Objective    To evaluate the prognostic value of preoperative inflammatory indexes in patients with local-advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Methods    We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and prognostic data of 150 local-advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients who were treated by esophagectomy in Guangyuan Central Hospital from July 2014 to July 2015. There were 128 males and 22 females with average age of 62.23±8.48 years. The optimal cutoff value was determined by receiver operation characteristics (ROC) curve analysis. Patients were grouped according to the optimal cutoff values (NLR=3.49, PLR=152.28, MLR=0.36). Log-rank test, and multivariate Cox logistic regression modelling were used to assess the simultaneous influences of prognostic factors for survival outcomes after esophagectomy. Results    The patients with higher ratio (NLR>3.49, PLR>152.28, MLR>0.36) had significantly shorter median progression free survival (PFS) and lower postoperative recurrent rate than those of the patients with lower ratio. The stratified analyses found that thelymph node staging and postoperative recurrent rate were positively correlated with the higher ratio. However, the tumor differentiation was negatively correlated with it. In univariate analyses, patients with preoperative NLR>3.49, PLR>152.28 and MLR>0.36 had a poorer prognosis. Furthermore, in multivariate analyses we found MLR>0.36 was also significantly associated with a decreased postoperative recurrent rate (HR=12.945, 95%CI 2.31 to 72.548, P=0.00). Conclusions    The preoperative NLR, PLR and MLR are useful prognostic markers in patients with stage ⅢA-ⅣA esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who conducted esophagectomy.

A series of poly(ethylene terephthalate-Co-ethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PEFT) copolyesters were synthesized with different terephthalic acid (PTA) /2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) molar ratios by direct esterification method. In order to investigate their chain structures, 1 H-NMR and 13 C-NMR spectra of these copolyesters were recorded. The average length ( L) , the degree of randomness ( B) and composition of copolyesters were calculated from the intensities of four kinds of signals, which corresponding to the chemical shifts of hydrogen and carbon atoms in ethylene glycol unit in PEFT copolyesters chains. It was shown that the degree of randomness B of all purified copolyesters reached to 1 by the formula of Yamadera and Murano, which indicated that they were random copolymers. Comparatively, the PEF-block-PET of B value was 0. 577, and the PEF-blend-PET of B value was 0 . It was also consistent with the previous results of differential scanning calorimeter ( DSC) that each of the PEFT copolyesters had only one glass transition temperature and the copolyesters were random copolymers. The randomness B of PEFT-50 was the greatest of all, the value was 1. 012 based on the result of 1 H-NMR, and the value was 1. 028 based on the result of 13 C-NMR. Furthermore, the results above displayed that the activity of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid and terephthalic acid was similar in this nucleophilic substation reaction with ethylene glycol.

Diabetic cognitive dysfunction,a glucose metabolic disorder,is caused by metabolic,neurochemistrical,morphological,electrical physiological and behavioral changes featuring the disability of reasoning and learning,memory loss,inattention and hypophrenia.In recent years,more attention has been attached to the field of medicine.In this review,a progress of cognitive disorder was systematically explored over the pathogenesis and treatment of both TCM and western medicine,and investigated multi-targets and multiple methods of Chinese herbal researches at multiple stages for expanding the range of clinical application of TCM,enriching and developing the theory of TCM compatibility,and promoting the advantages of TCM syndrome differentiation.

Objective To construct a cDNA expression library from unfed female tick Haemaphysalis longicornis for screening and cloning potential antigenic genes.Methods Total RNA was isolated from unfed female ticks,mRNA was purified and a library of oligo(dT)-primed cDNA with added directional EcoR Ⅰ/Hind Ⅲ linkers was constructed from the purified mRNA.The constructed cDNA was ligated to the EcoRⅠ/HindⅢ arms of the ?SCREEN vector.Pure phage stocks were harvested by plaque purification and converted to plasmid subclones by plating phage on host strain BM25.8.Recombinant plasmids that were subcloned to E.coli BM25.8 were isolated and transformed into E.coli JM109.Recombinant plasmids abstracted from JM109 were identified by PCR and sequencing.Rusults The recombinant phage DNA was packaged by using phage-marker packaging extracts,resulting in a primary cDNA library with a size of 1.8?106 pfu.Data showed 100% of the library were recombinant and the titer of the amplified library was 2.4?109 pfu/ml.Forty-two clones of encoding immunodominant antigens were obtained from the cDNA library.Sequence analysis revealed 12 unique cDNA sequences and the encoded putative proteins showed similarities to H.longicornis tropomyosin mRNA,Rhipicephalus annulatus unknown larval protein mRNA,chromosome 2R of Drosophila melanogaster,mitochondrial DNA of H.flava,clones HqL09 unkown mRNA and Hq05 mRNA of H.qinghaiensis,and myosin alkali light chain protein mRNA.Conclusion The cDNA expression library from unfed female H.longicornis was successfully constructed and screening of protective genes may provide candidate antigens of the tick.

Objective To evaluate dose variations induced by gravity of multi-leaf collimator to provide references for clinical intensity-modulated radiotherapy.Methods Two-dimensional dose distributions in the central plane of IMRT fields were measured by use of a 2D ion chamber array.All measurements were repeated at two collimator angles (C=0 and 90°),for each of the following gantry angles:G=0 and 270°.Comparisons were made to dose distributions generated at G=0°and their differences were analyzed using gamma index analysis (3％/3 mm and 1％/1 mm).Results Under the radiation field of 10 cm×10 cm,the gamma passing rate was higher than 99％ for 3％ 3 mm anch close to 95％ for 1％/1mm Under a 3％/3mm error standard,the average matching rate for step & shoot fields was (96.46±0.33)％ and for DMLC fields was (94.67±0.54)％ at C=0°;The average matching rate for step & shoot fields was (94.59±0.47)％ and for DMLC fields was (92.60±0.52)％ at C=90°.Under a 1％/1mm error standard,the average matching rate for step & shoot fields was (89.83 ±1.06)％ and for DMLC fields was (85.84±0.57)％ at C=0°;The average matching rate for step & shoot fields was (86.91 ±1.71)％ and for DMLC fields was (83.89±0.69)％ at C=90°.Concusion MLC weight effect affects IMRT delivery dose,and DMLC fields are more sensitive to gravity than step & shoot fields.

Objective To prepare a recombinant pneumococcal surface protein A clade 4 ( PspA4) and to analyze its immunogenicity.Methods The gene encoding PspA4 protein was synthesized and inserted into pET-20b to construct the recombinant expression plasmid.The transformed E.coli strains carrying expression plasmid were induced to express PspA4 protein.ELISA was performed to analyze the ti-ters of PspA4-specific IgG in a mouse model.Results The recombinant PspA4 protein of high purity ( 90%) was successfully prepared.The titers of PspA4-specific antibody in mice received PspA4 immuniza-tion were 106 times higher than those of the blank control group, suggesting that the expressed PspA4 protein had the advantage of high immunogenicity.Conclusion This study suggested that the PspA4 protein might be used as one of the candidate protein for the development of pneumovax and laid a foundation for further in-vestigation on pneumococcal protein based vaccine.

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and causes of an outbreak of respiratory infection in schools. Methods: Epidemiological investigation was carried out on respiratory infection cases in schools. Pharyngeal swab samples of children were collected for respiratory tract virus nucleic acid detection, and hexon genes were amplified. Positive PCR result were sequenced. Results: All cases were in school, involving 2 classes, 12 cases in class 2 (3) and 13 cases in class 3 (4), all on the west side of the 2nd and 3rd floors of teaching building 2. From September 3 to September 12, a total of 25 cases were involved, with the onset peak on the 10th and 11th. The clinical features were fever, cough, sore throat and aching limbs, etc. The onset was aggregated, the course of the disease was about 5 d, the prognosis was good, and there were no deaths. There are 13 males and 12 females. The males to females ratio is 1.08∶1. The age distribution is 7-9 years, with an average of 8.6 years. The result of fluorescence quantitative PCR were negative for influenza A/B virus and positive for adenovirus. The products of positive samples after PCR amplification were sequenced as AdV-3 and AdV-4. Conclusions The combined result of epidemiological investigation and laboratory tests demonstrated that this epidemic of school respiratory tract infection is an upper respiratory tract infection caused by adenovirus B3 and E4 mixed infection.

This study aimed to explore the impacts of Cyclocarya paliurus polysaccharide (CP) on insulin signal pathway in liver cells.H4IIE liver cells of rat that cultivated for 72 h were made up for the model group.H4IIE cells at 70％-80％ confluence were exposed to various concentrations of CP,including 50,100,200 and 400 μg·mL 1,for measuring cell viability using Neutral Red.Based on the results of cell viability,H4IIE cells were divided into the control group,the insulin group (100 nmol·L-1),the low dose CP group (the LCP group,200 μg· mL-1) and the high dose CP group (the HCP group,400 μg· mL-1).After the cultivation of cells for 2 h,mRNA levels were measured by real-time RT-PCR,while phosphorylation levels of target proteins were detected by western blot after the treatment for 30 min.It was found that the cell viability indexes in the cells administered by 100,200 and 400 μg·mL-1 CP increased significantly compared with the control group (P＜0.01).After the administration for 2 h,InsR and IRS-2 mRNA expressions in the insulin group,the LCP group and the HCP group increased (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).After the administration for 30 min,phosphorylation levels of InsRβ,IRS-2 and Akt in the insulin group were higher than those in the HCP group (P＜0.01).In conclusion,CP probably increased the cell viability of H4IIE cells,and improved the blood glucose index through enhancing the mRNA expressions of InsR and IRS-2 and the phosphorylation levels of InsRβ,IRS-2 and Akt in the liver.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of kaempferol on the skeletal muscle of KKAy mice via PI3K-AKT-GLUT4 signaling.Spontaneous type 2 diabetic KKAy mice were made up for the model group.After 6-week treatment of kaempferol by intragastric administration,key targets of PI3K-AKT-GLUT4 signaling were detected using biochemical and immunohistochemical technique,and western blot.It was found that the body weight,fast blood glucose and random blood glucose were decreased after kaempferol administration.ITT results show that blood glucose at 30 min after injecting insulin and the area under the curve drop were reduced in the kaempferol group,and so was the insulin resistance index in the kaempferol group.In addition,the mRNA expressions of PI3K,AKT and GLUT4 in the kaempferol group increased significantly,while the protein levels of AKT and GLUT4 were up-regulated by kaempferol administration.It was concluded that kaempferol can significantly regulate the blood glucose,body weight and insulin resistance in mice through activating the PI3K-AKT-GLUT4 signaling.

This study aimed to elucidate the mechanism behind the effects of oleuropein (OL) on improving insulin resistance in obese db/db mice.Twelve 6-to 8-week-old male db/db mice were randomly divided into the model group and the OL group with 6 in each group according to their levels of blood glucose and body weight,while six C57BL/6J mice with the same age were made up for the normal group.Mice of the OL group was intragastrically administered with (50 mg·kg-1) once a day.The mice of the other groups were treated with the saline solution with the same dosage.After treatment for four weeks,OGTT test was carried out,while fast blood glucose and serum insulin were tested.RT-PCT and western blot were used to quantify the mRNA and protein expressions of certain targets in the liver.As a result,it was found that the body weight,fast blood glucose,serum insulin level and insulin resistance index were significantly decreased in the mice of the OL group when compared with model group after the treatment for 4 weeks (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Plasma glucose levels at each time point of OGTT tests were lower in the mice of the OL group than those of the model group (P＜0.01).The mRNA and protein expressions of InsR,IRS-1 and GLUT-2 in the mice of the OL group increased significantly (P＜0.01).In conclusion,it was demonstrated that oleuropein may reduce the blood glucose and improve the insulin resistance in db/db mice through up-regulating the mRNA and protein expressions of InsR,IRS-1 and GLUT-2 in the liver.