Hair shaft miRNA‐221 levels as a new tumor marker of malignant melanoma

miRNA‐221 (miR‐221) is known to be abnormally expressed in many human cancers. The serum levels of miR‐221 have been reported as a tumor marker for malignant melanoma (MM). We hypothesized that the hair shaft miR‐221 levels may be increased in patients with MM. We therefore assessed the possibility that hair shaft miR‐221 levels could be a marker for MM. The hair shaft miR‐221 levels were significantly higher in patients with MM than controls. The rates of increased hair shaft miR‐221 levels above the cut‐off value were comparable to those of serum 5‐S‐CD, which is a tumor marker commonly used for MM. Measurements of the hair shaft miR‐221 levels could have potential clinical value in the detection of MM. This is the first report investigating the hair shaft levels of an miRNA in patients with MM. Our investigations offer new insight into the relationship between miR‐221 and MM, and may provide a new, non‐invasive way to screen for melanoma.     

microRNA-613调控CDK14来抑制老年胶质瘤患者瘤细胞的增殖和侵袭作用

目的 探讨microRNA-613调控细胞周期蛋白依赖性激酶14(CDK14)通路来抑制老年胶质瘤患者瘤细胞增殖和侵袭的机制。方法 购自上海北诺生物科技有限公司的人脑胶质瘤细胞株U251共24株,分为shNC组、shmicroRNA-613组、Vector组、microRNA-613组,每组各6株; Western Blotting法和qRT-PCR法检测敲减microRNA-613和过表达microRNA-613后的人脑胶质瘤细胞株U251中CDK14蛋白表达水平,CCK-8细胞增殖实验、Transwell小室实验验证敲除microRNA-613和过表达microRNA-613后U251细胞的增殖、侵袭能力。结果 人胶质瘤细胞株U251敲减microRNA-613后CDK14蛋白表达增加(P<0.05); 人胶质瘤细胞株U251过表达microRNA-613后CDK14蛋白表达减少(P<0.05); 转染第24、36、48 h microRNA-613组U251细胞增殖率P<0.05); microRNA-613组U251细胞侵袭能力>Vector组,shNC组>shmicroRNA-613组(P<0.05)。结论 microRNA-613可通过调控CDK14信号转导通路来抑制人脑胶质瘤细胞U251增殖、转移。     

H∞ control of switched linear discrete‐time systems with polytopic uncertainties

In this paper, the problem of designing H_∞ state‐feedback controllers for switched linear discrete‐time systems with polytopic uncertainties is investigated. Two approaches on designing robust and parameter‐dependent H_∞ controllers are proposed and the existence conditions of the desired controllers are derived and formulated in terms of a set of linear matrix inequalities. By solving the corresponding convex optimization problem, the desired controllers are obtained, respectively, and different optimal H_∞ noise‐attenuation level bounds of corresponding closed‐loop systems are given as well. The designed controllers have their own advantages and disadvantages regarding the conservatism and realization complexity. An illustrative example emerging in networked control systems (NCS) and numerical simulations are presented to show the applicability and effectiveness of the obtained theoretic results. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A case of dysmyelopoietic syndrome with hypotetraploid karyotype

We present a patient with dysmyelopoietic syndrome and with a complex, hypotetraploid karyotype with numerous structural aberrations.     

MicroRNA-93 promotes bladder cancer proliferation and invasion by targeting PEDF

Objective

MicroRNA-93 (miR-93) is upregulated in the urine of patients with bladder cancer (BC). Here, we investigated the role of miR-93 in BC progression and explored the underlying mechanism.

Intraoperative liver steatosis characterization using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy

Background

Liver steatosis is associated with poor outcome after liver transplantation and liver resection. There is a need for an accurate and reliable intraoperative tool to identify and quantify steatosis. This study aimed to investigate whether surface diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) measurements could detect liver steatosis on humans during liver surgery.

Mutations in NLRP7 and KHDC3L Confer a Complete Hydatidiform Mole Phenotype on Digynic Triploid Conceptions

Digynic triploidy is classically associated with a severely growth restricted fetus and a small nonmolar placenta. However, in genotyping hydatidiform moles as part of clinical practice, we identified two digynic triploid conceptions presenting with histopathological features of classical complete hydatidiform mole (CHM). Both cases occurred in women with a history of previous molar pregnancies and no normal pregnancies. Pathological review and genotyping of other molar pregnancies in these cases showed them to be typical CHM with negative p57^KIP2 immunostaining of the cytotrophoblast cells and villous stroma and to be diploid but biparental, confirming a diagnosis of familial recurrent hydatidiform mole (FRHM). Mutation screening of NLRP7 had identified a homozygous duplication, leading to a truncated protein, in case 1 whereas mutation screening of KHDC3L (C6orf221) in case 2 showed both the proband and her sister to be compound heterozygotes for mutations in KHDC3L. The observation of a single digynic, triploid conception presenting as a CHM in women with FRHM, where other pregnancies are diploid and biparental, supports the hypothesis that the role of both NLRP7 and KHDC3L in pregnancy is in setting and/or maintaining the maternal imprint. Clinically, a diagnosis of FRHM should be considered in women with genetically unusual conceptions that are phenotypically CHM.     

Robust H∞ performance analysis for uncertain discrete‐time singular systems with time‐varying delays

This paper considers the problem of robust H∞ performance analysis for uncertain discrete‐time singular systems with time‐varying delays. Firstly, a delay‐dependent stability criterion under the H∞ performance index for the systems is given based on constructing a generalized Lyapunov–Krasovskii function and introducing a new difference inequality. Then, a sufficient condition ensuing the system to be regular, causal as well as stable for all admissible uncertainties is proposed in terms of a set of strict linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Finally, we provide examples to show the reduced conservatism and effectiveness of the proposed conditions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.