OBJECTIVETo study the clinical phenotype and its prognostic value of PRAM1 in patients with acute myeloid leukemia(AML).

METHODSBased on the gene expression microarray platform of 486 AML cases, the PRAM1 expression phenotypes were summarized in all of AML subtypes. The PRAM1 expression features were explored in every differentiation stage of hematocytes through normal human stem cell chips and bone marrow gene expression microarray. The clinical drugs which could up-regulate PRAM1 expression in AML cell lines should be found out.

RESULTSThe PRAM1 expression was the richest in the inv(16) AML and the lowest in the t(15;17)M3, almost the same in the other subtypes of AML. By the classification of molecular abnormalities, PRAM1 expression was more in the panel of CN-AML with CEBPAdm than the other two panels. Interestingly, high/low expression of PRAM1 could be re-classified in the CN-AML, and the EFS is statistically significant. It was proven again that PRAM1 is more expressed in the mature granulocytes. Finally, it was confirmed that decitabine and the chidamide could up-regulate PRAM1 expression in AML cell lines, and chidamide effect is better.

CONCLUSIONPRAM1 expression is the lowest in t(15;17) M3 and the highest in inv(16) AML. The high expression of PRAM1 is a sign for favorable prognosis in the CN-AML. PRAM1 is more expressed in mature granulocytes, chidamide can up-regulate PRAM1 expression in AML cell lines.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; Bone Marrow ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; Microarray Analysis ; Prognosis

Two new polyketides, chinoketides A and B (1 – 2) with a known compound xylarphthalide A (3), were isolated from the solid medium of the endophytes from the leaves of the relic plant Distylium chinense with the “black-box” co-culture method, and the structures of two new compounds were elucidated by NMR, MS and CD spectra. And the absolute configurations of chinoketides A (1) and B (2) were determined as 2R,3R,8S and 5R,6S by calculating their ECD spectra to compare with the experimental CD spectra. Finally, the antimicrobial activities were evaluated to Erwinia carotovora sub sp. Carotovora (Jones) Bersey et al, and the results showed that compounds 1 – 3 displayed the antimicrobial activities with MIC value at 20.5, 30.4 and 10.2 µg/mL.
Coculture Techniques ; Endophytes ; Methods ; Pectobacterium carotovorum ; Plants ; Polyketides

Objective To design a novel endoscopic successive hemostasis and closing device, and to validate whether the device can meet the needs of tissue closure by finite element analysis. Methods By using the novel device, the target tissue was clamped and the clip was then pushed to pierce the tissue. Under the compression between the clip and the inner side of the grasper, the thinner arms of the clip were forced to bend and close to stay in the tissue, and then the inverse displacement of 2 mm was applied on the clip. The elastic limit and tensile strength of the clip were set as 239.0 and 901.0 MPa, respectively. Results Deformation did not occur in the piercing process of the clip, with the maximum stress of 212.6 MPa. The deformed shape of the clip in the bending process matched its design expectation, with the maximum stress of 727.7 MPa. The maximum stress of the clip was 75.8 MPa under 2-mm inverse displacement. Material failure was not found in the bending process or with 2-mm inverse displacement, and the maximum stress in the whole process was 741.0 MPa. Conclusions The novel endoscopic successive hemostasis and closing device proposed in this study can deploy 4 clips at one time, together with an independent grasper for gathering tissues, which can shorten the reloading time and improve the accuracy of clip deployment. The effectiveness and safety of the device is also proved by using finite element method.

Objective To analyze the results of detection on influenza A (H1N1) 2009 virus in Beijing from May 2009 to December 2009 and to understand the epidemiologic characteristics during the pandemic period. Methods The study was conducted from the May 1 to December 27,2009. A total of 101 852 throat swab samples were detected with the real-time RT-PCR assay by the Beijing Network Laboratory. Data was statistically analyzed. Results 9843 samples showed influenza A (H1N1) 2009 positive, with an overall positive rate as 9.66%. In terms of the positive rates, they were 2.85% from May to June, 3.32% from July to August and 8.35% from September to October. The peak month fell in November (29.67%) and December (24.33%). The positive rates among the following subpopulations were: 8.40% among the suspected cases, 4.75% among close contact cases, 11.46% among the influenza-like illness cases and 7.33% among the cluster cases with fever. Positive cases mainly fell in age groups 5-14 and 15-24. The ratio of male to female was 1.5:1.Conclusion During the pandemic period of influenza A (H1N1) 2009, positive cases gradually increased during May to November but slowly decreasing in December.