HBV infection decreases risk of liver metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer:A cohort study

AIM:To evaluate the effect of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection on liver metastasis of colorectal cancer.METHODS:A total of 1298 colorectal cancer patients were recruited from January 2001 to March 2005 in this study.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to test serum HBV markers for colorectal cancer.Patients were divided into study (infection) group and control (non-infection) group.Clinical features of patients in two groups were compared.RESULTS:Liver metastasis was found in 319 out of the 1298 colorectal cancer patients.The incidence of liver metastasis was significantly lower in study group than in control group (14.2% vs 28.2%,P < 0.01).HBV infection significantly decreased the risk of liver metastasis [hazard ratio (HR):0.50,95% confidence interval (95% CI):0.38-0.66],but the incidence of extrahepatic metastasis was significantly higher in study group than in control group (31.9% vs 17.0%,P < 0.01).The HR was the lowest in chronic hepatitis B group (HR:0.29,95% CI:0.12-0.72).The number of liver metastatic lesions was significantly less in study group than in control group with a higher surgical resection rate.However,no significant difference was found in survival rate between the two groups (P=0.95).CONCLUSION:HBV infection decreases the risk of liver metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer and elevates the surgical resection rate of liver metastatic lesions.

Tumor suppressor genes on frequently deleted chromosome 3p in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is among the most common malignancies in southern China.Deletion of genomic DNA,which occurs during the complex pathogenesis process for NPC,represents a pivotal mechanism in the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs).In many circumstances,loss of TSGs can be detected as diagnostic and prognostic markers in cancer.The short arm of chromosome 3 (3p) is a frequently deleted chromosomal region in NPC,with 3p21.1-21.2 and 3p25.2-26.1 being the most frequently deleted minimal regions.In recent years,our research group and others have focused on the identification and characterization of novel target TSGs at 3p,such as RASSF1A,BLU,RBMS3,and CHL1,in the development and progression of NPC.In this review,we summarize recent findings of TSGs at 3p and discuss some of these genes in detail.A better understanding of TSGs at 3p will significantly improve our understanding of NPC pathogenesis,diagnosis,and treatment.

Relationship between acute stress and sleep disorder in grass-root military personnel:Mediating effect of social support

Background: To explore the relationship between acute stress, social support and sleep disorder in grass-root military personnel, and construct the relational model through structural equation modeling. Methods: A total of 2,411 grass-root military personnel were randomly selected by cluster sampling, and administered the Chinese Military Personnel Sleep Disorder Scale, Military Acute Stress Scale and Social Support Rating Scale.Results: The total score of acute stress scale was positively correlated with the total score and factor scores of sleep disorder scale(r=0.209~0.465, P【0.01); The total score of social support scale was positively correlated with the total score of acute stress scale and the total score and factor scores of sleep disorder scale(r=0.356~0.537, P【0.01). The analysis of mediating effects showed that lack of social support partially mediated between acute stress and the factors of sleep disorder. The analysis of structural equation model showed that acute stress not only had a direct effect on sleep disorder(the path coefficient was 0.29, P=0.000), but also on lack of social support(the path coefficient was 0.39, P=0.000); lack of social support had a direct effect on sleep disorder(the path coefficient was 0.48, P=0.000).Conclusions: Acute stress and lack of social support are two significant factors of sleep disorder in grass-root military personnel. Well-established social support could alleviate sleep disorder induced by acute stress. Lack of social support was a partial mediator between acute stress and sleep disorder.

Prognostic values of chromosome 18q microsatellite alterations in stage Ⅱ colonic carcinoma

AIM: To investigate the prognostic value of chromosome 18q microsatellite alterations (MA) in stage Ⅱ colon cancer. METHODS: One hundred and six patients with sporadic stage Ⅱ colon cancer were enrolled in this study. DNA was extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor and adjacent normal mucosal tissue samples. MA, including loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and microsatellite instability (MSI), was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction, polyacrylamide gel-electrophoresis and DNA sequencing at 5 microsatellite loci on chromosome 18q (D18S474, D18S55, D18S58, D18S61 and D18S64).RESULTS: Among the 102 patients eligible for MA information, the overall frequencies of LOH, high and low frequency MSI/microsatellite stable were 49.0%, 17.6% and 82.4%, respectively. The high frequency of 18q-LOH was signif icantly associated with the poor 5-year overall survival (OS) (P=0.008) and disease free survival (P=0.006). High levels of MSI were significantly associated with a longer 5-year OS (P=0.045) while the higher frequency of 18q-LOH at the loci of D18S474 and D18S61 was significantly associated with a poorer 5-year OS (P=0.010 and 0.005, respectively). But multivariate analysis showed that only the frequency of 18q-LOH was significantly associated with the prognosis of the disease. CONCLUSION: High frequency of 18q-LOH is an independent prognostic factor indicating poor prognosis of the patients with stage Ⅱ colon cancer.

Scene-trait coping style of military rescuers in Wenchuan earthquake

Objective This study aimed to explore the scene-trait coping style of military rescuers in Wenchuan earthquake in an effort to provide scientific evidences for mental intervention program for Chinese military personnel.Methods By cluster sampling,a total of 151 military rescuers and 331 control servicemen were administered the military personnel scene-trait coping style scale(MPSTCSS).Results All active coping factor scores,and passive coping factor scores of affection,health and economy in the rescuer group were significantly higher than those in control group(P<0.05).The 21-above age subgroup,the3-year plus service subgroup,and the officer subgroup had significantly higher active coping factor scores on military tasks,military experience and personal development than those of the 21-below age subgroup,3-year minus service subgroup and the soldier subgroup,respectively(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusion The earthquake relief servicemen can cope with stressful situations better than control group by taking active coping style.The officers,servicemen older than 21 years,and servicemen with more service duration than3 years could usually take active coping style.

Genomic Distribution of Quantitative Trait Loci for Yield and Yield-related Traits in Common Wheat

A major objective of quantitative trait locus （QTL） studies is to find genes/markers that can be used in breeding programs via marker assisted selection （MAS）.We surveyed the QTLs for yield and yieldrelated traits and their genomic distributions in common wheat （Triticum aestivum L.） in the available published reports.We then carried out a meta-QTL （MQTL） analysis to identify the major and consistent QTLs for these traits.In total,55 MQTLs were identified,of which 12 significant MQTLs were located on wheat chromosomes 1A,1B,2A,2D,3B,4A,4B,4D and 5A.Our study showed that the genetic control of yield and its components in common wheat involved the important genes such as Rht and Vrn.Furthermore,several significant MQTLs were found in the chromosomal regions corresponding to several rice genomic locations containing important QTLs for yield related traits.Our results demonstrate that meta-QTL analysis is a powerful tool for confirming the major and stable QTLs and refining their chromosomal positions in common wheat,which may be useful for improving the MAS efficiency of yield related traits.

Sensitized ligand narrow-band phosphorescence for high-efficiency solution-processed OLEDs

Narrow-band emission is crucial for high color purity in panel display.Nevertheless,attaining narrow-band emission is highly challenging because either thermally activated delayed fluorescence or phosphorescence in organic and metal-organic compounds originates primarily from multiple charge transfer transitions featured with broad bandwidths.In this work,a general tactic for achieving highly efficient narrow-band emission is proposed by the sensitization of ligand-centered phosphorescence through substantial intermetallic interaction.Relative to weak phosphorescence in mononuclear Pt(Ⅱ)precursors,highly efficient ligand-centered phosphorescence is dramatically activated in Pt(Ⅱ)-Au(Ⅰ)heteronuclear complexes with quantum yield as high as 81%in solutions and 97%in doping films.High-efficiency solution-processed organic light-emitting diodes(OLEDs)with narrow-band emission are successfully attained with external quantum efficiency(EQE)of 21.6%and a full width at half maxima(FWHM)of 36 nm for yellow electroluminescence and EQE of 20.8%and FWHM of 32 nm for green electroluminescence.

Achieving T-Type Photochromism through Generating Copper(I)Metallacyclopentadiene Biradical

Photochromism due to organometallic ring-closure through C−C linkage has never been attained.In this work,we report a preliminary approach to achieve T-type photochromism by creating a metallacyclopentadiene biradical under light irradiation.A class of CuPt2 phenylacetylide compounds was prepared with distinguished photochromic recyclability and durability,which involved the formation of thermally sensitive copper(I)-butadienyl,five-membered ring through copper(I)-participated ring-closure.Upon UV light irradiation,the metallacyclopentadiene with copper(I)center chelated by 1,3-butadiene-1,4-diyl biradical was generated through photochemical C-C linkage of two face-to-face oriented ethynyl units in close proximity,giving rise to a drastic change in UV-vis absorption spectrum.When UV light irradiation was ceased,decoloration occurred through thermal cycloreversion,which endowed the photochromic CuPt2 complexes with self-recovery characteristics.Electron paramagnetic resonance(EPR)spectral study confirmed a biradical feature of a ring-closed isomer.The thermal decoloration half-lives at ambient temperature were regulated from seconds to hours by increasing F substituents in phenylethynyl ligands.