MicroRNA-149 inhibits proliferation and invasion of glioma cells via blockade of AKT1 signaling.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the regulation of gene expressions. Aberrant expression of miRNAs is implicated in a variety of biological and pathological processes, including the tumorigenesis of glioma (GM). Though the molecular mechanisms of protein kinase B (AKT) survival signal have been comprehensively explored, the role of miR-149 in glioblastoma (GBM) and its regulation on AKT signaling have not yet been ascertained. The present study aimed to elucidate the role and molecular mechanisms of miR-149 in U251 GM cells. Using a gain-of-function approach, we investigated the effects of lentivirus-mediated overexpression of miR-149 on the expression of phosphated-AKT1 (p-AKT1), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), matrix metallopeptidase-2 (MMP-2) and CyclinD1 in U251 cells and nude mice subcutaneous xenograft tumors by Real-time PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemical assays. Proliferative activities indicated by MTT assay, invasive potential by Transwell and cycle distribution by flow cytometry were carried out for functional analysis of U251 cells after infection with miR-149 mimic. As a consequence, miR-149 inhibited the expression of p-AKT1, PCNA, CyclinD1 and MMP-2, reduced the proliferative activities and invasive potential, and induced cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase in U251 cells. In conclusion, our findings show that miR-149 as tumor suppressor may be involved in the proliferation and invasion of GM cells via blockade of the AKT1 signaling, and be considered as a candidate target for the treatment of cancer.

Drug prescribing in rural health facilities in China: implications for service quality and cost.

Overuse of drugs in rural areas of China has led to a growing concern regarding service quality and cost. The study found evidence of high levels of drug use in some rural health facilities in comparison with a number of other developing countries. Such a result was significantly associated with the government policy of financing health care, regulation and monitoring of health services, and users' attitudes and behaviour. It underlines the need for measures to be taken in China to improve drug use in order to allow its population access to effective care at reasonable cost.

PIP: Excessive and inappropriate drug prescribing practices in developing countries expose patients to health risks and raise health costs. In China, the transition to a market-oriented economy has been accompanied by a largely unregulated market for drugs and drug sales represent a major source of income for rural health services. This study examined drug prescribing patterns in 3 poor rural counties in China: Donglan (Guangxi province), Shibing (Guizhou province), and Xunyi (Shaanxi province). For each month in 1993, 100 outpatient records were randomly selected from each county hospital and 50 from each health center for review. A total of 7182 prescriptions (generally for 2-3 drugs) were issued. Between one-third and one-half of all prescriptions were for antibiotics. County health bureaus do not monitor the performance of health workers in relation to drugs unless a medical accident occurs. The income of health workers is directly related to the volume of drugs they sell--a factor that, along with patient equation of drug treatment with effective care, reinforces rampant overprescription. The average cost per prescription in township health centers was equal to 5.6, 2.2, and 6.2 times the average per capita daily income in Donglan, Shibing, and Xunyi, respectively. The mark up at health facility pharmacies was 15% for Western drugs and 20% for Chinese drugs and herbs. These findings indicate an urgent need for policies to end financial incentives for health workers to prescribe drugs, limit the right to prescribe or sell drugs to those with well-defined medical training, and ensure access to effective care at a reasonable cost.

[Analysis of spatial clustering of disease].

It is difficult to determine whether there is spatial clustering of disease if the geographical distribution of population is unknown. Permutation test reported in the paper can be used as a method to judge the spatial clustering with unknown distribution of a random sample of cases. Comparison of difference in frequency of small distances between pairs of cases and controls can show whether there is spatial clustering of the disease.