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MicroRNA-34a (miR-34a) has been found to be downregulated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tissues compared with that in normal tissues (P < 0.05), and miR-34a overexpression increased apoptosis and decreased clonogenic formation. However, the clinical significance and prognostic value of miR-34a in ESCC has not yet been investigated. In total, 111 patients with ESCC diagnosed and treated at the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Fujian Provincial Hospital between March 2008 and February 2014 were included in this retrospective study. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to detect expression levels of miR-34a. The associations between miR-34a expression and clinicopathological features were analyzed using χ(2) tests. For analysis of survival data, Kaplan-Meier curves were constructed, and the log-rank test was performed. The expression levels of miR-34a in ESCC tissues were significantly decreased (P < 0.01), compared with those in adjacent normal esophageal tissues. Low miR-34a expression in ESCC tissues was significantly associated with tumor differentiation (P = 0.013), lymph node status (P = 0.038), and advanced clinical stage (P < 0.001). The Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test revealed that low miR-34a levels had a significant impact on overall survival of patients with ESCC (P = 0.006). Multivariate analyses showed that the expression of miR-34a was an independent prognostic factor for ESCC (P = 0.018). Our findings indicate that there is reduced expression of miR-34a in human ESCC tissues and suggest a crucial role for miR-34a downregulation in ESCC progression and prognosis.

Non-syndromic cleft of the lip and/or palate (NSCLP) is a very common birth defect; the poliovirus receptor-like 1 gene (PVRL1) has been identified as a genetic risk factor for NSCLP in patients from Norway, the Philippines, and South America. Given the considerable variation in allele frequencies across these geographical regions, this study explored the relationship between NSCLP and mutations of PVRL1 in patients from Guangdong, China. We recruited 171 NSCLP patients and 100 volunteers, and divided our samples into 2 groups: a sequencing group and a mass spectrometry group. In the sequencing group, we screened for mutations in exons 2 and 5 of PVRL1 by polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing in 71 NSCLP patients and 100 volunteers. In the mass spectrometry group, we screened for amino acid mutations in α-spliced transcript codons 112, 131, and 395, and in the β-spliced transcript codon 1082 using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis in 100 NSCLP patients and 100 volunteers. No mutations were detected in either PVRL1 exons 2 or 5 in the 71 NSCLP patients and 100 volunteers, nor did we find mutations of α-spliced transcript codons 112, 131, 395 and the β-spliced transcript codon 1082 in any of the 100 NSCLP patients and 100 volunteers. Thus, mutations in exons 2 and 5 of PVRL1, and T334A, A391T, G1183A in the α-spliced transcript, and G1082T in the β-spliced transcript do not participate in the development of NSCLP in patients from Guangdong.

Seed length and seed width are an important factor to the soybean yield. So the quantitative trait loci (QTL) location for seed length and seed width could assistant the breeding of soybean. In this study, the QTL underlying seed length and seed width were studied. A recombinant inbred line population of soybeans derived from a cross between the American semi-draft cultivars Charleston and Dongnong 594 were used in 7 environments. The quantitative trait loci underlying seed length, seed width, and seed length/seed width were analyzed by the method of composite interval mapping. Then, the epistatic effects and the QTL-environment (QE) interaction effects were also analyzed. Some valuable QTL sites found had great effect to the seed trait. Results showed that 7 QTLs underlying seed length were identified mainly on linkage groups D1a, C2, B1, A1, G, and A2. For the seed width, 7 QTLs were identified on linkage groups D1a and O. Two QTLs of seed length/seed width were identified on linkage groups D1b and C2. No QE interaction was found for QTLs of seed length and seed width in 7 environments. QTLs of seed length/seed width on linkage groups A1 and I had a QE interaction in 7 environments. Seven pairs of QTLs were identified that affected additive x additive epistatic effect of seed length, seed width, and seed length/seed width, which occurred among 8 linkage groups. These results supply a good foundation for molecular assistant breeding for soybean seed trait.