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O-carboxymethyl chitosan (O-CMC)–gum arabic (GA) coacervates separated in different acidities were crosslinked by genipin and subjected to FTIR analysis, viscoelasticity measurement, DSC characterization, pH response evaluation, andin vitroBSA release profiling to explore the influence of coacervation acidity on genipin crosslinking and intestine-targeted delivery potency of the coacervates. Genipin crosslinking greatly improved the stability of the coacervates against various simulated gastrointestinal fluids and the coacervation acidity exerted different effects on the pH response of coacervates and BSA-loaded microcapsules. It was concluded that genipin-crosslinked O-CMC–GA coacervates could be used to deliver hydrophobic compounds to the intestine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Emerging evidences indicate that miR-155-5p is associated with some cancer tumorigenesis, but their specific effects on proliferation, invasion and metastasis of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) are still poorly understood. The aim of the study is to investigate miR-155-5p effect on proliferation and invasion metastasis of CRC., Methods: Retrospectively analyzed clinicopathological parameters and fresh tissue samples of 372 colon cancer patients receiving radical surgery. HT-29 cells were transfected with mimics and inhibitors of miR-155-5p, respectively. Real-time reverse transcription-PCR was performed to measure miR-155-5p relative levels of tissues and cells., Results: miR-155-5p expression in cancer group was higher than that in normal group, with statistical differences (P<0.05). miR-155-5p expression was associated with tumor location, tumor grade, TNM staging and distant metastasis (P<0.05 for all parameters). Cell number of mimics group was higher than control group (P<0.01), and that of inhibitor group was lower than control group (P<0.05). Invasion and metastasis effect of mimics group were the highest and those of inhibitor group were the lowest., Conclusions: miR-155-5p expression is up-regulated in most CRC and promotes proliferation, invasion and metastasis of CRC cells. It may play an essential role in tumorigenesis and tumor progression of CRC.

Aim: To investigate the prognostic significance of preoperative fibrinogen levels in colon cancer patients., Methods: A total of 255 colon cancer patients treated at the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from June 1(st) 2005 to June 1(st) 2008 were enrolled in the study. All patients received radical surgery as their primary treatment method. Preoperative fibrinogen was detected by the Clauss method, and all patients were followed up after surgery. Preoperative fibrinogen measurements were correlated with a number of clinicopathological parameters using the Student t test and analysis of variance. Survival analyses were performed by the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression modeling to measure 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS)., Results: The mean preoperative fibrinogen concentration of all colon cancer patients was 3.17 ± 0.88 g/L. Statistically significant differences were found between preoperative fibrinogen levels and the clinicopathological parameters of age, smoking status, tumor size, tumor location, tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, modified Glasgow prognostic scores (mGPS), white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels. Univariate survival analysis showed that TNM stage, tumor cell differentiation grade, vascular invasion, mGPS score, preoperative fibrinogen, WBC, NLR, PLR and CEA all correlated with both OS and DFS. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and body mass index correlated only with OS. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that both OS and DFS of the total cohort, as well as of the stage II and III patients, were higher in the hypofibrinogen group compared to the hyperfibrinogen group (all P < 0.05). In contrast, there was no significant difference between OS and DFS in stage I patients with low or high fibrinogen levels. Cox regression analysis indicated preoperative fibrinogen levels, TNM stage, mGPS score, CEA, and AFP levels correlated with both OS and DFS., Conclusion: Preoperative fibrinogen levels can serve as an independent prognostic marker to evaluate patient response to colon cancer treatment.

Objective: To analyze the spatial distribution of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and to explore environmental factors associated with HPAI using geographic information system (GIS) techniques in Mainland China., Methods: Databases were set up using the information of HPAI during epidemics in 2004, and linked to digital maps at provincial and county administrative layers in the country through the ArcGIS 8.3 software. Spatial cluster analyses, spatial statistics analyses and tracking analyses on epidemic situation of HPAI were implemented. Environmental factors associated with HPAI were also analyzed on data related to weather, vegetation and migratory birds etc., Results: Findings from spatial cluster analyses showed that high incidence area was centralized in 113.261 degrees ordm; east longitude and 23. 119 degrees ordm; north latitude with a radius of 1090.52 kilometers (relative risk= 2.646, P value= 0.001). Spatial statistical analyses showed that HPAI took place mainly in capital cities of provinces and surrounding areas as well as in the circumference areas of arterial rivers, lakes and seacoasts. Results also showed that HPAI occurrences were associated with low air temperature, high relative humidity and high air pressure as well as with east & central migration routes of migratory birds. The average normalized difference vegetation index was 0.36 +/- 0.11 in epidemic areas of HPAI., Conclusion: HPAI was unrandomly distributed and geographically clustered in China.