CYP1A1,GSTs and mEH polymorphisms and susceptibility to esophageal carcinoma:Study of population from a high-incidence area in north China

AIM: To characterize cytochrome P4501A1 (CYPIA1), glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) and microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) polymorphisms in Chinese esophageal cancer patients. METHODS: Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCR based restriction fragment length polymorphisms (PCRRFLP) were used to detect polymorphism changes of CYP,GSTs and mEH on esophageal cancerous and precancerous lesions as well as in case control group. All the examination samples were obtained from Linzhou (formerly Linxian), Henan Province, the highest incidence area for esophageal. RESULTS: The frequency of CYP1A1 3'' polymorphism in case control group (26/38, 68 %) was significantly higher than in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma^roup (ESCC) (29/62, 47 %) (P<0.05). A significant difference in the incidence of mEH slow allele variant was observed between case control group (15/38, 39 %) and esophageal dysplasiagroup (22/32, 69 %) or ESCC group (39/62, 63 %) (P<0.05). However, no significant difference was observed among different groups in the polymorphisms of CYPIA1 exon 7, GSTM1, GSTT1, GSTP1 and mEH fast allele. CONCLUSION: The present results suggest that CYPIA1 3'' polymorphism may be one of the promising protectivef actors and its wild gene type may be an indicator for higher susceptibility to esophageal cancer, mEH slow allele variant,associated with the progression of esophageal precancerous lesions, may conthbute to the high susceptibility to esophageal carcinoma.

Gene expression profiling in Barrett's esophagus and cardia intestinal metaplasia: A comparative analysis using cDNA microarray

AIM: To study the difference of gene expression profile changes in Barrett's esophagus (BE) and cardia intestinal metaplasia (CIM) and to screen the novel genes in the early stage by cDNA microarray.METHODS: cDNA retrotranscribed from an equal amount of mRNA from BE and CIM epithelial tissues was labeled with Cy3 and Cy5 fluorescence as probes. The mixed probe was hybridized with three pieces of BiostarH-40 s double dot human whole gene chip. The chips were scanned with a ScanArray 4000. The acquired images were analyzed using GenePix Pro 3.0 software.RESULTS: A total of 141 genes were screened out that exhibited different expression in all three chips. There were 74 upregulated and 67 downregulated genes in gene expression profiles of BE which were two times of that in CIM.CONCLUSION: There is a difference in gene expression level between BE and CIM epithelia. These 141 genes probably relate to the occurrence and development of BE and the progression to adenocarcinoma.

Temperature prediction control based on least squares support vector machines

A prediction control algorithm is presented based on least squares support vector machines (LS-SVM) model for a class of complex systems with strong nonlinearity. The nonlinear off-line model of the controlled plant is built by LS-SVM with radial basis function (RBF) kernel. In the process of system running, the off-line model is linearized at each sampling instant, and the generalized prediction control (GPC) algorithm is employed to implement the prediction control for the controlled plant. The obtained algorithm is applied to a boiler temperature control system with complicated nonlinearity and large time delay. The results of the experiment verify the effectiveness and merit of the algorithm.

A Modified Chitosan Adsorbent for Selective Removal of Low Density Lipoprotein

A modified chitosan adsorbent was synthesized through a simple preparation procedure, and it demonstrated good adsorption performance for selective removal of low density lipoprotein in human plasma. Phase inversion technique was employed to form chitosan beads, to which epoxy groups were then introduced by reacting with ethyleneglycol diglycidylether, and tryptophan was subsequently coupled to the epoxy-activated beads.

Preparation and Adsorption Properties of PAM Based Adsorbents for Plasma Lipoproteins

Crosslinked macroporous polyacrylamide (PAM) was prepared with inverse phase suspension polymerization technique. After treatment with hydrazine, the polymer was functionalized with chloroacetic acid, trifluoroacetic acid diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DEPAA), and maleic acid, respectively, and PAM based adsorbents bearing carboxyl functional groups for low density lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis use were obtained. The blood compatibility and the adsorption properties for plasma lipoproteins of PAM based adsorbents were investigated.

Efficacy of 2% Lidocaine Injection as a Topical Agent in Cataract Surgery

Purpose: To determine whether 2% Lidocaine injection is an effective topical anesthetic agent for non-phaco small incision cataract surgery.Setting: Charity eye clinic supported by Hellen Keller International.Methods:One hundred and twenty-five consecutive cataract surgery patients received topical anesthesia with 2% Lidocaine injection solution just 1 and 0.5 minutes prior to non-phaco small incision cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation. Each patient was asked about pain or piessure sensation during the operation.Results: The surgeon felt ease in the operations. Many patients (93/125) were comfort during the whole surgery. Only 9 patients′ score was above level 3,mostly complained during the nucleus extraction; Among those whose score was level 1～2, 82.6%(19/23)claimed discomfort at middle of the operation (nucleus extraction) or the beginning (creating the conjunctival flap).Conclusion: Lidocaine injection solution(2%) was an effective topical anesthesia agent in cataract surgery.

Robust impulsive synchronization of linear discrete dynamical networks

This paper aims to study robust impulsive synchronization problem foruncertain linear discrete dynamical network. For the discrete dynamical networks with unknown butbounded linear coupling, by introducing the concept of uniformly positive definite matrix functions,some robust impulsive controllers are designed, which ensure that the state of a discrete dynamicalnetwork globally asymptotically synchronizes with an arbitrarily assigned state of an isolate nodeof the network. This paper also investigates the synchronization problem where the network couplingfunctions are uncertain but bounded nonlinear functions. Finally, two examples are simulated toillustrate our results.

A Genome Sequence of Novel SARS-CoV Isolates: the Genotype, GD-Ins29, Leads to a Hypothesis of Viral Transmission in South China

We report a complete genomic sequence of rare isolates (minor genotype) of the SARS-CoV from SARS patients in Guangdong, China, where the first few cases emerged. The most striking discovery from the isolate is an extra 29-nucleotide sequence located at the nucleotide positions between 27,863 and 27,864 (referred to the complete sequence of BJ01) within an overlapped region composed of BGI-PUP5 (BGI-postulated uncharacterized protein 5) and BGI-PUP6 upstream of the N (nucleocapsid) protein. The discovery of this minor genotype, GD-Ins29, suggests a significant genetic event and differentiates it from the previously reported genotype, the dominant form among all sequenced SARS-CoV isolates. A 17-nt segment of this extra sequence is identical to a segment of the same size in two human mRNA sequences that may interfere with viral genome replication and transcription in the cytosol of the infected cells. It provides a new avenue for the exploration of the virus-host interaction in viral evolution, host pathogenesis, and vaccine development.

Invariant Curves of Reversible Mappings with Small Twist

In this paper, we are concerned with the existence of invariant curves of reversible mappings. A variant of the classical small twist theorem is given.

Complete Genome Sequences of the SARS-CoV: the BJ Group (Isolates BJ01-BJ04)

Beijing has been one of the epicenters attacked most severely by the SARS-CoV (severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus) since the first patient was diagnosed in one of the city's hospitals. We now report complete genome sequences of the BJ Group, including four isolates (Isolates BJ01, BJ02, BJ03, and BJ04) of the SARS-CoV.It is remarkable that all members of the BJ Group share a common haplotype, consisting of seven loci that differentiate the group from other isolates published to date. Among 42 substitutions uniquely identified from the BJ group, 32 are non-synonymous changes at the amino acid level. Rooted phylogenetic trees, proposed on the basis of haplotypes and other sequence variations of SARS-CoV isolates from Canada, USA, Singapore, and China, gave rise to different paradigms but positioned the BJ Group, together with the newly discovered GD01 (GD-Ins29) in the same clade, followed by the H-U Group (from Hong Kong to USA) and the H-T Group (from Hong Kong to Toronto), leaving the SP Group (Singapore) more distant. This result appears to suggest a possible transmission path from Guangdong to Beijing/Hong Kong, then to other countries and regions.