BACKGROUNDBy synthesizing results from primary studies, systematic review can provide empirical information of concerned problems. This study aimed to review the available surveillance data from studies reporting the contamination surveillance of food lead in China.

METHODSRelevant studies were identified by systematically searching Chinese Biological Medicine Database and China National Knowledge Infrastructure using the key term of "lead" for surveillance data published in Chinese between 2006 and 2012. To avoid potential selection bias, all articles were evaluated by two independent reviewers, and the disagreements were resolved by discussion or the third author was asked to arbitrate.

RESULTSAmong 269 identified publications on surveillance data of lead in food, 43 articles met the defined inclusion criteria. The food samples were divided into 11 groups (cereal grains and pulses, fish, eggs, vegetables, meat, edible fungi, milk and dairy products, fruits, offal, tea and preserved egg). Surveillance data of publications were reviewed to calculate the weighted mean and rate exceeding maximum levels. Our results indicated that the highest lead concentration was 1.937 mg/kg in tea. The total percentage of samples exceeding the maximum levels was 5.57%. Dietary exposure to lead was assessed by combining the weighted mean concentration of surveillance data with national consumption data in 2002. In this review, dietary intake of lead was 1.232 µg/kg b.w./day.

CONCLUSIONFurther control measures should be taken to reduce exposure to lead, from both dietary and non-dietary sources.

China ; Food Contamination ; analysis ; Humans ; Lead ; analysis ; Risk Assessment

OBJECTIVETo identify differentially expressed genes between chronic phase and blast crisis in chronic myeloid leukemia, explore the mechanism and screen potential biomarkers of disease progression.

METHODSThe differences in the gene expression profiles of bone marrow mononuclear cells between chronic phase and blastic crisis were examined using DNA microarray. PANTHER database, Genomatix database and Bibliosphere software were used to analyze and predict the critical genes or transcription factors during disease progression. Some of the genes or transcription factors were selected for verification by semi-quantitative RT-PCR.

RESULTSIn blastic crisis, 68 of the 1176 tested genes were obviously up-regulated. Sixteen of these differential genes were selectively expressed in leukocyte membranes. CD40, CCR3, LGALS3, RGS3, CEACAM3 and the related transcription factors RAC1, CTNNB1, TP53, and NF-κB, all as the nodes of the entire regulatory network, were presumed to play key roles in disease progression. The results of RT-PCR were consistent with the microarray data and showed high expression of CEACAM3, RGS3, CTNNB1 and RAC1 in blastic crisis.

CONCLUSIONA group of genes have been identified to very likely play key roles or serve as biomarkers in the transition from the chronic phase to blastic crisis in chronic myeloid leukemia.

Blast Crisis ; genetics ; Computational Biology ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; genetics ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Transcriptome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the cytogenetic differences between children and adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) using eight-probe fluorescence in situ hybridization and karyotype analysis.

METHODSEight-probe (MYC, P16, E2A, TEL/AML1, BCR/ABL , MLL , IGH, and hyperdiploidy) fluorescence in situ hybridization and karyotype analysis were performed for 86 adults and 39 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

RESULTSEight-probe fluorescence in situ hybridization showed significant differences in the positivity rate of TEL/AML1, BCR/ABL, and hyperdiploidy between adult patients and children with ALL. By karyotype analysis, the positivity rate of t(9;22) and hyperdiploidy differed significantly between the children and adult patients (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAdults and children with ALL have different expression profiles of the fusion genes. Eight-probe fluorescence in situ hybridization is time-saving, accurate and efficient in detecting common genetic abnormalities in ALL patients, and can be well complementary to karyotype analysis in clinical diagnosis of ALL.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cytogenetics ; Female ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; methods ; Infant ; Karyotype ; Karyotyping ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDTo study the expression of MGMT and its relationship with efficacy of chemotherapy and prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODSMGMT was detected in 128 NSCLC tissues and 10 normal pulmonary tissues by immunohistochemistry. According to the level of MGMT , 128 patients with NSCLC were divided into the group Mer- with negative MGMT expression and the group Mer+ with positive MGMT expression.

RESULTSMGMT positively expressed in 61 of 128 patients with NSCLC (47.66%), but none of normal group. No significant relationship was found among MGMT expression and TNM stages, lymph node metastasis and histological classification of the cancer. However, the mean survival periods and survival rates in group Mer- were significantly higher than those of group Mer+ (P < 0.01 , P < 0.05). In 45 evaluable patients, total response rates were 42.86% and 4.17% in Mer- and Mer+ patients respectively (P < 0.001); and there were remarkably longer mean survival periods and higher survival rates in Mer- patients than those in Mer+ patients (P < 0.01, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSExpression of MGMT may be helpful to predict efficacy of chemotherapy and prognosis in patients with NSCLC.