Objective To investigate the correlations of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) 344-35C/T of growth arrest-specificgene 6 (GAS6) gene and cerebral infarction in Han population in the western Guangdong province. Methods The restriction fragment lengthpolymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to determine the 344-35C/T polymorphism in the intron region of GAS6 gene in the case group (n=180) and healthy control group (n=150). Results There was no significant association between GAS6-344-35C/T and cerebral infarction (P<0.05). After stratified by gender in chi-square test in women population, the frequency of C allele was significantly higher in cases (77.9%)than that in controls (66.4%) (P=0.040); The frequency of the CC genotype was significantly higher in cases (61.8%) than that in controls(43.1%) (P=0.036). Conclusion In Han women in western Guangdong province, C allele of GAS6-344-35C/T polymorphism is a risk factorof cerebral infarction, CC genotype is a susceptible genotype of cerebral infarction.

Studies demonstrate that the serum level of cytokeratin 19 fragment antigen 21-1 ( CYFRA21-1 ) is high in various cancer types.As a novel epithelial cells derived tumor marker,detection of the serum level of CYFRA21-1 is of great clinical significance for screening and diagnosis,curative effect evaluation,recurrent monitoring and prognosis assessment for cancer patients.

Numerous studies found that the content of peripheral blood circulating RNA in various cancer types is aberrant increased,which could be a potential biological diagnostic marker and therapeutic target.Detecting the peripheral blood circulating RNA through the molecular biology technology will provide a sensitive and efficient,convenient,specific,noninvasive and minimally invasive therapy for the early diagnosis and detection,prognosis and therapeutic monitoring of malignant tumor.

Polysaccharide from Lao Shan Polystictus versicolor possesses a significant inhibitory effect on transplanted S180 in ICR mice, and the inhibition rate after intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg/kg of the drug was 60-70%. Oral administration in certain dosage could also inhibit tumor growth.Polysaccharide was given intraperitoneally one week before the transplantation of ascitic sarcoma S180 It showed that the polysaccharide could prevent the growth of ascitic S180 effectively and prolong the life span of the mice. Peritoneal injection of the polysaccharide could enhance the capacity of macrophages to release H2O2 and of the spleenic lymphocytes to take 3H-TdR. It has been demonstrated that polysaccharied from Lao Shan Polystictus versicolor was not cytotoxic, and its anticarcinogenic effect was host mediated.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of the combination of serum DKK1 (Dickkopf-1 )and P53 autoantibodies in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).Methods Serum levels of DKK1 and P53 autoantibodies were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the 1 26 patients with ESCC and 60 normal controls.Receiver operating characteristics (ROC)was used to calculate the diagnostic efficiency.Results The serum levels of DKK1 and P53 autoantibodies were signifi-cantly higher in ESCC than those in normal controls [(673.09 ±343.82)pg/ml vs (362.05 ±1 48.07)pg/ml, Z =6.1 58,P <0.000 1 ;(0.398 ±0.546)vs (0.069 ±0.050),Z =3.832,P <0.000 1 ].ROC curves showed the optimum diagnostic cutoff for serum DKK1 was 588.77 pg/ml,with an area under curve (AUC)of 0.780 (95%CI:0.71 5 ~0.844,61 .9% sensitivity,95.0% specificity).Measurement of P53 autoantibodies demonstrated an AUC of 0.674 (95%CI:0.598 ~0.750,45.3% sensitivity,95.0% specificity).The com-bination of DKK1 and P53 autoantibodies yielded an AUC of 0.843 (95%CI:0.788 ~0.897,73.8% sensitiv-ity,95.0% specificity).In early-stage ESCC,combined detection of DKK1 and P53 autoantibodies improved the diagnostic power,with an AUC of 0.903 (95%CI:0.845 ~0.961 ,81 .0% sensitivity,95.0% specifici-ty).Conclusion Serum DKK1 and P53 autoantibodies can be used as potential diagnostic biomarkers for the ESCC.Combined detection of them might aid the early diagnosis of ESCC.

Objective To explore the association of ubiquitin-specific proteases 24 (USP24) gene polymorphisms with susceptibility to sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD) in the Han Guangdong population. Methods From August, 2006 to January, 2014, single nucleotide poly-morphisms (SNPs) of rs12138592 and rs6671533 in the intron region of USP24 were genotyped in 200 patients with sporadic PD and 200 healthy controls using the SNaPshot technique. Results There was significant difference in the allele and genotype frequency of rs12138592 between the patients and the controls (P<0.01), and no significant difference was found in the allele and genotype frequency of rs6671533 (P>0.05). Conclusion The SNP of rs12138592 in the intron region of USP24 is associated with the susceptibility to sporadic PD in the Han Guangdong population, and the A allele may contribute a protective roles to PD.

Objective To compare and analyze the clinical characteristics of acute central cervical spinal cord injury with only upper extremity involvement and with both upper and lower extremity involvement.Methods A retrospective case control study was made on clinical data of 76 patients with acute central cervical spinal cord injury hospitalized from January 2010 to December 2013.Nerve injury involved was only upper extremity in 39 patients (upper extremity group),but both upper and lower extremities in 37 patients (upper-and lower-extremity group).In upper extremity group,there were 35 males and four females,age was 21-80 years [(52.5 ± 13.4) years],injury resulted from traffic accidents in 24 patients,ground-level falls in eight,high-level falls in six and heavy-object hit in one,and level of injury was C3/4 in 16 patients,C4/5 in 14 and C5/6 in nine.In upper-and lower-extremity group,there were 30 males and seven females,age was 36-78 years [(59.6 ± 9.7) years],injury resulted from traffic accidents in 16 patients,ground-level falls in 11,high-level falls in seven and heavyobject hit in three,and level of injury was C3/4in nine patients,C4/sin 18 and C5/6in 10.Sagittal diameter of the cervical spinal canal,maximal canal compromise,maximal spinal cord compression,degenerating factors of the cervical spine and treatment protocols were determined.Upper extremity function was assessed with the American spinal injury association (ASIA) score.Results There were significant differences between upper extremity group and upper-and lower-extremity group in sagittal diameter of the cervical spinal canal [(7.5 ± 1.5)mm ∶ (6.8 ± 1.2)mm],maximal canal compromise [(28.9 ±9.6)％ ∶ (34.9 ± 10.6)％],ASIA score at admission[(31.6 ± 11.8)points ∶ (22.7± 11.3)points)] and ASIA score at last follow-up [(46.2 ± 4.2) points ∶ (40.2 ± 4.0) points] (P ＜ 0.05),while the maximal spinal cord compression in upper extremity group [(15.7 ± 11.9)％] had no significant difference from that in upper-and lowerextremity group [(17.0 ± 10.6) ％] (P ＞ 0.05).Lower prevalence of posterior osteophyte of the vertebral body was noted in upper extremity group than upper-and lower-extremity group (15％ ∶ 51％) (P ＜0.01).Twenty patients (49％) in upper extremity group were surgically treated,while 31 patients (84％) in upperand lower-extremity group (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Compared to acute central cervical spinal cord injury with both upper and lower extremity involvement,the injury with only upper extremity involvement is much common in younger patients and is characterized by lowered frequency of osteophyte,large buffer space,mild nerve damage,preferred non-operation treatment and good prognosis.

ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between Parkinson disease (PD) and intron rs12138592 A/G polymorphism of ubiquitin specific proteases (USP24) gene in Han population of the Western Guangdong province in China. Methods81 PD cases and 100 ethnically matched controls were investigated USP24 gene rs12138592 A/G polymorphism with polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). ResultsThe incidence of GG genotype was 77.8% in the cases and 62.0% in the controls (χ2=5.213,P=0.022), and the G allele was 88.3% in the cases, 79.5% in the controls (χ2=4.980，P=0.026). ConclusionThe G allele and GG genotype of USP24 gene rs12138592 A/G polymorphism can increase the risk of suffering from PD.

Objective To investigate the effects of glutamate receptor signaling on melanoma cell dendrite morphology and cytoskeleton protein. Methods A metastatic human malignant melanoma cell line WM451LU was cultured and transfected by recombinant adenovirus vector carrying a cDNA encoding microtubule-associated protein 2a (MAP2a). MK-801, an antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), and CPCCOEt, an antagonist of metabotropie glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR1), were used to treat transfected or untrausfeeted WM451LU cells. Confocal microscopy and three dimensional atomic force microscopy were used to assess subcellular location of NMDAR2A, mGluR1 and MAP2a as well as the dis-tribution of α-tubulin in and dendrite morphology of WM451LU cells. The proliferation of WM451LU cells was estimated by cell survival growth curve. Results Confocal laser microscopy revealed that NMDAR2A, mGluRl and MAP2a were mainly co-localized in melanoma cell dendrites. Both MK-801 and CPCCOEt increased the density of microtubules in cell dendrites and dendritic branching of WM451LU cells, and both effects of MK-801 and CPCCOEt were enhanced by the expression of MAP2a. Furthermore, the proliferation of WM451LU cells was significantly inhibited by MK-801 of 100 μmol/L and CPCCOEt of 10 μmol/L. Conclusions In melanoma cells, glutamate receptors may participate in the development of dendrites, and anta- gonists of glutamate receptors could inhibit the proliferation of melanoma cells.

Objective To investigate the correlation between G753A and C1040T polymorphisms in the gene encoding region of thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI )and cerebral infarction in patients with cerebral infarction in Chinese Han population. Methods C1040T and G753A poly-morphisms in the TAFI gene encoding region in 130 patients with cerebral infarction and 118 healthy subjects (control group)were analyzed retrospectively and they were detected by using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP ). Results The GG genotyping of the TAFI gene G753A polymorphism in the cerebral group was 41. 5%(n=54)and the A allele carriers were 58. 5%(n=76),while those in the control group were 44. 9%(n=53)and 55. 1%(n=65)respectively. There were no significant differences in the GG genotyping of TAFI gene G753A polymorphism and the A allele carriers between the cerebral infarction group and the control group (χ2 =0. 288,P=0. 592). In the cerebral infarction group,the CC genotyping of C1040T polymorphism was 50. 0%(n=65)and T allele carriers were 50. 0%(n=65),while those in the control group were 51. 7%(n=61)and 48. 3%(n=57)respectively. There were no significant differences in the GG genotyping of C1040T polymorphism and the T allele carriers between the two groups (χ2 =0.071,P =0.790 ). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that G753A and C1040T single nucleotide polymorphisms (GA or AA genotype)in the TAFI gene encoding region were not the independent risk factors for cerebral infarction. Conclusion There are no significant differences in the correlation between the G753A and C1040T polymorphisms in the TAFI gene encoding region and cerebral infarction. They are not the independent risk factors for the onset of cerebral infarction.