fusion protein expression domain. The selected siRNA expression plasmid was then encapsulated in PEG-modified cationic liposome, which was devoted into pharmacodynamic studies at both cellular and animal level. The results illustrated that the cationic liposome which encapsulated siRNA expression plasmid could effectively inhibit HBx gene expression both in vitro and in vivo.

Objective To study the applicability of a new analytical specification defined in WS/T 403-2012 in the external quality assessment schemes and the external comparision of internal quality control .Methods It was a quality management method study.Total error allowable criterions listed in WS/T 403-2012 and GB/T 20470-2006 were selected to assess the results of 23 analytes in the 1st challenge of 2013 routine chemistry external quality assessment.The acceptable rate of 23 analytes were calculated with the two specifications.Criterions of imprecision derived from the two standards were applied to assess the coefficient of variation with internal quality control data.Results With the specification based on WS/T 403-2012, the ratio of laboratories that all five samples were passed in the 1st challenge for 23 analytes ranged from 55.5%to 94.7%.The ratio of laboratories with 80%or more samples passed in 2013 EQA ranged from 73.9%to 98.5%.While ratios of two kinds described above evaluated based on GB /T 20470-2006 ranged from 63.0%to 99.2%, and from 90.0% to 99.7%, respectively.The acceptable rate of CV according to the two criterions ranged from 55.5% to 94.7% and 63.0% to 99.2%, respectively.Conclusions As evaluation criterions of external quality assessment allowable total error and internal quality control imprecision in routine chemistry , the specification in WS/T 403-2012 can be used to assess the analytical performance of clinical laboratory more objectively and comprehensively.It can help laboratories to identify the latent problems for further quality improvement.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the application of three-dimensional CT(3D-CT) in the treatment of oblique facial clefts with mandibular outer cortex, including the surgical design and results assessment.

METHODSFrom Jan. 2003 to Dec. 2013, 22 cases with oblique facial cleft, who underwent mandibular outer cortex onlay bone graft were retrospectively studied. 3D images from CT data were reconstructed before operation for design. Then the mandibular outer cortex onlay bone transplant was performed to reconstruct the bone defect and cleft. 3D CT was performed 5-10 days postoperatively and 6- 12 months postoperatively to assess the facial symmetry.

RESULTSAccording to the results of CT measurement, the average volume of the orbital bone defects on the affected side decreased by(64. 6 ± 14. 4)% 5 to 10 days after operation. The average volume of the maxillary and zygomatic bone defects on the affected side decreased by(71.4 ± 15.7)% after surgery. After 6 to 12 months,the average recovery of the mandibular donor site was (57. 9 ± 13. 9)% of the removed mandibular outer cortex. The average absorption of grafted bones was(24.7 ± 25.6 )%. The average height difference between the centre of pupils on both sides before surgery was(3.76 ± 1.27) mm,which decreased to( 1. 15 ± 1.00) mm 5 to 10 days after surgery(P =0. 000) , and( 1.35 ± 1. 13) mm 6 to 12 months after surgery(P = 0. 003). The relapse may be caused by the absorption of the grafted bones.

CONCLUSIONS3D-CT can be used for preoperative design and postoperative assessment in the treatment of oblique facial cleft with mandibular outer cortex.

Bone Transplantation ; Cleft Palate ; surgery ; Craniofacial Dysostosis ; surgery ; Eye Abnormalities ; surgery ; Facial Bones ; abnormalities ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Mandible ; transplantation ; Maxillofacial Abnormalities ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; methods ; Transplant Donor Site

Objective To establish a method for measuring serum cotinine by isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (ID-LC/MS/MS) and provide an assay that can be applied to theevaluation of the level of smoke exposure and to the risk analysis of smoking related diseases.Methods Blood samples were collected from 94 apparently healthy subjects from October to December in 2010 and centrifuged,and the sera were separated.Serum samples were mixed with [ D3 ] -cotinine ( as the internal standard) and treated with acetonitriles to precipitate protein.After centrifugation,the supernatants were transferred and evaporated under a stream of nitrogen until dryness and reconstituted with mobile phase.Then the residuals were analyzed by LC/MS/MS system with multiple reaction monitor model; the concentration of cotinine were quantified by the isotope internal standard method and the stand curve was employed with a series of calibration.To estimate the precision of the method,five frozen serum pools were repeatedly analyzed in five runs,and every pool was analyzed in triplicate.In addition,the recovery rates were analyzed with the serum sample added with different levels of standard.The stability of cotinine in serum preserved at room temperature,4 ℃ and - 80 ℃,respectively.Finally,the levels of cotinine of 94 healthy subjects were measured to evaluate the distribution of cotinine with different smoke statuses.Results Serum cotinine measured by ID-LC/MS/MS was separated well with few interferences.The correlation coefficients between the peak area ratios and cotinine concentrations were higher than 0.9993.The values of within-run coefficients of variation (CV) of five frozen serum pools (0.68,48.42,94.34,250.95 and 287.04 μg/L) were 2.19％,0.78％,0.75％,0.65％ and 0.67％,respectively.The values of total CV were 4.71％,1.40％,1.98％,1.10％ and 1.03％,respectively.The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation ( LOQ ) were 0.013 and 0.050 μg/L,respectively.The analytical recoveries ranged from 99.22％ to 102.67％.The samples could maintain stability within 2 d at room temperature,7 d at 4 ℃ and 3 months at -80 ℃ resulting the accuracy of measurements from 99.28％ to 100.87％ and the CV＜5％.The levels of cotinine of 94 healthy subjects were measured and shown skewed and leptokurtic distribution.The concentrations of twenty smokers,fourteen former smokers and sixty non-smokers were 116.40 (63.17 -241.12),0.67 (0.15 - 0.95 ) and 0.22 (0.15 - 0.42 ) μg/L,respectively.Furthermore,the level of cotinine of former smokers (Z =-2.12,P ＜0.05) and smokers (Z =-6.67,P ＜0.001) were statistically higher than non-smokers.Conclusions An ID-LC/MS/MS method for serum cotinine detection has been established.It is hoped that the method will be applied to the assessment of smoke exposure and its association with the risks of smoking related diseases since it is simple,specific,precise,sensitive and accurate.

Objective To describe and compare the roles of 3 external quality assessment programs in assessment of analytical quality of serum creatinine and urea.Methods Research in quality management methods.Sixty-five laboratories those enrolled in the Natonal Center for Clinical Laboratories′programs of routine chemistry external quality assessment ( EQA ) , trueness verification ( TV ) for small molecular metabolites and external comparison of internal quality control ( IQC) simultaneously in 2013 were selected , the performances of those laboratories of serum creatinine (crea) and urea in terms of total errors(TE), bias and CV were obtained by using the above 3 programs, and these performance were assessed against the criterion listed in the analytical quality specifications for routine analysis in clinical biochemistry ( WS/T 403-2012).The failure ratio of 65 laboratories on each performance was calculated , the sensitivity of 3 external quality assessment programs in detection of analytical quality deficiency among clinical laboratories were compared.Results Only 1 laboratory failed in the 1st routine chemistry EQA in terms of TE of creatinine , failure ratio is 1.5%(1/65).Three laboratories failed in the 2nd EQA and caused a failure ratio of 4.6%(3/65).For serum urea, 3 laboratories failed in the 1st routine chemistry EQA with a failure ratio of 4.6%(3/65).Two laboratories failed in the 2nd EQA with a failure ratio of 3.1%(2/65).The failure ratios of creatinine determination in two samples in TV were 41.5%(24/65) and 21.5%(14/65) respectively, and the failure ratio of urea determination were 53.8%( 36/65 ) and 32.3%( 21/65 ) respectively.In the program of external comparison of IQC , the CVs of creatinine and urea determination ranged from 0.7% to 6.2%and from 1.0%to 7.2%respectively, their respective failure ratio range were 15.4%(10/65) and 40.0%(26/65).The failure ratio in routine EQA were much less than those in the other two programs , the laboratories failed in routine EQA program were all failed in trueness verification or /and the comparison of IQC programs, but not vice versa.Conclusions By participating in the programs of routine EQA , TV and comparison of IQC laboratories could assess the performances of inaccuracy , bias and imprecision.Laboratories should participate in different external quality assurance programs to detect their quality issues and get improved.

To explore the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in multiple myeloma (MM) patients, as well as to compare the clinical characteristics and outcome between HBV infected and non-HBV infected patients. Methods:The serology markers of HBV were detected in 363 MM patients and 11227 cases of healthy controls through chemiluminescence. HBV-DNA was measured via real-time quantitative chain reaction. Results:Sixteen out of 363 MM patients (4.4%) were HBsAg-positive, showing significant difference with healthy controls (2.4%). No statistically significant differences were observed in terms of sex, age, type of monoclonal (M) protein, International Staging System (ISS) stage, stem cell transplantation, and risk stratification between HBsAg-positive and HBsAg-negative patients. No significant effect of HBV infection was found on the OS of MM patients. HBV reactivation was observed in two HBsAg-positive MM patients who were treated with combination chemotherapy, including bortezomib and dexamethasone. The replication of HBV could be inhibited by anti-HBV drugs. Conclusion:A higher prevalence of HBV infection was revealed in MM patients. Close monitoring of HBV replication should be conducted in MM patients with HBV infection before and during the courses of chemotherapy.