Atomic force microscopy has become an important tool for studying biological samples based on its high spatial resolution, high force resolution and the capability of working at physiological conditions. This article reviewed the application of AFM imaging and force measurement in biology and medicine.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the significance of CK19 mRNA monitoring in peripheral blood of breast cancer patients.MethodsPeripheral blood samples were collected from 137 breast cancer patients preoperatively,one day post-operation,7 days,1,3,6,12,18,and 24 months after operation.RTPCR was used to detect CK19 mRNA expression.The relationships were analyzed between CK19 mRNA expression and treatment result, between CK19 mRNA expression and clinicopathological parameters.ResultsThere was no significant difference between the level of CK19 mRNA as tested preoperatively,and 1,7 days postoperatively(P ＞ 0.05 ).From one month and thereafter,CK 19 mRNA decreased significantly when compared with that immediate perioperatives ( P ＜ 0.05 ). Postoperative peripheral CK19 mRNA expression increased in those found with recurrent or metastasized tumors ( P ＜ 0.01 ). CK19 mRNA expression does not correlate with patient's menstrual status,estrogen receptor expression,progesterone receptor expression,HER-2 expression and Ki67 proliferation expression (P ＞ 0.05 ). But there was statistically significant correlation between CK19 mRNA expression and tumour size,histology grading,pathological type,lymph node metastasis ( P ＜ 0.01 ).ConclusionsIn breast cancer patients peripheral blood CK19 mRNA expression is correlated with risk clinicopathological parameters, and increases in patients with postoperative recurrence and tumor metastasis.

Background and purpose: Multidrug resistance of tumor cells is the main factor for the failure of chemotherapy. It is found that the apigenin has the anti-tumor effect, but its role in multidrug resistant cells was rarely reported. This study aimed to investigate the effect of apigenin on multidrug resistant breast cancer cell line MCF-7/ADR, and to explore the role of apigenin in reversing multidrug resistance. Methods: The MCF-7/ADR cells were cultured with different concentrations of apigenin, and the same cells were cultured with ADR in the control group. Thecell proliferation was detected by MTT, the cell cycle distribution was detected by PI, and the cell apoptosis was detect-ed by Annexin V/PI. The drug sensitivity in vitro was detected by the method of MTT, and the drug retention rate was detected by rhodamine 123 accumulation. The expression of P-gp protein was measured by Western blot, the RT-PCR method was used to detect the transcription of multidrug resistance gene MDR1. Results: The MCF-7/ADR cell prolif-eration was inhibited by the apigenin, the cell cycle progression was blocked by the apigenin, and the cell apoptosis was induced by the apigenin. There were significant differences between the apigenin group and the ADR group (P<0.05). The IC50 of ADR on MCF-7/ADR cell was (12.37±0.18) μg/mL with the apigenin effect, while the IC50 of ADR on MCF-7/ADR cell was (39.83±0.29) μg/mL without the apigenin effect (P<0.05). The reversal index was 3.22. The retention rate of rhodamine 123 in MCF-7/ADR cells in the apigenin group was higher than that in the ADR group. The MDR1 gene transcription level in MCF-7/ADR cells was higher than that in the MCF-7 cells, and the P-gp expression in MCF-7/ADR cells was higher than that in the MCF-7 cells. However, the level of MDR1 gene transcription and P-gp expression were down-regulated by the apigenin in the MCF-7/ADR cells. Conclusion: The apigenin had anti-MCF-7/ADR effect, and played the role of reversing multidrug resistance in the MCF-7/ADR cells. The mechanism may be related to down-regulation of the MDR1 gene transcription and the P-gp mediated drug e?ux function.

The results of different interventions administered in 118 cases with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) for 3 years were investigated. The rates of transformation of IFG to diabetes mellitus in metformin treatment groups and rosiglitazone treatment groups were significantly lower than that in life style intervention group. This study suggested that metformin or rosiglitazone treatment could effectively reduce transformation of IFG to diabetes as compared with life style intervention.

Objective To evaluate and compare the clinical efficacy and safety of intense pulsed light (IPL) versus 595-nm pulsed dye laser (PDL) for the treatment of post-acne erythema.Methods A randomized split-face clinical trial was conducted.A total of 20 patients with post-acne erythema were enrolled,and randomized to receive treatment with IPL on one half of the face and 595-nm PDL on the other facial side once every 4 weeks for 3 sessions.Digital photographs were taken using the VISIA,and erythema index was recorded before each treatment and one month after the last treatment.The severity of bilateral facial erythema was evaluated based on a 4-point grading scale before the first treatment and after the last treatment.Pain scores and adverse reactions were recorded using a visual analogue scale (VAS) after each treatment,and a patient satisfaction survey was conducted by questionnaire at the last follow-up.Results The mean erythema index on the IPL side before and after treatment was 472.25 ± 86.02 and 357.15 ±82.71 respectively,and that on the PDL side before and after treatment was 476.40 ± 74.25 and 360.05 ± 64.83 respectively.Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the erythema indices on both treated sides significantly decreased over time (F =197.666,P ＜ 0.001),and the efficacy of IPL was better than that of PDL (F =1 173.909,P ＜ 0.001).Erythema severity grades on the IPL side as well as on the PDL side significantly differed between before and after treatment (Z =28.735,31.450,respectively,both P ＜ 0.001).As VAS showed,the pain score on the PDL side was significantly lower than that on the IPL side (t =2.468,P ＜ 0.05).Among the 20 patients,17 and 15 assessed their improvement as good or excellent after PDL and IPL treatment respectively,but there was no significant difference between the two groups (Z =2.696,P ＞ 0.05).The adverse reactions included erythema,burning sensation,tense sensation,blistering and hyperpigmentation on IPL-treated side,and erythema and purpuric reactions on the PDL-treated side,which all disappeared in a few hours to several days.Conclusions Both IPL and 595-nm PDL are effective and safe for the treatment of post-acne erythema,and are worthy of clinical promotion and application.IPL shows superiority in the efficacy,but elicits higher pain sensation compared with PDL.

Objective: To explore the effect of the aortic arch type on technical indicators in patients with carotid artery stent implantation.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 224 consecutive patients treated in Fu Wai hospital for unilateral carotid artery stent implantation from 2011-01 to 2012-12. We summarized the catheter category, type and the operating techniques including ① retracement, turn and insertion of the catheter, ② retracement, turn of catheter+the guidance of guide wire,③ retracement, turn of catheter+the guidance of guide wire+the supporting of another catheter, ④ using special graphic catheter+the guidance of guide wire+the supporting of another catheter. The procedural X-ray exposure time, dosage of contrast agent and operation related complications were recorded. According to Myla classiifcation, the aortic arches were divided into Myla I, Myla II and Myla III types.
Results: There were 7/224 (3.1%) patients with Myla I aortic arch, 113 (50.4%) with Myla II aortic arch and 104 (46.4%) with Myla III aortic arch. A total of 48/104 (46.2%) Myla III patients used special techniques (tech③, tech④), it was more than the patients with Myla I, (1/7,14.3%) and Myla II (17/113, 15.0%), P<0.01. The patients with Myla III aortic arch had the longer X-ray exposure time and used the higher dose of contrast agent, all P<0.01. The procedural success rate in patients with
Myla III was 96.2%, it was lower than those with Myla I (100%) and Myla II (100%), P=0.045. The procedural complication rate in patients with Myla III was 22.1%, it was higher than those with Myla I (0%) and Myla II (8.9%), P=0.007.
Conclusion: The aortic arch type is the important inlfuential factor for the techniques used in carotid stent implantation. There were more dififculties and complications for stent implantation in patients with Myla III aortic arch.

Abstract: Objective To analyze the resistance and spatial distribution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) to six commonly used anti-tuberculosis drugs in Qinghai Province from 2016 to 2019, so as to provide a reference for tuberculosis treatment and drug-resistant tuberculosis control. Methods A total of 1 182 identified strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Qinghai Province from 2016 to 2019 were collected, and 6 anti-tuberculosis drugs were subjected to drug susceptibility tests and strain confirmed by the proportional method. By means of ArcMap10.7 and SaTScan10.1 software, map visualization, spatial autocorrelation analysis and spatial scanning of MTB drug resistance were performed to identify MTB drug resistance clusters in Qinghai Province. Results From 2016 to 2019, the total drug resistance (TDR) rate of 1 182 Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in Qinghai Province was 23.77% (281/1 182), with a mono-resistance (MR) rate of 11.08% (131/1 182), a poly-resistance (PDR) rate of 3.89% (46/1 182), a multi-drug resistance (MDR) rate of 8.80% (104/1 182), and an extensive drug resistance (XDR) rate of 0.85% (10/1 182). The rates of MDR, XDR and TDR all showed a decreasing trend year by year (P<0.01). The drug resistance spectrum displayed 21 combinations. The TDR rate and MDR rate in the retreatment patients were higher than those of the initial treated patients, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2 TDR=22.784, χ2MDR=45.082, P<0.01). In terms of demographic characteristics, the TDR rate in males was higher than that in females, and the middle-aged group was higher than other age groups, and the differences were statistically significant (χ2=7.541, 10.825, P<0.05). The results of global spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that there was no statistical significance in the autocorrelation and obvious spatial clustering of MTB drug resistance in Qinghai Province from 2016 to 2019 (P>0.05), which indicated a random distribution. The results of spatiotemporal scanning showed that there was a kind of clustering area, but the clustering effect was not significant (P>0.05), indicating a random distribution. Conclusions The TDR of MTB in Qinghai Province from 2016 to 2019 showed a downward trend year by year. In comparison with the national average, the rate of multi-drug resistance and extensive drug resistance was still high, and most of the multi-drug resistance resulted from rifampicin and isoniazid. The drugresistant population mainly consisted of retreatment, males, and young and middle-aged pop

【Objective】 To investigate the effect of optimized preoperative hemoglobin (Hb) level on clinical outcome in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). 【Methods】 Retrospective analysis was performed on patients who were selected to receive CABG from April 2020 to August 2021 in our hospital. Preoperative basic data, perioperative blood transfusion volume, blood transfusion rate, acute liver function impairment, renal function impairment (AKI), ICU stay, length of hospital stay, and in-hospital mortality of patients, meeting the inclusion criteria, were collected. According to the perioperative red blood cell transfusion, the optimal preoperative Hb threshold was calculated by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). According to the threshold, all patients were divided into two groups, and the blood transfusion volume and clinical outcomes of the two groups were compared to evaluate the predictive value of the optimal threshold of Hb. 【Results】 A total of 915 patients who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. The optimal threshold for predicting red blood cell transfusion rate by calculating preoperative Hb value by ROC curve was 118 g/L for males and 116g/L for females. Group A: Hb≤ threshold (n=293) was divided into the red blood cell transfusion group A1 and the red blood cell non-transfusion group A2. Group B: Hb>threshold (n=622) was divided into the red blood cell non-transfusion group B1 and no red blood cell non-transfusion group B2. The risk factors for perioperative red blood cell transfusion were age (OR=1.033 874, 95%CI 1.000 4-1.068 3, P<0.01), gender (female) (OR=3.268 5, 95%CI 2.353 1-4.540 0, P<0.01), BMI (OR=0.927 8, 95%CI 0.883 3-0.974 4, P<0.01), chronic renal insufficiency (CKD) (OR=2.041 1, 95%CI 1.347 8-3.091 0, P<0.01). Preoperative Hb≤ threshold (OR=3.517 4, 95%CI 2.502 1-4.944 7, P<0.01) was an independent risk factor for perioperative red blood cell transfusion. Perioperative red blood cell transfusion in patients with preoperative anemia further increases the incidence of postoperative complications (acute liver injury, AKI) and length of ICU stay. 【Conclusion】 Preoperative Hb≤ threshold can effectively predict perioperative red blood cell transfusion in patients with CABG, and increase the risk of postoperative acute liver injury, AKI, prolonged ICU stay and hospital stay. Optimizing the preoperative Hb level in CABG patients, increasing the Hb level to 118 g/L in males and 116 g/L in females can reduce the incidence of perioperative red blood cell transfusion and postoperative complications.

Breast cancer susceptibility gene (BRCA) is a tumor suppressor gene. The carriers of BRCA mutation have a significantly higher risk of breast, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate and rectal cancers than the general population. BRCA gene detection can effectively evaluate the risk of relevant malignant tumors. In this article, the recent research progress on the relationship between BRCA gene mutations and related cancers is summarized, and the roles of BRCA gene testing in the prevention and management of relevant malignant tumors are discussed.

Objective To explore the relationship between serum thyrotropin and the components of metabolic syndrome.Methods A total of 1534 adult inhabitants in Dadong district of Shenyang were asked to fulfill the questionnaires and have physical examination and oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT).The vein blood was drawn to measure thyrotropin(TSH),fasting plasma glucose(FPG),OGTT 2hPG,fasting insulin,triglyceride(TG) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C).Results Serum TSH in the MS group was higher than in the Non-MS group(2.54 vs 2.22 mU/L,P