Intravenous chemotherapy for resected gastric cancer:meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

AIM: To assess the safety and efficacy of different intravenous chemotherapeutic regimens in patiedts with gastric acrcinomas who had undergone gastrectomy.

Comparative evaluation of immune response after laparoscopical and open total mesorectal excisions with anal sphincter preservation in patients with rectal cancer

AIM: The study of immune response of open versus laparoscopical total mesorectal excision with anal sphincter preservation in patients with rectal cancer has not been reported yet. The dissected retroperitoneal area that contacts directly with carbon dioxide is extensive in laparoscopic total mesorectal excision with anal sphincter preservation surgery. Tt is important to clarify whether the immune response of laparoscopic total mesorectal excision with anal sphincter preservation (LTME with ASP) in patients with rectal cancer is suppressed more severely than that of open surgery (OTME with ASP). This study was designed to compare the immune functions after laparoscopic and open total mesorectal excision with anal sphincter preservation for rectal cancer.METHODS: This study involved 45 patients undergoing laparoscopic (n=20) and open (n=25) total mesorectal excisions with anal sphincter preservation for rectal cancer.Serum interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) were assayed preoperatively and on days 1 and 5 postoperatively. CD3+ and CD56+ T lymphocyte count, CD3- and CD56+ natural killer cell (NK)count and immunoglobulin (IgG/IgM/IgA) were assayed preoperatively and on day 5 postoperatively. The numbers of CD3+ and CD56+ T lymphocytes and CD3- and CD56+ NK cells were counted using flow cytometry. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for IL-2, TL-6 and TNFα determination. And IgG, IgM, and IgA were assayed using immunonephelometry.RESULTS: The demographic data of the two groups had no difference. The preoperative levels of CD3+ and CD56+ T lymphocyte count, CD3- and CD56+ NK count, serum IgG,IgM, IgA, IL-2, IL-6 and TNFα also had no significant difference in the two groups (P＞0.05). The CD3+ and CD56+ T lymphocyte counts had no obvious changes after surgery in laparoscopic (d=-0.79±3.83 %) and open (d=0.42±2.09 %)groups. The CD3- and CD56+ NK counts were decreased postoperatively in both laparoscopic (d=-7.23±11.33 %) and open (d=-9.21±13.93 %) groups. The differences of the determined values of serum IgG, IgM and IgA on the fifth day after operation subtracted those before operation were -2.56±2.14 g/L, -252.35±392.94 mg/L, -506.15±912.24 mg/L in laparoscopic group, and -1.81±2.10 g/L, -282.72±356.75mg/L, -252.20±396.28 mg/L in open group, respectively. The levels of IL-2 were decreased after operation in both groups.However, the levels of IL-6 were decreased after laparoscopic surgery (d1=-23.14±263.97 ng/L and d5=-40.08±272.03 ng/L),and increased after open surgery (d1=27.38±129.14 ng/L and d5=21.67±234.31 ng/L). The TNFα levels were not elevated after surgery in both groups. There were no significant differences in the numbers of CD3+ and CD56+ T lymphocytes and CD3- and CD56+ NK cells, the levels of IgG, IgM, IgA,IL-2, IL-6 and TNFα between the two groups (P＞0.05).CONCLUSION: There are no differences in immune responses between the patients having laparoscopic total mesorectal excision with anal sphincter preservation and those undergone open surgery for rectal cancer.

Tumor type M_2 pyruvate kinase expression in gastric cancer,colorectal cancer and controls

AIM: Tumor formation is generally linked to an expansion of glycolytic phosphometabolite pools and aerobic glycolytic flux rates. To achieve this, tumor cells generally overexpress a special glycolytic isoenzyme, termed pyruvate kinase type M2. The present study was designed to evaluate the use of a new tumor marker, tumor M2-PK, in discriminating gastrointestinal cancer patients from healthy controls, and to compare with the reference tumor markers CEA and CA72-4. METHODS: The concentration of tumor M2-PK in body fluids could be quantitatively determined by a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-kit (ScheBo(R) Tech, Giessen, Germany). By using this kit, the tumor M2-PK concentration was measured in EDTA-plasma of 108 patients. For the healthy blood donors a cut-off value of 15 U/mL was evaluated, which corresponded to 90% specificity. Overall 108 patients were included in this study, 54 patients had a histological confirmed gastric cancer, 54 patients colorectal cancer, and 20 healthy volunteers served as controls. RESULTS: The cut-off value to discriminate patients from controls was established at 15 U/mL for tumor M2-PK. The mean tumor M2-PK concentration of gastric cancer was 26.937 U/mL. According to the TNM stage system, the mean tumor M2-PK concentration of stage I was 16.324 U/mL, of stage II 15.290 U/mL, of stage Ⅲ 30.289 U/mL, of stage IV 127.31 U/mL, of non-metastasis 12.854 U/mL and of metastasis 35.711 U/mL. The mean Tumor M2-PK concentration of colorectal cancer was 30.588 U/mL. According to the Dukes stage system, the mean tumor M2-PK concentration of Dukes A was 16.638 U/mL, of Dukes B 22.070 U/mL, and of Dukes C 48.024 U/mL, of non-metastasis 19.501 U/mL, of metastasis 49.437 U/mL. The mean tumor M2-PK conoentration allowed a significant discrimination of colorectal cancers(30.588 U/mL) from controls (10.965 U/mL) (P<0.01), and gastric cancer (26.937 U/mL) from controls (10.965 U/mL)(P<0.05). The overall sensitivity of tumor M2-PK for colorectal cancer was 68.52%, while that of CEA was 43.12%. In gastric cancer, tumor M2-PK showed a high sensitivity of 50.47%, while CA72-4 showed a sensitivity of 35.37%. CONCLUSION: Tumor M2-PK has a higher sensitivity than markers CEA and CA72-4, and is a valuable tumor marker for the detection of gastrointestinal cancer.

PROLIFERATION AND DIFFERENTIATION OF NEURAL STEMCELLS IN ADULT RATS AFTER CEREBRAL INFARCTION

Objective To investigate proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells in adult rats after cerebral infarction. Methods Models of cerebral infarction in rats were made and the time-course expression of bromodeoxyuridine(BrdU), Musashi1, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and neuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN) were determined by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining. BrdU and Musashi1 were used to mark dividing neural stem cells. GFAP and NeuN were used to mark differentiating neural stem cells. Results Compared with controls, the number of BrdU-labeled and BrdU-labeled with Musashi1-positive cells incre-ased strikingly 1 day after cerebral infarction; approximately 6 fold with a peak 7 days later; markedly decreased 14 days later, but was still elevated compared with that of controls; decling to the control level 28 days later. The number of BrdU-labeled with GFAP-positive cells nearly remained unchanged in the hippocampus after cerebral infarction. The nu-mber of BrdU-labeled with NeuN-positive cells increased strikingly 14 days after cerebral infarction, reached maximum peak in the hippocampus 28 days after cerebral infarction in rats. Conclusion Cerebral infarction stimulate proliferation of inherent neural stem cells and most proliferated neural stem cells differentiate into neurons.

INHIBITORY ROLE OF TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR COUP-TFII IN EXPRESSION OF HTERT IN HELA CELLS

To clone and identify the proteins involved in regulating the transcription of hTERT and study the role of genes in both hTERT transcription and telomerase activity. Methods The full cDNA of COUP-TFII was cloned from HeLa cDNA library by hTERT promoter-based yeast one-hybrid assay and then in-frame inserted into His-tag fusion expression vector pEK318. The His-tag COUP-TFII fusion proteins were purified by Ni-NTA chromatography. The interaction of COUP-TFII with hTERT promoter in vitro was identified by electrophoretic mobility shift assay and Footprint. The role of COUP-TFII in both hTERT transcription and telomerase activity were probed through Luciferase reporter assay, Northern blot, and TRAP-PCR ELISA. Results COUP-TFII could firmly bind to the downstream E-box and the other two binding sites in hTERT promoter. Luciferase reporter assay indicated COUP-TFII could suppress hTERT promoter activity and stable introduction of COUP-TFII into HeLa cells also decreased both endogenous hTERT transcription and telomerase activity. Conclusion The human COUP-TFII can firmly bind to hTERT promoter, and inhibit telomerase activity through decreasing hTERT transcription. It will greatly facilitate understanding of telomerase regulation in normal and cancer cells

Bifurcations and chaos in indirect field-oriented control of induction motors

Stability of indirect field-oriented control (IFOC) of induction motor drives is greatly influenced by estimated value of rotor time constant. By choosing estimation error of rotor time constant as bifurcation parameter, the conditions of generating Hopf bifurcation in IFOC drives are analyzed. Dynamic responses and Lyapunov exponents show that chaos and limit cycles will arise for some ranges of load torque with certain PI speed controller setting. Stable drives are required for conventional applications, but chaotic rotation can promote efficiency or improve dynamic characteristics of drives. Thus, the study may be a guideline for designing a stable system or an oscillating system.

Assembly of lamins in vitro

After lamins A, B and C were isolated and purified from rat liver, their assembly properties were examined by electron microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy using negative staining and the glycerol coating method,respectively By varying the assembly time or the ionic conditions under which polymerization takes place, we have observed different stages of lamin assembly, which may provide clues on the structure of the 10 nm lamin filaments. At the first level of structural organization, two lamin polypeptides associate laterally into dimers with the two domains being parallel and in register. At the second level of structural organization, two dimers associate in a half-staggered and atiparallel fashion to form a tetramer 75 nm in length. At the third level of structural organization, 4-10 lamin tetramers associate laterally in register to form 75 nm long 10nm filaments, which in turn combine head to head into long, fully assembled lamin filaments.The assembled lamin filaments are nonpolar.

Galactic Chemical Evolution of the Lighter Neutron Capture Elements Sr, Y and Zr

Based on a three-component Galaxy chemical evolutionary model satisfying a large set of Galactic and extragalactic constraints, we compute the chemical evolution of the lighter neutron capture elements (e.g., Sr, Y and Zr) taking into account contributions from three processes. We compare our model results with available observational results and find that the observed trends can be understood in the light of present knowledge of neutron capture nucleosynthesis.

A Quotient Space Approximation Model of Multiresolution Signal Analysis

In this paper, we present a quotient space approximation model of multiresolution signal analysis and discuss the properties and characteristics of the model. Then the comparison between wavelet transform and the quotient space approximation is made. First, when wavelet transform is viewed from the new quotient space approximation perspective, it may help us to gain an insight into the essence of multiresolution signal analysis. Second, from the similarity between wavelet and quotient space approximations, it is possible to transfer the rich wavelet techniques into the latter so that a new way for multiresolution analysis may be found.

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.

Polygonal Shape Blending with Topological Evolutions

This paper presents a new general approach to blend 2D shapes with differenttopologies. All possible topolog-ical evolutions are classified into three types by attaching threedifferent topological cells. This formalism is resulted from Morse theory on the behavior of the 3Dsurface around a non-degenerate critical point. Also we incorporate degenerate topologicalevolutions into our framework which produce more attractive morphing effects. The user controls themorph by specifying the types of topological evolutions as well as the feature correspondencesbetween the source and target shapes. Some techniques are also provided to control the vertex pathduring the morphing process. The amount of user input required to produce a morph is directlyproportional to the amount of control the user wishes to impose on the process. The user may allowthe system to automatically generate the morph as well. Our approaches are totally geometric basedand are easy and fast enough in fully interactive time. Many experimental results show theapplicability and flexibility of our approaches.