Objective: To investigate the application of single-molecule PCR (SM-PCR) in the detection of plasma ctDNA for the treat-ment of patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: In total, 30 patients diagnosed with advanced lung adenocarcinoma were enrolled between June 2017 and May 2018. ctDNA fragments of the target genes (EGFR, KRAS, BRAF, ALK, HER2, and TP53) from the blood samples were enriched by SM-PCR, and DNA libraries were prepared. Finally, a high-throughput sequencing was performed. The EGFR detection of tumor tissue samples was performed using real-time fluorescence PCR based on the amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) and consistency in the results of EGFR mutation detection in the plasma and tissue was compared. Results:The results of both the methods were consistent (Kappa=0.867, P<0.001). The McNemar's test also indicated that the results are not statistically different (P=0.500). Conclusions: SM-PCR can be used for the detection of plasma EGFR mutations. The target detection sites are more comprehensive and multiple mutations can be detected at the same time. Results of the analysis are more precise and can be absolutely quantified.

Objective To investigate the neuroprotective effect and possible mechanism of Compound Porcine Cerebroside and Ganglio-side Injection (CPCGI) on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. Methods Healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into sham group (n=10), model group (n=10), CPCGI low dosage group (n=10) and high dosage group (n=10), and control group (Ginkgo biloba extract, n=10). All the rats was subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for two hours and reperfusion except sham group, and received treatment for fourteen days once reperfusion started. They were tested with modified Neurological Severity Score one, three, seven and fourteen days after MCAO, and adhesive-removal test and beam-walking test fourteen days after MCAO. The expression of Beclin1, PINK1 and Parkin were detected with Western blotting. Results Compared with the model group, the Neurological Severity Score reduced (P<0.05) and the time crossing the beam reduced (P<0.01) in all the medical groups fourteen days after MCAO, and the time removing the adhesive paper reduced in the CPCGI groups (P<0.01). The expression of Beclin1 and Parkin decreased and the PINK1 level increased in the model group (P<0.01), and it was reversed in all the CPCGI groups (P<0.05). Conclusion CPCGI could relieve the cerebral ischemia-re-perfusion injury in rats through the regulation in mitophagy.

OBJECTIVETo assess the performance of pediatric risk of mortality (PRISM), pediatric index of mortality 2 (PIM2) in predicting mortality in critically ill pediatric patients via a prospective study.

METHODThe outcome and the variables required to calculate PRISM and PIM2 were collected. The efficiency of PRISM and PIM2 in differentiation between death and survival by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Calibration across deciles of risk was evaluated using the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit χ(2) test.

RESULTA total of 412 critically ill pediatric patients transferred to Hunan Children's Hospital during August 1, 2012 and May 31, 2013 were enrolled in the study, and more than two-thirds of the children were suffering from respiratory and miscellaneous diseases; 45 (10.9%) inter-hospital transport of critically ill pediatric patients died at the time of hospitalization. The expected number of deaths were 45.01 by PRISM, and the expected number of deaths were 44.99 by PIM2. The expected mortality rate was 10.9% for PRISM or PIM2. The standardized mortality rate was 1.000 (0.710-1.290) for PRISM and 1.000 (0.710-1.290) for PIM2. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test gave a chi-square of 8.75 (P=0.364) for PRISM and 22.75 (P<0.05) for PIM2, PRISM had better fitting with the actual mortality than PIM2. The area under the receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve (95% confidence intervals, CI) were 0.829 (0.768-0.890) for PRISM and 0.758 (0.667-0.849) for PIM2.

CONCLUSIONAlthough the PIM2 test is less well calibrated overall, both PRISM and PIM2 can offer a good capacity for discriminating between survivors and moribund patients. The good performance of PRISM and PIM2 are demonstrated in predicting mortality probability in critically ill pediatric patients.

Objective To evaluate the effects of Guhong Injection on motor dysfunction in rats after cerebral ischemia- reperfusion. Methods The middle cerebral arteries were occluded for 2 hours and re-perfused in Sprague-Dawley rats. They were divided in sham group, model group, Aceglutamide group, Safflowere group and Guhong group, which were intravenously administrated with normal saline, Aceglutamide, Safflower or Guhong 24 hours after operation, and continued for 14 days. They were tested with the beam-walking test after treatment. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunohistochemical staining was used to investigate the viability of neurons in the substantia nigra. Results The model group spent more time in the beam-walking test than that in the sham group (P<0.01), and it decreased in the Safflower group and Guhong group compared with that in the model group (P<0.05). The TH-positive neurons decreased in the model rat compared with that in the sham group (P<0.001), and increased in both Safflower and Guhong groups compared with that in the model group (P<0.01). Conclusion Guhong administration could significantly improve the motor dysfunction in rats after cerebral ischemia- reperfusion, which might be related to provent the neurons from injury in the substantia nigra.

There are a large amount of neural stem cells in the olfactory system which have an active proliferation, ongoing and direc-tional differentiation and migration in order to adapt to the changing environment. The clinical findings showed that the early stages of some neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease all presented dysosmia. In recent years, the relationship be-tween air pollution and dysosmia attracts public concerns. This article introduced some research progresses in this field.

Objective To explore the effect of α-zearalanol (α-ZAL) on β-amyloid (Aβ) induced mice and the mechanism. Methods The model was induced by intracerebroventricular injection of Aβ25-35. The mice were divided randomly into sham group, model group, estradiol benzoate (EB) group (Aβ+EB) as a positive control and α-ZAL (Aβ+α-ZAL) group. Morris water maze was used to evaluate the learning and memory ability. The levels of antioxidant enzymes and nitric oxide system in the brain tissue were detected with spectrophotometric and sotopic method. Results The escape latency was longer in the model group than in the control group (P<0.01), and was shorter in the EB group and α-ZAL group than in the model group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) decreased, and the level of malonaldehyde (MDA), constitutive nitric oxide synthase (cNOS), inducible nitrous oxide synthesis (iNOS), and nitric oxide (NO) increased in the model group (P<0.05); compared with the model group, the level of SOD and GSH-Px increased, and the level of MDA, cNOS, iNOS and NO decreased in the EB group and α-ZAL group (P<0.05), except the level of SOD and cNOS in hippocampus in α-ZAL group (P>0.05). There was no significant difference between EB group and α-ZAL group (P>0.05). Conclusion α-ZAL could improve the cognitive behavior in Aβ25- 35 induced mice by increasing the antioxidant activities and decreasing the lipid peroxidation.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have unique efficacy and advantages for treating diseases of central nervous system. In recent years, some researches focused on neural stem cells and neurogenesis. The researches about TCM for influencing neural stem cells biological characteristics and common neurological diseases were reviewed.

Objective To investigate the effects of octacosanol on the behavioral changes and its potential mechanism in 6-hydroxydopamineinduced Parkinsonism rats. Methods 6-hydroxydopamine-induced Parkinsonism rats accepted octacosanol orally in the dosage of 17.5mg/kg (low dose), 35 mg/kg (medium dose) and 70 mg/kg (high dose) for 2 weeks, and then assessed with rotating test and narrow beam test. The apoptosis cells were counted with TUNEL assay, and the expression of nerve growth factor (NGF), precursor of nerve growth factor (proNGF), as well as their receptors were detected with Western blotting. Results The achievement of behavioral tests significantly improved after administration of octacosanol (P<0.05), with the decrease of the apoptotic cells, more expression of NGF and its receptors TrkA, and less expression of caspase-3, proNGF and its receptors p75NTR and sortilin, especially at the dosage of 70 mg/kg (P<0.05). Conclusion Octacosanol may protect the neurol impairment from 6-hydroxydopamine through NGF mediated pathway to decrease the apoptosis.

Objective To investigate whether octacosanol would attenuate neurotoxicity in 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6 tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated C57BL/6N mice and its potential mechanism. Methods Behavioral tests, Nissl histochemistry and Western blot were used to investigate the effects of octacosanol in this mouse model of PD. Results Oral administration of octacosanol (100 mg/kg) significantly improved behavioral outcome in mice induced by MPTP and markedly ameliorated morphological appearances of neuronal cells in striatum. Furthermore, octacosanol blocked MPTP-induced phosphorylation of p38MAPK and JNK, but not ERK1/2. Conclusion The protective effects afforded by octacosanol might be mediated by blocking the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and JNK on the signal transduction in vivo.

Objective To explore the effects of octacosanol on the behavioral impairments in rats with Parkinson's disease (PD) inducedby 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Methods The SD rats were divided into the control group (n=15), the model group (n=15), the low dosegroup (n=12), the medium dose group (n=12) and the high dose group (n=12). 6-OHDA was stereotactically injected into the right striatumof the rats at 2 sites to produce PD models. The treatment groups received octacosanol with the dose of 17.5 mg/kg, 35 mg/kg or 70 mg/kgfor 2 weeks. They were tested with apomorphine-induced rotation test, the modified Morris Water Maze, and rotarod test. Results The contralateralrotation in 30 min and escape latency were less in the medium and high dose groups than in the model group (P<0.05); the latencyand total time in the rotarod test were significantly less in all the treatment groups than in the model group (P<0.01). Conclusion Octacosanolcan decrease the impaired behaviors of rats with PD induced by 6-OHDA.