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COPD is the fourth leading cause of mortality, and is predicted to be the third leading cause of death worldwide by 2020. But few studies on Tibetan COPD of China. This study identifies distinctive miRNA signatures in Tibetan COPD patients from Tibetan healthy subjects that could serve as diagnostic biomarkers or describe differential molecular mechanisms with potential therapeutic implications. In this study, a total of 210 differentially expressed miRNAs were screened. Analysis of the functions of target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs via GO enrichment analysis revealed that they mainly influenced guanyl-nucleotide exchange factor activity, cell morphogenesis and the positive regulation of GTPase activity. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that these target genes were mainly enriched in signaling by NGF, Axon guidance, developmental biology, ubiquitin mediated proteolysis, and PDGF signaling pathways. MiR-106-5p and miR-486-5p expression was validated in the complete cohort. Age, plasma miR-106-5p, miR-486-5p, SP-D protein levels, and SP-D mRNA level were also determined to be correlated with FEV1%Pred, and may as the risk factors of Tibetan COPD. The combination of plasma miR-106-5p, miR-486-5p and SP-D mRNA expression may be the best model to assist the diagnosis of Tibetan COPD.

Monoclonal antibodies targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) have showed clinical benefit in combination with chemotherapeutic cytotoxic drugs in the first-line therapy of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Data from randomized studies comparing these monoclonal antibodies as initial therapy is conflicting, and their comparative efficacy remains unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the combination of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR) therapy and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy on mCRC patient outcomes by combining the data from randomized clinical trials. Three trials meeting the eligibility criteria, and four randomized studies were included in the meta-analysis. For MCRC patients with KRAS wild type (KRAS-WT), the ORR was superior in patients treated with anti-EGFR compared with those who treated with anti-VEGF therapy. This effect was even better for all RAS-WT patients. Progression-free survival (PFS) rates were not significantly different for KRAS-WT mCRC and all RAS-WT mCRC between the two groups. The overall survival (OS) was higher for RAS wild-type (RAS-WT) mCRC patients who received anti-EGFR, but the KRAS-WT patients compared to the anti-VEGF therapy. The results of our research indicate that superior ORR and OS between the addition of anti-EGFR therapy VS anti-VEGF therapy in all RAS-WT patients with MCRC. There was no significant difference in OS and PFS between the two groups for KRAS-WT mCRC. These results suggest that anti- EGFR monoclonal antibodies can achieve an equivalent efficacy when compared with anti-VEGF therapy of all RAS-WT mCRC patients.

The Wulian complex is located on the northern margin of the Sulu orogenic belt, and was formed by collision between the North China Craton (NCC) to the north and South China Craton (SCC) to the south. It consists of the metasedimentary Wulian Group, gneissic granite and meta-diorite. The U–Pb analyses for the detrital zircons from the Wulian Group exhibit one predominant age population of 2600–2400 Ma with a peak at c. 2.5 Ga and several secondary age populations of > 3000, 3000–2800, 2800–2600, 2200–2000, 1900–1800, 1500–1300 and 1250–950 Ma; some metamorphic zircons have metamorphic ages of c. 2.7, 2.55–2.45, 2.1–2.0 and 1.95–1.80 Ga, which are consistent with magmatic-metamorphic events in the SCC. Additionally, the Wulian Group was intruded by the gneissic granite and meta-diorite at c. 0.76 Ga, attributed to Neoproterozoic syn-rifting bimodal magmatic activity in the SCC and derived from partial melting of Archaean continental crust and depleted mantle, respectively. The Wulian Group therefore has tectonic affinity to the SCC and was mainly sourced from the SCC. The detrital zircons have positive and negative ϵHf(t) values, indicating that their source rocks were derived from reworking of both ancient and juvenile crustal rocks. The major early Precambrian crustal growth took place during c. 3.4–2.5 Ga with a dominant peak at 2.96 Ga and several secondary peaks at 3.27, 2.74 and 2.52 Ga. The two oldest zircons with ages of 3307 and 3347 Ma record the recycling of ancient continental crust (> 3.35 Ga) and crustal growth prior to c. 3.95 Ga in the SCC.

Homoharringtonine-based induction regimens have been widely used in China for patients with acute myeloid leukaemia. However, their efficacy has not been tested in a multicentre randomised controlled trial in a large population. We assessed the efficacy and safety of homoharringtonine-based induction treatment for management of newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukaemia. This open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 3 study was done in 17 institutions in China between September, 2007, and July, 2011. Untreated patients aged 14–59 years with acute myeloid leukaemia were randomly assigned (by a computer-generated allocation schedule without stratification) to receive one of three induction regimens in a 1:1:1 ratio: homoharringtonine 2 mg/m2 per day on days 1–7, cytarabine 100 mg/m2 per day on days 1–7, and aclarubicin 20 mg/day on days 1–7 (HAA); homoharringtonine 2 mg/m2 per day on days 1–7, cytarabine 100 mg/m2 per day on days 1–7, and daunorubicin 40 mg/m2 per day on days 1–3 (HAD); or daunorubicin 40–45 mg/m2 per day on days 1–3 and cytarabine 100 mg/m2 per day on days 1–7 (DA). Patients in complete remission were offered two cycles of intermediate-dose cytarabine (2 g/m2 every 12 h on days 1–3). The primary endpoints were the proportion of patients who achieved complete remission after two cycles of induction treatment and event-free survival in the intention-to-treat population. The trial is registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Register, number ChiCTR-TRC-06000054. We enrolled 620 patients, of whom 609 were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. 150 of 206 patients (73%) in the HAA group achieved complete remission versus 125 of 205 (61%) in the DA group (p=0·0108); 3-year event-free survival was 35·4% (95% CI 28·6–42·2) versus 23·1% (95% CI 17·4–29·3; p=0·0023). 133 of 198 patients (67%) in the HAD group had complete remission (vs DA, p=0·20) and 3-year event-free survival was 32·7% (95% CI 26·1–39·5; vs DA, p=0·08). Adverse events were much the same in all groups, except that more patients in the HAA (12 of 206 [5·8%]) and HAD (13 of 198 [6·6%]) groups died within 30 days than in the DA group (two of 205 [1%]; p=0·0067 vs HAA; p=0·0030 vs HAD). A regimen of homoharringtonine, cytarabine, and aclarubicin is a treatment option for young, newly diagnosed patients with acute myeloid leukaemia. Chinese National High Tech Programme, Key Special Research Foundation of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, National Nature Science Foundation of China, National Clinical Key Specialty Construction Project.

Based on some economic assumptions, derived the energy equipment and forecast model. Application of this model into China’s energy forecast shows that China’s optimal energy net import amount of 2008 should be 23872 to 30487 and that of 2009 should be 26957 to 33572 ten thousand tons of standard coal respectively, taking China’s energy security into consideration.

The modified Levenberg-Marquardt (mLM) method is introduced for nonlinear parametric system, such as stiffness proportional damping and Rayleigh proportional damping. Since the mLM method is sensitive to the initial values of parameter, a SVD-mLM method is proposed with combination of singular value decomposition (SVD). Parameter identification of five-storey shear-type is simulated with incomplete output. The results show that the identified parameters have high precision, and the proposed method is effective and robust on noise.

For linear parametric system, like mass proportional damping case, physical parameter identification of horizontal layered soil and inversion of ground motion of bedrock are done by using the Least-squares-based hybrid inversion algorithm. For nonlinear parametric system, such as Rayleigh proportional damping case, the modified Levenberg-Marquardt (mLM) method is introduced. Since the mLM method is sensitive to the initial values of parameter, a SVD-mLM method is proposed with combination of singular value decomposition (SVD). Parameter identification of nonlinear parametric system and inversion of ground motion are performed by using the SVD-mLM-based hybrid inversion algorithm. The numerical simulation results show that the identified parameters of horizontal soil layers and inversed ground motion of bedrock have high precision, and the proposed method is useful for geotechnical engineering and robust on noise.

Detection of circulating tumor cells （CTCs） plays an important role in cancer diagnosis and prognosis. In this study, aptamer-conjugated upconversion nano- particles （UCNPs） are used for the first time as nanoprobes to recognize tumor cells, which are then enriched by attaching with magnetic nanoparticles （MNPs） and placing in the presence of a magnetic field. Owing to the autofluorescence- free nature of upconversion luminescence imaging, as well as the use of magnetic separation to further reduce background signals, our technique allows for highly sensitive detection and collection of small numbers of tumor cells spiked into healthy blood samples, and shows promise for CTC detection in medical diagnostics.

Objective： Mesenchymal stem cell （MSC） transplantation is a promising therapy for ischemic heart diseases. However, poor cell survival after transplantation greatly limits the therapeutic efficacy of MSCs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect of angiopoietin-1 （Angl） preconditioning on MSC survival and sub- sequent heart function improvement after transplantation. Methods： MSCs were cultured with or without 50 ng/ml Angl in complete medium for 24 h prior to experiments on cell survival and transplantation. 3-（4,5- Dimethylthiazol-2-yl）-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide （MTT） and Hoechst staining were applied to evaluate MSC survival after serum deprivation in vitro, while cell survival in vivo was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl trans- ferase biotin-dUPT nick end labeling （TUNEL） assay 24 and 72 h after transplantation. Heart function and infarct size were measured four weeks later by small animal echocardiography and Masson＇s trichrome staining, respectively. Results： Angl preconditioning induced Akt phosphorylation and increased expression of Bcl-2 and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax. In comparison with non-preconditioned MSCs, Angl-preconditioned cell survival was significantly in- creased while the apoptotic rate decreased in vitro. However, the PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitor, LY294002, abrogated the protective effect of Angl preconditioning. After transplantation, the Angl-preconditioned-MSC group showed a lower death rate, smaller infarct size, and better heart functional recovery compared to the non-preconditioned-MSC group. Conclusions： Angl preconditioning enhances MSC survival, contributing to further improvement of heart function.

By transforming the governing equations for displacement components into Riccati equations, analytical solutions for displacements, strains and stresses for Representive Volume Elements (RVEs) of particle- and fiber-reinforced composites containing inhomogenous interphases were obtained. The analytical solutions derived here are new and general for power-law variations of the elastic moduli of the inhomogeneous interphases. Given a power exponent, analytical expressions for the bulk moduli of the composites with inhomogenous interphases can be obtained. By changing the power exponent and the coefficients of the power terms, the solutions derived here can be applied to inhomogeneous interphases with many different property profiles. The results show that the modulus variation and the thickness of the inhomogeneous interphase have great effect on the bulk moduli of the composites. The particle will exhibit a sort of “size effect”, if there is an interphase.