The activation of ABL tyrosine kinase in BCR/ABL-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) leads to a diversity of biological changes related to the pathogenesis of the disease. In CML patients, we determined the expression of growth factor independence-1 (Gfi1), a transcription repressor with weak oncogenic activity. Our data demonstrated that the Gfi1 mRNA level in both the mononuclear cells and purified CD34(+) cells from CML were significantly higher as measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Using flow cytometry and Western blot, we also showed that the Gfi1 protein content was increased in CML CD34(+) cells. The expression of Gfi1 was correlated with BCR/ABL significantly. Gfi1 may be implicated in the pathogenesis of CML and can serve as a potential target for the management of the disease.

Objective Activation of PPARgamma by its ligands has shown potential anti-neoplastic effects in solid tumors. In this study, we investigate the effects of rosiglitazone (RGZ) alone as well as in combination combined with all trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) on human myeloma cell lines and try to address its potential mechanism. Methods U266, RPMI-8226 and primary myeloma cells from patients were treated with different concentrations of RGZ in the presence or absence of ATRA and various biological responses were studied by the methods of [(3)H] thymidine incorporation, MTT, cell cycle analysis, Annexin V-PI staining, Wright-Giemsa staining, CD49e expression assay, light chain protein detection, RT-PCR and caspase-3 activity assay. Results We report that exposure to RGZ induced proliferation inhibition and viability reduction in a dose-dependent manner in both U266 and RPMI-8226 cells. A similar exposure to RGZ also induced cell cycle arrest and cell apoptosis of myeloma cells. A combination of RGZ with ATRA enhanced the effects of RGZ and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis more profoundly in both cell lines. RGZ treated cells displayed morphological characteristics of cell differentiation, and more evident signs of differentiation were observed when combined with ATRA. These changes were confirmed by the detection of CD49e expression and light chain protein secretion. Similar cell apoptosis and differentiation were observed when primary CD138+ myeloma cells were treated with RGZ and ATRA. The mRNA expressions of FLIP, XIAP and survivin were detected in both cell lines and the levels decreased significantly after culture with RGZ. The addition of ATRA in culture medium made these changes more apparently. Caspase-3 activity was increased upon exposure to RGZ in both U266 and RPMI-8226 cells while combination of RGZ and ATRA brought out more effective activation of caspase-3. Similar apoptosis and cell differentiation induced by RGZ and ATRA can also be observed in primary CD138(+) cells from myeloma patients. Conclusion Concomitant RXRalpha activation by ATRA enhanced the inhibitory effects of RGZ on myeloma cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis and differentiation. Combination of RGZ and ATRA may be a useful therapy for human multiple myeloma.

In order to design a fuzzy controller for complex nonlinear systems, the work of this paper deals with developing the relaxed stability conditions for continuous-time affine Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy models. By applying the passivity theory and Lyapunov theory, the relaxed stability conditions are derived to guarantee the stability and passivity property of closed-loop systems. Based on these relaxed stability conditions, the synthesis of fuzzy controller design problem for passive continuous-time affine T-S fuzzy models can be easily solved via the Optimal Convex Programming Algorithm (OCPA) and Linear Matrix Inequality (LMI) technique. At last, a simulation example for the fuzzy control of a nonlinear synchronous generator system is presented to manifest the applications and effectiveness of proposed fuzzy controller design approach.

We have derived an analytic geometric transfer function (GTF) for a convergent slit-slat collimator that treats the parallel slit-slat collimator as a special case. The effective point spread function (EPSF) is then derived from the GTF through the Fourier transform. The results of these derivations give an accurate description of the complete geometric response for a slit-slat collimator that includes the effects of the shape and orientation of the slit and slats. We have also derived exact and approximate sensitivity formulae and spatial resolution formulae using the EPSF.

The forms of the medical records are different from one institute to another. Moreover, medical records are always stored in free text. Consequently, medical records almost can not be logically analyzed and understood by machines. In this paper, we have applied the information retrieval (IR) technique in the using of medical records. We have implemented an IR system for the users, such as doctors and patients, to query similar or related medical records to support diagnosis and treatment. Knowledge retrieval for reuse is the key idea of this system.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: A range of prediction rules for the onset of type 2 diabetes have been proposed. However, most studies have been conducted in white groups and it is not clear whether these models apply to Asian populations. The purpose of this study was to construct a simple points model for predicting incident diabetes among Chinese people. METHODS: We estimated the 10 year risk of diabetes in a cohort study of middle-aged and elderly participants who were free from diabetes at baseline. Cox regression coefficients were used to construct the simple points model and the discriminatory ability of the resulting prediction rule was determined using AUC and net reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination improvement statistics. Fivefold random splitting was used to test the internal validity and obtain bootstrap estimates of the AUC. RESULTS: Of the 2,960 participants without diabetes at the baseline examination, 548 developed type 2 diabetes during a median 10 year follow-up period. Age (four points), elevated fasting glucose (11 points), body mass index (eight points), triacylglycerol (five points), white blood cell count (four points) and a higher HDL-cholesterol (negative four points) were found to strongly predict diabetes incidence in a multivariate model. The estimated AUC for the model was 0.702 (95% CI 0.676-0.727). This model performed better than existing prediction models developed in other populations, including the Prospective Cardiovascular Münster, Cambridge, San Antonia and Framingham models for diabetes risk. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: We have constructed a model for predicting the 10 year incidence of diabetes in Chinese people that could be useful for identifying individuals at high risk of diabetes in the Chinese population.

A microchip-based method was developed for on-line determination of trace sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) in air. Gaseous SO(2), which diffused through the porous glass materials on the microchip, was absorbed into an absorption solution of triethanolamine (TEA) as sulfite ions and reacted with N-(9-acridinyl)maleimide (NAM), which was used as a fluorescent reagent. The fluorescence of NAM-sulfite in micro-fluidic channel was detected. The calibration curve of sulfite ions in the range of 1.5-30mumol/L (SO(2) 3-60ppbv) showed a linear relation R(2)=0.995, and the relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) was 1.9% for 10mumol/L sulfite ions in five measurements. The entire measurement procedure was achieved by the integrated microchip, and the consumption of reagents was drastically reduced. It was satisfactory to apply this method to determine on-line the SO(2) level in the air.

OBJECTIVE: To know halophilic actinomycetes and their enzyme-producing ability from mud volcano in Usu County, Xinjiang, China. METHODS: Soil samples in mud volcano were isolated with five isolation media containing 5% and 10% NaCl (w/v) with dilution-plate method. The activities of lipase, galactosidase, amylase, esterase and cellulase from isolated strains were qualitatively detected by using five selective media. Base on morphological characteristics, test of salt tolerance, screening of enzymatic characters and sequencing of 16S rDNA gene, strains were selected for phylogenetic analysis. RESULTS: A total of 43 halophilic actinomycetes and 3 extreme halophilic actinomycetes were obtained. Screening results for enzyme activity showed that 4 halophilic actinomycetes produced lipase, 30 strains produced galactosidase, 27 strains produced amylase, 6 strains produced esterase, 4 strains produced cellulose and 1 strain produced 4 enzymes simultaneously. According to 16S rDNA sequence analysis, 24 of 25 detected sequences were affiliated with Nocardiopsis, and the other one was Streptomyces. In the phylogenetic tree, strain 10006 producing 2 enzymes and Nocardiopsis exhalans (AY03600) showed 96.64% similarity (less than 97%), which indicated that strain 10006 was a possible new species. CONCLUSION: There are plenty of galactosidase or amylase-producing halophilic actinomycetes and higher enzyme-producing diversity of Nocardiopsis in Usu mud volcano. In addition, there are potential microbial resources in this extreme environment.