Analysis of 246 sentinel lymph node biopsies of patients with clinical primary breast cancer by application of carbon nanoparticle suspension.

AIM: This study aims to explore the accuracy, specificity and laws of axillary lymph node metastasis predicted by sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) by comparing axillary lymph node status via SLNB and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) with nanocarbon as the tracer. METHODS: Forty six patients were retrospectively analyzed. These patients underwent SLNB with nanocarbon as the tracer from March 2013 to April 2014. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty six patients of sentinel lymph node (SLN) were successfully detected. Among these patients, 8 patients had 1 SLN (3.25%), 33 patients had 2 SLN (13.41%), 46 patients had 3 SLN (18.70%), 51 patients had 4 SLN (20.73%), 40 patients had 5 SLN (16.26%), 24 patients had 6 SLN (9.76%) and 24 patients had 7 or more SLN (9.76%). The SLNB success rate of nanocarbon staining in the 246 cases was 99.59%, accuracy rate was 97.06% and sensitivity was 93.22%. Furthermore, false negatives were found in four patients, and the false-negative rate was 6.78%. The number of lymph node metastasis in the SLNB and ALND of early-stage breast cancer was analyzed. When the number of SLN dissection was 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7, the coincidence rate of lymph node metastasis for SLNB and ALND was 80.00, 84.36, 78.57, 88.89, 90.48, 80.00, 73.68 and 78.36, respectively. CONCLUSION: Sentinel lymph node biopsy performed using the nanocarbon staining method is simple, easy and reliable, and it can be used to predict the axillary status of breast cancer in the early stage.

[Detection of quorum-sensing pathway and construction of LuxS gene deletion mutants of group B Streptococcus].

OBJECTIVE: To detect the possible presence of AI-2 quorum-sensing pathway and construct group B Streptococcus (GBS) mutants with deletion of LuxS gene related to quorum-sensing pathway. METHOD: V. harveyi BB170 was employed as the reporter strain to detect AI-2 pathway in GBS, and identification of LuxS homologous gene in GBS type V strain 2603 was performed by software-based analysis. LuxS gene deletion mutant Delta LusX was then constructed in GBS by means of allelic exchange and verified by Southern hybridization analysis. RESULTS: A component in the secretions of GBS could induce bioluminescence activity in the reporter strain, suggesting the presence of AI-2 quorum-sensing pathway in GBS. luxS homologous gene was detected in GBS and LuxS gene deletion mutants was successfully constructed in GBS Ia 515 and V 2603 strains. CONCLUSION: This study establishes a bacterial model for studying the role of LuxS molecule in AI-2 quorum-sensing pathway in GBS and provides new insights into virulence regulation mechanism of GBS.

Possibility of using DNA chip technology for diagnosis of human papillomavirus.

To explore the application of DNA chip technology for the detection and typing of Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the HPV6, 11, 16 and 18 gene fragments were isolated and printed onto aminosilane-coated glass slides by a PixSys 5500 microarrayer as probes to prepare the HPV gene chips. HPV samples, after being labeled with fluorescent dye by restriction display PCR (RD-PCR) technology, were hybridized with the microarray, which was followed by scanning and analysis. The experimental condition for preparing the HPV gene chips was investigated, and the possibility of HPV genotyping using gene chips was discussed. The technique that was established in this study for preparing HPV gene chips is practical. The results of the present study demonstrated the versatility and inspiring prospect of using this technology to detect and genotype HPV.

Gene expression study of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with the Agilent 2100 bioanalyser.

This study explores the restriction display-polymerase chain reaction (RD-PCR) application of a new chip-based nucleic acid analysis system (Agilent 2100 bioanalyser) in a gene differential expression study. Total RNAs is extracted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, double-stranded complementary DNA (cDNA) is synthesised by reverse transcription from the purified messenger RNA (mRNA), RD-PCR conducted to obtain the cDNA fragments and bioanalyser and agarose gel electrophoresis compared for the analysis of RD-PCR products. The bioanalyser proved to be faster and more sensitive in separating and detecting gene fragments, and was also able to compare different gene fragments quantitatively. Using this technology, comparison of several differential gene fragments is performed.

An elevated peripheral blood lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio predicts favorable response and prognosis in locally advanced breast cancer following neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) is a standard treatment option for locally advanced breast cancer. However, the lack of an efficient method to predict treatment response and patient prognosis hampers the clinical evaluation of patient eligibility for NCT. An elevated lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) has been reported to be associated with a favorable prognosis for certain hematologic malignancies and for nasopharyngeal carcinoma; however, this association has not been investigated in breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether pre-NCT LMR analysis could predict the prognosis of patients with locally advanced breast cancer. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of 542 locally advanced breast cancer patients (T3/T4 and/or N2/N3 disease) receiving NCT followed by radical surgery was recruited between May 2002 and August 2011 at the Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center. Counts for pre-NCT peripheral absolute lymphocytes and monocytes were obtained and used to calculate the LMR. RESULTS: Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that higher LMR levels (≥4.25) were significantly associated with favorable DFS (P = 0.009 and P = 0.011, respectively). Additionally, univariate analysis revealed that a higher lymphocyte count (≥1.5×109/L) showed borderline significance for improved DFS (P = 0.054), while a lower monocyte count (<0.4×109/L) was associated with a significantly better DFS (P = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: An elevated pre-NCT peripheral LMR level was a significantly favorable factor for locally advanced breast cancer patient prognosis. This easily obtained variable may serve as a valuable marker to predict the outcomes of locally advanced breast cancer.

[Depression and associated factors among migrant women of reproductive age in some areas of Wuhan].

OBJECTIVE: To understand factors as social support, situation of depression and related risk factors among migrant women of reproductive age in some areas of Wuhan. METHODS: Cluster sampling method and face-to-face interview with structured questionnaire were used to investigate 316 migrant women in Wuhan. RESULTS: The overall prevalence rate of depression was 32.3%. RESULTS: from binary logistic regression analysis showed that factors as: under pressure (OR = 4.010, 95%CI: 1.672 - 9.617), having had negative life events (OR = 2.050, 95%CI: 1.170 - 3.591) or tight relations with neighbors (OR = 2.537, 95%CI: 1.053 - 6.113), not quite satisfied (OR = 4.247, 95%CI: 1.521 - 11.855) or satisfied (OR = 2.411, 95%CI: 1.111 - 5.233), on his/her own health status etc., might serve as the possible risk factors for depression. In scores related to social support, and the utilization of such support, there were statistically significant differences seen between the groups with depression and the one without. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of depression among migrant women of reproductive age appeared to be high in some areas on Wuhan. Factors as: under pressure, having had negative life events, tight relations with neighbors, status on satisfaction of one's own health situation as well as related social support, seemed to be the main risk factors for depression in this population.