医药类高等院校生物物理课程建设的思考

医用生物物理学是研究生命物质的物理性质,生命过程的物理和物理化学规律以及物理因素对生物系统作用机制的科学,是物理学和生物学相结合而产生的一门边缘学科。在促进物理学和生命科学进步方面都显现出强大的生命力和推动力。基于医用生物物理学发展和我校学科建设发展的现实需要,本文讨论了我校建设医用生物物理学必修课或者选修课的必要性,并从本课程和学校学生特点两个方面考虑,对该课程建设的内容进行了初步的整合。旨在对教学内容进行整合、优化,增加一些新概念、新知识及前沿动态,把新旧知识联系到了一起,教会学生如何应用基础知识解决问题的方法以及缓解目前学时少、内容多这一矛盾。     

芳香族氨基酸羟化酶家族结构与催化功能

芳香族氨基酸羟化酶(AAAH）家族是一类单加氢酶,包括苯丙氨酸羟化酶(PAH)、酪氨酸羟化酶(TH)和色氨酸羟化酶(TPH). 在辅因子四氢生物蝶呤、铁原子及氧存在下,分别催化苯丙氨酸、酪氨酸、色氨酸的羟化反应. 多种疾病如苯丙酮尿症、帕金森氏病以及神经相关疾病的发病机制均与这类酶有关. 本文综述近年来对芳香族氨基酸羟化酶家族蛋白结构功能、底物特异性、催化机制等方面的研究进展,为该类酶的定向进化及功能应用提供新思路.     

CysC,mALB和尿BGM联合检测在2型糖尿病早期肾损中的临床价值

目的:探讨CysC、mALB和尿BGM联合检测在2型糖尿病早期肾损中的临床价值。方法:选取2010年11月至2013年6月我院内分泌科收治的130名2型糠尿病患者,根据空腹血糖值的不同程度将其分为A、B两组,A组72例,B组58例,另选取同期在我院体检的年龄、性别等资料与之匹配的64名健康者设为C组。分别对其CysC、mALB和尿BGM进行测定,并进行对比分析。结果:通过分析可知,A组和B组的Cys C分别为(3.29±1.09)mg/L、(2.86±1.05)mg/L,相对于C组的(0.87±0.99)mg/L,均明显升高,但A组升高更加明显;A组、B组、C组的mALB分别为(37.36±4.82)mg/L、(36.55±4.31)mg/L、(6.61±3.84)mg/L,B组高于A组,C组高于A组和B组;三组的BGM中,以A组最高,为(634.15±55.24)μg/L,B组其次,为(626.92±48.18)μg/L,均高于C组的(57.12±11.75)μg/L;Cys C、mALB、BGM等阳性指标的检出率分别为76.15%、77.69%、72.31%,而Cys C、mALB、BGM联合检测的检出率为93.85%,明显高于其他单指标检测。且P0.05,差异具有统计学意义。结论:对CysC、mALB和尿BGM进行联合检测对2型糖尿病早期肾损患者具有较高的检出率,相对于单指标检测,敏感性更高。     

18种植物源物质对枸杞鲜果的保鲜活性

为延长枸杞鲜果的贮存时间,开发专用植物源保鲜剂,采用浸泡法初步研究18种植物提取物对枸杞鲜果的保鲜作用。结果表明,荷叶乙醇提取物和柠檬油对枸杞鲜果具有较好的保鲜活性,在1 g/L和1 mL/L剂量时,处理5 d后好果率分别为78.64%和72.22%,质量损失率分别为7.68%和8.13%,显著优于标准药剂1-甲基环丙烯（1-MCP 0.25 μL/L,P<0.05）;其次为肉桂油、丁香叶油、香紫苏油、卡楠加油、丹参提取物和知母提取物,好果率均在50%以上;最佳使用剂量筛选表明,荷叶乙醇提取物和柠檬油二者分别在2 g/L和400 μL/L时对枸杞鲜果的保鲜效果最好,处理5 d后枸杞鲜果好果率均在80%以上,显著优于1-MCP（0.25 μL/L）处理。可见荷叶提取物和柠檬油对枸杞鲜果具有较好的保鲜活性,值得进一步研究。     

The Combination of RAD001 and MK-2206 Exerts Synergistic Cytotoxic Effects against PTEN Mutant Gastric Cancer Cells: Involvement of MAPK-Dependent Autophagic,but Not Apoptotic Cell Death Pathway

In the current study, we showed that the combination of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor RAD001 (everolimus) and Akt inhibitor MK-2206 exerted synergistic cytotoxic effects against low-phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) gastric cancer cells (HGC-27 and SNU-601 lines). In HGC-27 cells, RAD001 and MK-2206 synergistically induced G1/S cell cycle arrest, growth inhibition, cell death but not apoptosis. RAD001 and MK-2206 synergistically induced light chain 3B (LC3B) and beclin-1 expression, two important autophagy indicators. Meanwhile, the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and chloroquine inhibited the cytotoxic effects by RAD001 and MK-2206, suggesting that autophagic, but not apoptotic cell death was important for the cytotoxic effects by the co-administration. We observed that the combination of RAD001 and MK-2206 exerted enhanced effects on Akt/mTOR inhibition, cyclin D1 down-regulation and ERK/MAPK(extracellular signal-regulated kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinases) activation. Intriguingly, MEK/ERK inhibitors PD98059 and U0126 suppressed RAD001 plus MK-2206-induced beclin-1 expression, autophagy induction and cytotoxicity in HGC-27 cells. In conclusion, these results suggested that the synergistic anti-gastric cancer cells ability by RAD001 and MK-2206 involves ERK-dependent autophagic cell death pathway.     

The Predictive but Not Prognostic Value of MGMT Promoter Methylation Status in Elderly Glioblastoma Patients: A Meta-Analysis

Background

The clinical implication of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter status is ill-defined in elderly glioblastoma patients. Here we report a meta-analysis to seek valid evidence for its clinical relevance in this subpopulation.

Methods

Literature were searched and reviewed in a systematic manner using the PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane databases. Studies investigating the association between MGMT promoter status and survival data of elderly patients (≥65 years) were eligible for inclusion.

Results

Totally 16 studies were identified, with 13 studies included in the final analyses. The aggregate proportion of MGMT promoter methylation in elderly patients was 47% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 42–52%), which was similar to the value for younger patients. The analyses showed differential effects of MGMT status on overall survival (OS) of elderly patients according to assigned treatments: methylated vs. unmethylated: (1) temozolomide (TMZ)-containing therapies: hazard ratio [HR] 0.49, 95% CI 0.41–0.58; (2) TMZ-free therapies: HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.77–1.21. More importantly, a useful predictive value was observed by an interaction analysis: TMZ-containing therapies vs. RT alone: (1) methylated tumors: HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.36–0.65; (2) unmethylated tumors: HR 1.14; 95% CI 0.90–1.44.

Conclusion

The meta-analysis reports an age-independent presence of MGMT promoter methylation. More importantly, the study encouraged routine testing of MGMT promoter status especially in elderly glioblastoma patients by indicating a direct linkage between biomarker test and individual treatment decision. Future studies are needed to justify the mandatory testing in younger patients.     

Lymph Node Ratio for Postoperative Staging of Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma with Lymph Node Metastasis

Background

Lymph node metastasis has a significant impact on laryngeal cancer prognosis. The role of lymph node ratio (LNR, ratio of metastatic to examined nodes) in the staging of laryngeal cancer was not reported.

Patients and Methods

Records of laryngeal cancer patients with lymph node involvement from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (SEER, training set, N = 1963) and Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FDSCC, validating set, N = 27) were analyzed for the prognostic value of LNR. Kaplan–Meier survival estimates, the Log-rank χ² test and Cox proportional hazards model were used for univariate and multivariate analysis. Optimal LNR cutoff points were identified by X-tile.

Results

Optimal LNR cutoff points classified patients into three risk groups R1 (≤0.09), R2 (0.09–0.20) and R3 (>0.20), corresponding to 5-year cause-specific survival and overall survival in SEER patients of 55.1%, 40.2%, 28.8% and 43.1%, 31.5%, 21.8%, 2-year disease free survival and disease specific survival in FDSCC patients of 74.1%, 62.5%, 50.0%, and 67.7%, 43.2%, 25.0%, respectively. R3 stratified more high risk patients than N3 with the same survival rate, and R classification clearly separated N2 patients to 3 risk groups and N1 patients to 2 risk groups (R1–2 and R3).

Conclusions

R classification is a significant prognostic factor of laryngeal cancer and should be used as a complementary staging system of N classification.     

抗肿瘤动物类中药的研究进展

动物类中药资源丰富,其在肿瘤治疗中取得的疗效引起医药领域广泛关注,已成为抗肿瘤药物的一个新的研究热点。然而,抗肿瘤动物类中药成分复杂,其有效成分和作用机制尚有待进一步明确。综述常用抗肿瘤动物类中药及其活性成分、抗肿瘤动物类中药作用机制与临床应用,以期为抗肿瘤动物类中药的深入研究与开发提供参考。     

Anterior Lamina Cribrosa Insertion in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma Patients and Healthy Subjects

PurposeTo determine using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) whether there are differences in the location of the anterior lamina cribrosa insertion (ALI) in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients and healthy subjects.MethodsFifty three eyes from 53 patients with POAG, and 53 eyes from 53 age-matched healthy subjects were included prospectively in Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. Twelve radial line B-scans centered on the optic disc in every half-clock-hour meridian were acquired using SS-OCT. The ALI position was assessed by measuring two parameters: (1) ALI distance (ALID)—the distance from the anterior scleral canal opening (ASCO) to the ALI; and (2) marginal anterior lamina cribrosa surface depth (mALCSD)—the perpendicular distance from the ASCO plane to the anterior lamina cribrosa surface. These parameters were compared between the two groups for each meridian.ResultsBoth ALID (256±54 vs. 209±37 µm, mean ± SD, p<0.001) and mALCSD (232±63 vs. 187±40 µm, p<0.001) were significantly greater in the POAG group than in the normal group. The largest difference was observed at the 6.5 o′clock and 11.5 o′clock meridians for both ALID and mALCSD. Multiple regression analysis revealed a negative correlation between age and both ALID and mALCSD in the control group, and a negative correlation between mean deviation of the visual field test and both ALID and mALCSD in the POAG group.ConclusionsThe ALI was displaced posteriorly in eyes with POAG compared to those of healthy controls. This finding suggests that the posteriorly located lamina cribrosa insertion is an important component of glaucomatous optic nerve excavation.     

Regulatory B cells correlate with HIV disease progression

A rare subset of IL‐10‐producing B cells, named Breg, was recently identified in mice and humans. Currently, there are no unified cell surface markers to identify Breg, and the relationship between the frequency of Breg and HIV disease progression in chronic HIV infection is unclear. In the present study, we determined whether the cell surface markers of Breg reported for other diseases are suitable for identifying Breg in HIV‐infected patients. In addition, we examined the relationship between Breg and HIV disease progression. We found that Breg frequency correlated positively with viral load and negatively with CD4 count in chronic HIV infection. Following antiretroviral treatment, the CD4 count increased and the frequency of Breg decreased stepwise. There was no difference in IL‐10 expression of CD1d^hi or CD1d^lo cells isolated from HIV‐infected patients. Therefore, CD1d may not be a marker of Breg in HIV‐infected patients.