Purpose:To evaluate the short-term effects and toxic side-effects of GEM plus CBP combination chemotherapy in treating advanced non-small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC). Methods:27 patients with grades Ⅲ and Ⅳ NSCLC(10 naive cases,17 retreated chemotherapy cases received Gemcitabine 1 250 mg/m 2 ,iv drip d 1.8,and carboplatin 300 mg/m 2 in the first day. Results:There were 6 CR+PR cases in naive patients,the overall response rate(OR)was 60.0%,iv drip 7 of retreated chemotherapy cases were CR+PR,the OR was 41.2%. The OR of both group patients was 44.4%.The main toxic side-effects of the patients were marrow-suppression. Conclusions:The combination chemotherapy of gemcitabine plus carboplatin was effective for advanced NSCLC and the toxicities were well tolerated.

Objective To investigate the relationship between TNF-α, IFN-γand intestinal muco-sal permeability in a mouse colitis model and its inhibiting effect by balsalazide. Methods Forty-five C57BL/6J mice were divided randomly into five groups. Normal group was only fed with distilled water, DSS group and balsalazide groups at doses of 42, 141,423 mg/kg were both fed with 5% DSS. Balsalazide was given by intragastric administration. At the end of the experiment, colon tissue was collected for assessment of histological index(HI) and the MPO activity. Small intestinal mucosa was collected for assessment of the content of TNF-α and IFN-γ,transmission electron microscope(TEM), and detection of permeability by Ev-arts blue method. Results Compared with normal group, DSS group mice all manifested severe weight loss associated with hematocbezia and diarrhea, HI score, and the colon MPO activity and the content of TNF-α and IFN-γ were increased significantly. Intestinal mucosa showed a thinning of microvillous carpet, with de-curtated and broaden junctional complex and enlarged intercollutar space under TEM observations. The amount of Evans blue permeated into intestinal wall was obvious. Compared with DSS group, the HI score, the MPO activity and the content of TNF-α and IFN-γ were decreased by balsalazide. The amount of Evans blue permeated into intestinal wall was less. Ileal microvillous carpet was ameliorated dose dependently by balsalazide. Conclusion In DSS-induced colitis model, the change of the content of the TNF-α and IFN-γ, was accordance with the increase of intestinal mucosal permeability while balsalazide can significantly amelio-rate intestinal mucosal permeability by its anti-colitis effect.

Objective To definite the interactions between the human gastric carcinoma cell and the human vascular endothelial cell during the establishment and maintenance of the tumor vascular system and the tumor hematogenous metastasis.Methods We prepared the conditioned mediums of each cell so as to study the effect of the conditioned medium on itself or others by MTT colorimetry. The comprehensive effect of interactions between two cells was determined by stratified transfilter co-culture or direct contact co-culture.Results The conditioned medium of human gastric carcinoma cell can stimulate the proliferation of the human vascular endothelial cell, but the CM of HVEC can inhibit the growth of HGCC. Both kinds of cells can inhibit the growth of itself. The ultimate comprehensive effect of the interactions between two kinds of cells was increase of total cell numbers.Conclusion There exist the complicated interactions between the human gastric carcinoma cell and the human vascular endothelial cell during the tumor angiogenesis and the tumor hematogenous metastasis. The ultimate comprehensive effect of the interactions is increase of total cells numbers and tumor volume.

Background and purpose:The incidence of liver cancer is high in China. Primary liver cancers usually occur in patients with liver cirrhosis, which is a challenge for the early diagnosis of liver cancer. Our purpose is to investigate the efifcacy of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in the early identiifcation and diagnosis of small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by regularly tracking and supervising the high risk population. Methods:A total of 320 high risk patients of HCC admitted in our hospital from February 2011 to November 2013 were enrolled in this prospective study. All patients underwent conventional ultrasound and hepatic CEUS. The differential diagnosis of malignant HCCs from benign ones was based on the enhancement patterns of hepatic lesions in different phases on CEUS. Results:Twenty patients were diagnosed as small HCC among 320 HCC high risk patients who were under regular surveillance using CEUS and all were pathologically conifrmed. Seven of the 20 HCC cases were smaller than 1.0 cm and 13 measured 1.1-2.0 cm. There were 6 (30.0%) HCCs presented as“early wash-in and slow wash-out”atypical pattern of HCC. The small size of the lesion and iso-echogenicity were the main factors of atypical pattern of HCC on CEUS.Conclusion:Ultrasonography and CEUS surveillance is a useful strategy for the early detection of small HCCs in high risk patients, which can help them to receive proper therapeutic management in time.

AIMTo explore the effects of sleep deprivation (SD) on myocardium and its antioxygen index.

METHODS35 Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: Cage control, Tank control, SD 2 d, SD 4 d and SD 6 d. The "flower pot" technique was used to establish rats sleep deprivation model followed by record of surface electrocardiogram, detection of myocardium morphology changes under microscope and transmission electron microscope and investigation of MDA content and SOD activity of myocardial mitochondria.

RESULTSAfter sleep deprivation, heart rate increased and ECG showed ischemia of myocardium; subcellular organelles such as chromosome, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, intercalated disk impaired, myofibril lysis or necrosis, and lipid peroxidation reaction effects spread widely; edema, bleeding of the microvessels and invasion of the monocytes could be seen in the lumen. The MDA level increased and SOD activity increased followed by a decreased trend.

CONCLUSIONSleep deprivation can induce damage on myocardium, and the stress especially oxygen stress caused by SD may be the possible mechanism.

Animals ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Male ; Myocardial Ischemia ; etiology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Oxidative Stress ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sleep Deprivation ; complications ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

AIM: To observe the expression of β-catenin in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) at different disease phases, and to analyze the relationship between BCR-ABL and cytogenetic response to imatinib mesylate. METHODS: RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to detect β-catenin mRNA and protein expression in bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) from 99 patients with CML. The association with BCR-ABL and BCR-ABL fusion was determined by FISH in 94 patients after one year treatment with imatinib mesylate, and the relationship between β-catenin and cytogenetic response to imatinib mesylate was analyzed. RESULTS: The expression of β-catenin was increased significantly in patients with blast crisis and accelerated phase (P<0.01), while the expression of β-catenin between normal person and chronic phase of CML patients was not statistically different (P>0.05). No significant relation between β-catenin and BCR-ABL expression (r=0.314, P>0.05) was observed. The expression of β-catenin was increased significantly in the patients who did not reach main cytogenetic remission (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The patients in progression phases of CML over-express β-catenin. The expression of β-catenin is not significantly related to BCR-ABL expression, but related to the therapeutic response of imatinib. Beta-catenin may be involved in the mechanism of CML progression and could be used as a new therapeutic target.

A sesquiterpene synthase (AsSS4) full-length open reading frame (ORF) cDNA was cloned from wounded stems of Aquilaria sinensis by RT-PCR method. The result showed that the ORF of AsSS4 was 1,698 bp encoding 565 amino acids. Prokaryotic expression vector pET28a-AsSS4 was constructed and transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3) pLysS. Recombinant AsSS4 protein was obtained after induction by IPTG and SDS-PAGE analysis with a MW of 64 kD. Enzymatic reactions using farnesyl pyrophosphate showed that recombinant AsSS4 protein purified by Ni-agarose gel yielded five sesquiterpene compounds, cyclohexane, 1-ethenyl-1-methyl-2, 4-bis(1-methylethenyl)-, β-elemene, α-guaiene, α-caryophyllene and δ-guaiene. This paper reported the first cloning and functional characterization of AsSS4 gene from A. sinensis, which will establish a foundation for future studies on the molecular mechanisms of wound-induce agarwood formation in A. sinensis
Alkyl and Aryl Transferases ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Azulenes ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA, Complementary ; Escherichia coli ; Open Reading Frames ; Polyisoprenyl Phosphates ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Sesquiterpenes ; metabolism ; Sesquiterpenes, Guaiane ; Thymelaeaceae ; enzymology ; genetics

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of bortezomib-based induction regimen followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in pationts with multiple myeloma (MM). Methods A retrospective analysis was performed upon clinical data of 62 MM patients who received bortezomib-based induction regimen followed by ASCT from June 2006 to June 2011.All patients were followed up to September 30,2011.Results Overall response rate [ complete remission (CR) + near complete remission (nCR) + partial remission (PR) ],≥ nCR rate (CR/nCR) and CR rate of postinduction with bortezomib-based regimen were 88.7％,66.1％ and 24.2％,respectively.After ASCT,CR rate and CR/nCR rate were increased to 50.0％ and 82.3％,respectively,with significant differences (P =0.003 and P =0.032).The median time of neutrophil and platelet engraftment was 12.0 (9-43) days and 13.5 (0-120) days,respectively. Significances were found in neutrophil and platelet engraftment between MM patients with and without prior exposure to alkylating agents. Furthermore,engraftment of neutrophil and platelet in patients receiving peripheral blood stem cell transplantation were faster than those receiving bone marrow transplantation.No unexpected side effects occurred.The median time of follow-up was 26.5 (7-61) months.The median overall survival (OS) was not reached and the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 30 months.There were significant differences in OS and PFS between patients obtaining CR/nCR and those with ≤ PR before ASCT.Conclusions Bortezomib-based induction regimen can improve the efficacy of ASCT in MM patients.The side effects are tolerant.Higher response quality before ASCT can translate to high rates of OS and PFS following high-dose therapy and stem cell transplantation.

A method to determine dihydroxyacetone (DHA) in fermentation broth was developed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). DHA was separated on a Alltima C18(5?m,250?4.6mm). The mobile phase was 0.5% methanol solution (pH adjusted to 3.0 with H3PO4), the flow-rate was 1.0 ml/min and the detective wavelength was 200 nm. The detection limits of DHA was 0.1 g/L～10.0 g/L. 6.2 g/L DHA in the fermentation broth was detected by HPLC, which was in agreement with the result by spectrophotometric method.The method was applicable for DHA determination in the fermentation process.

More than 20 strains capable of producing dihydroxyacetone from glycerol were isolated from 4 different natural environment samples by using two detection methods. The strain 6-8 which could grow on medium containing glycerol as sole carbon source had a higher converting capability. Under a better culture, the highest DHA production of the strain 6?8 reached 6.4 g/L. In addition to general morphological and bio-chemical characteristics, the strain 6?8 was identified by 16S rDNA sequence and systematic analysis. The results showed that 16S rDNA sequence of the strain 6-8 had similarity of 99.7% with Acinetobacter sp. suggesting that the strain 6-8 is one of subspecies of Acinetobacter sp.