Cardioprotective effect of liposomal prostaglandin E1 on a porcine model of myocardial infarction reperfusion no-reflow

Objective  

To evaluate whether liposomal prostaglandin E1 (lipo-PGE1) can decrease reperfusion no-reflow in a catheter-based porcine model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).     

RRM1 gene expression in peripheral blood is predictive of shorter survival in Chinese patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer treated by gemcitabine and platinum

Objective  

To evaluate the predictive values of gene expressions of ribonucleotide reductase M1 (RRM1) and breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 (BRCA1) in peripheral blood from Chinese patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with gemcitabine plus platinum.     

Effects of insulin-like growth factor-1 on the properties of mesenchymal stem cells in vitro

Objective  

To explore the effects of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) on migration, proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).     

Imbalanced expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinases in lung squamous cell carcinoma

Objective  

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are correlated with a more malignant phenotype in many cancers. This study was designed to evaluate the predictive value of the expression of MAPK phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK_1/2), as the key regulatory mechanism of the MAPKs, in lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).     

Association between SNP rs1800875, serum chymase and immunoglobulin E levels in patients with coronary heart disease

Objective  

The gene for mast cell chymase (CMA1) is an ideal candidate for investigating the genetic predisposition to coronary heart disease (CHD), as activated mast cells have been found to be present in a greater proportion in the shoulder region of atheroma than in normal coronary intimae. Previous studies have indicated that CMA1 promoter polymorphism rs1800875 may be involved in regulating immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in patients with eczema, and it is associated with the progression of immunoglobulin A nephropathy.     

Promoting foundational linguistic skills for reading development in young Chinese language learners: A 1-year intervention study

Background

Using a 1-year longitudinal design, we evaluated the effectiveness of an intervention programme to improve reading attainments among Chinese-as-a-second-language (CSL) learners. Using the simple view of reading as a theoretical framework, the intervention focused on students' orthographic knowledge, word reading and listening comprehension to facilitate reading comprehension.

Method

A total of 186 Grade 4 CSL students (mean age = 9.22, SD = 0.56) participated in the study and were grouped into the treatment (N = 96) and control (N = 90) groups. A range of Chinese language and literacy skills were assessed before and after the intervention.

Results

The path analysis showed that the intervention significantly affected orthographic knowledge, word reading and listening comprehension directly and reading comprehension indirectly through the three componential skills after controlling for nonverbal reasoning, vocabulary and autoregressors.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that orthographic knowledge, word reading and listening comprehension may be promising targets for instructing young CSL learners.     

Assessment of ghrelin and leptin receptor levels in postmenopausal women who received oral or transdermal menopausal hormonal therapy

Objective  

In postmenopausal women, an increased leptin concentration and reduced levels of ghrelin and adiponectin were observed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentrations of the active form of ghrelin, total ghrelin, leptin receptor, lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) in postmenopausal women who received oral or transdermal menopausal hormonal therapy (MHT).     

Pathogenic mutations of TGFBI and CHST6 genes in Chinese patients with Avellino, lattice, and macular corneal dystrophies

Objective  

To investigate gene mutations associated with three different types of corneal dystrophies (CDs), and to establish a phenotype-genotype correlation.     

Preparation of glucosamine by hydrolysis of chitosan with commercial α-amylase and glucoamylase

Objective  

In order to overcome the defects of chemical hydrolysis approach to prepare glucosamine, an enzymatic hydrolysis method was developed.     

Association between TaqIB polymorphism of cholesteryl ester transfer protein and coronary artery disease in the Chinese population

Objective  

To assess whether the TaqIB polymorphism of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) in Chinese population, we performed a meta-analysis in this paper.     

A preliminary evaluation of VEGF-A,VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 in patients with well-controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective

Decompensated chronic hyperglycemia often leads to late microvascular complications such as retinopathy, diabetic foot syndrome, and diabetic kidney disease. The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and its receptors in patients with well-controlled diabetes.

Methods

The study was conducted on 31 patients with well-controlled type 2 diabetes without micro-or macroangiopathy. Thirty healthy volunteers were enrolled in a control group. Serum concentrations of VEGF-A, VEGF receptors 1 and 2 (VEGFR1 and VEGFR2), fasting glucose, and lipid profiles were measured, and the plasma concentration of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was determined.

Results

No significant differences were observed between the concentration of VEGF-A, VEGFR1 or VEGFR2 in the subject group and that in the control group. Positive correlations were noted between the levels of VEGF-A, VEGFR2, and triglyceride, and there was a negative correlation between the levels of VEGFR2 and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol in the study group.

Conclusions

The concentrations of VEGF-A and its receptors 1 and 2 in patients with well-controlled diabetes are comparable to those of healthy individuals, which may indicate that appropriate control of glucose levels delays the occurrence of vascular complications. A negative correlation between VEGFR2 and HDL-cholesterol levels, and positive correlations between VEGF-A, VEGFR2, and triglyceride levels, suggest that lipid abnormalities occurring in diabetes may be involved in the modulation of angiogenesis.     

Correlation between expectations of recovery and injury severity perception in whiplash-associated disorders

Objective  

To assess the correlation between expectations of recovery and whiplash patients’ perceptions of injury severity using a simplified instrument. Expectations of recovery have been shown to predict rate of recovery from whiplash injury in population-based studies. The perception of having more severe pathology or more ominous diagnostic labels has also been associated with a worse prognosis.     

Construction of a eukaryotic expression vector pEGFP-C1-BMP-2 and its effect on cell migration

Objective  

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are known to play an important role in bone and cartilage development. Recent research has shown that BMPs may induce tumorigenesis and promote tumor to spread, but the molecular mechanisms have not been elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the regulatory function of BMP-2 in the migration of COS-7 cells and the underlying mechanisms.     

Up-regulation of mitochondrial antioxidation signals in ovarian cancer cells with aggressive biologic behavior

Objective  

Recently, a high frequency of mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been detected in ovarian cancer. To explore the alterations of proteins in mitochondria in ovarian cancer, a pair of human ovarian carcinoma cell lines (SKOV3/SKOV3.ip1) with different metastatic potentials was examined.     

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T polymorphism predicts response and time to progression to gemcitabine-based chemotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer in a Chinese Han population

Objective:The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR) C677T excision repair cross-complementation group 1(ERCC1) genetic polymorphisms and the clinical efficacy of gemcitabine-based chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).Methods:A total of 135 chemonaive patients with unresectable advanced NSCLC were treated with gemcitabine/platinum regimens.The polymorphisms of MTHFR C677T,ERCC1 C8092A,and ERCC1 C118T were genotyped using the TaqMan methods.Results:The overall response rate was 28.9%.Patients with MTHFR CC genotype had a higher rate of objective response than patients with variant genotype(TT or CT)(41.2% versus 19.1%,P=0.01).Median time to progression(TTP) of patients with MTHFR CC genotype was longer than that of patients with variant genotype(7.6 months versus 5.0 months,P=0.003).No significant associations were obtained between ERCC1 C118T and C8092A polymorphisms and both response and survival.Conclusions:Our data suggest the value of MTHFR C677T polymorphism as a possible predictive marker of response and TTP in advanced NSCLC patients treated with gemcitabine/platinum.     

Three-dimensional evaluation of upper anterior alveolar bone dehiscence after incisor retraction and intrusion in adult patients with bimaxillary protrusion malocclusion

Objective  

The purpose of this study was to evaluate three-dimensional (3D) dehiscence of upper anterior alveolar bone during incisor retraction and intrusion in adult patients with maximum anchorage.     

Classroom effects are as large as grade-level effects on curriculum-based measurement maze reading scores of secondary school students with and without special educational needs

Background

Previous studies used curriculum-based measurement (CBM) maze scores as an indicator of the reading comprehension level of secondary school students with and without special educational needs in multiple grades, pinpointing a high influence of both student- and context-related variables. However, studies on cumulative influence are necessary for better understanding of data-based decision-making.

Methods

We examined a sample of 1066 secondary school students using four linear mixed-effect models: How much variance in maze scores exists between multiple student characteristics (i.e., gender, immigration background, learning disability and developmental language disorder) and context variables (i.e., classroom, grade and school type) across Grades 5–8?

Results

The intra-class correlation (ICC) results show that the influence by the context-related variable classroom (ICC = .094) is almost as large as by the variable grade level (ICC = .126). School type (i.e., inclusive school vs. special school) has the least influence (ICC = .02). In addition, the effects of student-related variables explain only a small proportion of the variance (marginal R² = .114).

Conclusions

Maze scores can be used as a screening instrument for students with multiple characteristics across grades; they also show that it makes no difference which type of school students attend. As teachers and further classroom-related variables have almost as much influence as grade level, we discuss that teachers can minimise classroom effects by using maze scores as a formative approach.     

Clinical outcomes of fertility-sparing treatments in young patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma

Objective  

To assess the clinical outcomes of fertility-sparing treatments in young patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC).