Tamoxifen has shown definitive effect when used as the adjuvant hormonal treatment in women with estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer. However, long-term use of Tamoxifen can induce fatty liver disease. It has been proposed that tamoxifen may act throught mechanisms such as inducing triacylglycerol accumulation in mitochondria, abnormal fatty acid oxidation, and antagonizing actions of estrogen on hepatic lipid metabolism. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor lipid profile and liver function, conduct regular ultrasonography and CT examination in patients receiving tamoxifen treatment. Replacing tamoxifen with toremifene oraromatase inhibitors, or using lipid-lowering medicines may help prevent tamoxifen-induced fatty liver disease.

Hepatitis C virus ( HCV) infection is one of the main reasons causing liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The quasispecies composition and the evolution of HCV are very complicated. An in-depth analysis of the quasispecies composition of HCV is critical for elucidating the mechanisms of HCV transmission. The regions encoding the envelope glycoproteins (E1 and E2) and the nonstructural protein 2 (NS2) are hyper variable regions (HVR). Analyzing the quasispecies of HCV HVR with advanced sequen-cing and bio-information technologies would be beneficial for understanding the sources of HCV infection, the routes of transmission and the evolution of HCV. Currently, three generations of sequencing methods and some bio-information soft-wares are available for analyzing HCV HVR quasispecies. When an outbreak of HCV infection happens, using the new generation of sequencing and bio-information methods to seek the first case and the routes of transmission would provide scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of HCV in-fection.

Objective To identify the cell death type and investigate the potential mechanism of ionizing radiation-induced neural cell death in the neonatal rat cerebral cortex.Methods The neonatal Wistar rats were given a single dose of 2.0 Gy γ-irradiation.The cell death type and characterization in cerebral cortex were identified using DNA electrophoresis,TUNEL and HE staining.The P53-and iNOS-positive cells were analyzed quantitatively using immunohistochemistry.Results The DNA and morphological characterization of death cells indicated that 2.0 Gy γ-irradiation induced apoptosis of the neural cells in neonatal rat cerebral cortex.The apoptosis indices in different cortex regions were significantly increased 4 h after irradiation,and reached the peak value at 12 h post-irradiation.The apoptosis index of neoconex was much higher than that of hippocampus(archicortex)and paleocortex,while paleocortex had lower apoptosis index than hippocampus.The quantitative immunohistoehemistry suggested that the numbers of P53 and iNOS-positive cells were not different between these three cortex regions at the same time-point after irradiation.Conclusion 2.0 Gy γ-rays induced apoptosis of the neural cells in neonatal rat cerebral codex.The response of cells to the damage effects of ionizing radiation was similar in different cortex regions;however,the apoptosis indices were different significantly.These findings imply that the developing phase or type of neural cells may play a pivotal role in the apoptosis process induced by ionizing radiation.

Objective To observe clinical efficacy of external bath of modified Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction in relieving peripheral neurotoxicity induced by oxaliplatin.Methods Sixty patients were randomly divided into control group and treatment group (30 cases in each group). Both groups received intramuscular injection of mecobalamine (0.5 mg/d, three times a week). At the same time, the treatment group received external bath of modifiedHuangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction. All the courses of treatment lasted for 14 days. Clinical efficacy and adverse reactions of the two groups were observed.Results The total effective rate of treatment group was 73.3% (22/30), which was superior to that of 40.0% (12/30) in the control group, with statistical significance (P<0.05), without any adverse reaction.Conclusion External bath of modifiedHuangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction is effective as supportive care for alleviating chronic peripheral neurotoxicity induced by oxaliplatin.

Objective To develop a new instrument to assess swallowing function which will be suitable for nurses to screen dysphagia in the patients with stroke.MethodsItems closely related to symptoms and signs of dysphagia were found with literature review, forming a preliminary instrument. All items retrieved were selected and modified by experts interview and a pilot study in patients with stroke. Then, a clinical nursing swallowing assessment tool (CNSAT) was formulated.ResultsTotally, seven items of symptoms and signs related to dysphagia in patients with stroke were found with literature review. All the seven items retrieved were selected again by experts interview and finally a CNSAT was formed with six modified items by a pilot study in 10 patients with stroke, each item with four choice based on its severity of their symptoms and signs.ConclusionCNSAT is a simple, convenient and safe instrument and suitable for nurses to assess swallowing function of patients with stroke.

Objective To investigate the effects of quetiapine on serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factors ( BDNF) and the correlation between BDNF and psychiatric symptoms and cognitive function in patients with first-episode schizophrenia. Methods Eighty patients with first-episode schizophrenia ( treatment group) were treated with quetiapine orally for 4 weeks,at initial dose of 100 mg·d-1 and average dose of (580±120) mg·d-1 . The psychiatric symptoms were evaluated by using the positive and negative syndrome scale ( PANSS) . The cognitive function was assessed by using Wisconsin cards sort test ( WCST) . The serum BDNF level was detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA) . Results The serum level of BDNF was markedly lower in schizophrenic patients before[(13. 72±8. 79) ng·mL-1,P<0. 01] and after treatment[(18. 02±9.06) ng·mL-1,P<0.05]in comparison with normal controls(23. 67±10. 13) ng·mL-1]. After treatment,the PANSS total scores and subscale scores decreased,WCST number of categories and the number of correct answers increased,and the number of wrong answers reduced. There was a positive correlation between the serum BDNF and negative symptoms ( SANS) ( r= 0. 54, P=0. 032),and the number of correct answers. Conclusion The quetiapine significantly increases serum level of BDNF in schizophrenia patients,which correlates positively with improvements in symptoms and cognitive function.

Keratinocyte growth factor 2 (KGF-2) is a member of the FGF family that is mainly synthesized by mesenchymal cells and acta predominantly on epithelial cells in a paracrine manner. It is known to play an important role in fetal limb and lung development; skin wound healing and prostatic epithelial cell growth. The KGF-2 coding sequence were isolated from human kidney cDNA library, revealing that the Kgf-2 gene is also expressed in the kidney apparatus. Purified from prokaryotic E. coli cells, the effects of the recombinant KGF-2 protein in cultured keratinocyte were analyzed by using MTT assay and in situ TUNEL assay. Interestingly, results revealed that KGF-2 promoted keratinocyte cell growth by stimulating cell proliferation and attenuating cell apoptosis. These findings supported a few evidences that KGF-2 could contribute to alveolar epithelial cells against apoptosis. Cell migration assays for the first time revealed that KGF-2 could stimulate keratinocyte cell migration in vitro. In addition, in the pilot animal test, recombinant KGF-2 incorporated within the hydrogel dressing exhibited significantly stimulatory effect on cutaneous wound healing. These combined effects implicate a potential therapeutic application of human recombinant KGF-2 in the future.

Objective To investigate the effect of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor(α7nAChR) agonist agent PNU282987 on bone cement particles stimulated secretion of inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood monocytes and its molecular mechanism.Methods Mouse peripheral blood monocytes were isolated and the inflammatory response were induced by PMMA particles.TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 concentration in culture supernatant were measured by ELISA.TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA expression were measured by RT-PCR.p-p65, p65, p-JAK2, JAK2, p-STAT3, STAT3, and β-actin expression were detected by Western blot.NF-κB DNA binding activity were measured by ELISA.ResultsAfter stimulation of PMMA particles, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 concentration in culture supernatant was significantly increased(P<0.05), TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA expression was significantly increased (P<0.05), p-p65, p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 expression and NF-κB DNA binding activity was also increased significantly (P<0.05).However, after PNU282987 treatment, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 concentration in culture supernatant decreased(P<0.05), TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA expression decreased in a concentration gradient way(P<0.05), p-p65, p-JAK2 and p-STAT3expression and NF-κB p65 DNA binding activity was also decreased(P<0.05).Conclusions α7nAChR agonist PNU282987 significantly inhibites PMMA bone cement particles induced secretion of inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood monocytes of mice.

Objective To investigate the infectious status,etiological spectrum and epidemiological characteristics of rotavirus (group A/B/C),calicivirus (novovirus Ⅰ/Ⅱ,sapovirus),astrovirus and enteric adenovirus in diarrhea cases below 5 years old from 2008 to 2015 in Henan provinces.Methods Totally 2541 stool samples were collected from cases below 5 years old in four sentinel hospitals.All stool specimens were tested for group A rotavirus by double antibody sandwich ELISA method.G/P genotyping of group A rotavirus was determined by nested multiplex PCR.Viral RNA was extracted from all samples and rotavirus (group B/C),calicivirus,astrovirus and enteric adenovirus were detected by two-step reverse transcription-polymerase chain reation (RT-PCR)/PCR.Results One thousand four hundred and twenty-one out of 2 541 samples were positive with a total positive rate of 55 .9%,among which,102 were mixed infection.The isolation rate of rotavirus was 36.0% (914 samples)(group A:785 cases,group B:36 cases,group C:93 cases),calicivirus was 12.1 % (308 samples)(novovirus Ⅰ:64 cases,novovirusⅡ:193 cases,sapovirus:51 cases),astrovirus was 5 .9% (151 samples),enteric adenovirus was 1 .9%(48 samples).The group A rotavirus gene type combinations were composed mainly of G9P[8],G2P[4], G3P[8 ],G1P [8 ]and most cases were identified from September to November and March to May. Novovirus Ⅱ was predominant in calicivirus and most cases were identifed between March and May. Rotavirus or calicivirus infection was mainly among children aged 4—12 months or 3—5 years, respectively.Clinical manifestations included fever,diarrhea,vomiting,dehydration.Gender and region distributions differed according to the types of pathogen.Conclusions Group A rotavirus and novovirus Ⅱare the major viral pathogen in diarrhea cases younger than 5 years old in Henan province.Different viral infections exhibit extinct epidemiologic and clinical characteristics.

Objective To investigate the frequency of c-kit mutation and prognosis in t (8;21) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with trisomy 4. Methods A total of 145 de novo t(8;21) AML patients from February 2005 to January 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. Detection of exons 8 and 17 mutation of c-kit by PCR and cytogenetic analysis by R-banding technologies were performed on bone marrow samples of all patients at diagnosis. Clinical data were collected and analyzed statistically. Results Among 145 t (8;21) AML patients, 12 cases (8.3 %) were trisomy 4, 91.7 % (11/12) of them were identified with c-kit mutation, which was significantly higher than that without trisomy 4 [26.3 % (35/133), P< 0.01]. The follow-up data showed that the patients with trisomy 4 were correlated with the lower overall survival (OS) rate (15 % vs 56 %, P< 0.01) and disease-free survival (DFS) rate (0 vs 51 %, P< 0.01) when compared with patients without trisomy 4. Furthermore, the subgroup of patients with both trisomy 4 and c-kit mutation had a worse OS and DFS (P< 0.05). Conclusions Trisomy 4 is associated with high frequency of c-kit mutation and demonstrates poor prognosis in t(8;21) AML patients. Trisomy 4 or it combined with c-kit gene mutation is the main influencing factor on the survival of the patients with t(8;21) AML.