Investigations on full-Heusler alloys MnTaAl and MnWAl for spintronic and thermoelectric applications.

Half-metallic materials are widely used as spintronic devices such as electrodes, magnetic tunneling junction, and giant magnetoresistance. In this work, we have systematically investigated the structural stability, Gilbert damping, electronic structure, and magnetism together with exchange interactions and Curie temperatures for MnTaAl and MnWAl alloys. Initially, we estimate their structural stability and offer possible phase synthesis.

Two-dimensional ferromagnetic semiconductor CrXP: first-principles calculations and Monte Carlo simulations.

Two-dimensional room-temperature intrinsic ferromagnetic semiconductors have attracted widespread attention due to their applications in spintronic devices. However, it is difficult for the material to have a Curie temperature above room temperature according to the Mermin-Wagner theorem. By using the method of band engineering, we design a new promising two-dimensional room-temperature intrinsic ferromagnetic semiconductor CrXP (X = P, As, Sb) with large magnetization.

A high sensitive epitope imprinted electrochemical sensor for bovine serum albumin based on enzyme amplifying.

To improve the sensitivity of the molecular imprinting sensor detection of protein, a new strategy based on enzyme amplification was proposed. The determination of bovine serum albumin (BSA) was achieved by using the epitope imprinted techniques coupling with electrochemical measurement method. Nonapeptide, separated from BSA, was selected as a template molecule to prepare the molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) film, and it could bind with the cavities of the MIP.

Aberrant Expression of HOXA5 and HOXA9 in AML.

Background: Aberrant expression of HOX gene expression has been observed in cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the alteration of HOXA5 and HOXA9 expression and their clinical significance in acute meloid leukemia (AML).

Materials And Methods: The expression of HOXA5 and HOXA9 genes of bone marrow samples from 75 newly diagnosed AML patients and 22 healthy controls for comparison were examined by Real- time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR) assay.

Misdiagnosis of a small cell lung cancer resulting from inaccurate pathology.

Currently, a biopsy provides the most reliable evidence for diagnosing a disease, and the majority of doctors do not question the diagnosis made by a pathologist. However, an inaccurate diagnosis may lead to serious consequences; for example, a benign tumor may be misdiagnosed as a malignancy, or a malignancy may be deemed to be benign. How to avoid these types of mistakes is a continuing issue of concern to all doctors.

[Effect of dietary vitamin A intake on plasma vitamin A concentration in preschool children of Banan district, Chongqing, China].

Objective: To study the relationship between dietary vitamin A intake and plasma vitamin A concentration, and establish the theoretical basis for dietary intake predicting vitamin A nutritional status.

Methods: By using cluster sampling, 492 children aged 2-7 years in kindergartens in Banan district of Chongqing were selected. A cross-sectional nutrition and health survey was conducted, including the clinical examination, anthropometry, laboratory test and dietary survey.

Delayed gastric emptying after esophagectomy for malignancy.

Background: Controversy still exists about the need for pyloric drainage procedures after esophagectomy with gastric conduit reconstruction. Although pyloric drainage may prevent postoperative delayed gastric emptying (DGE), it may also promote dumping syndrome and bile reflux. The aims of this study were to audit the incidence and management of DGE in patients without routine pyloric drainage after esophagectomy in a university medical center.

Vitamin A deficiency impairs postnatal cognitive function via inhibition of neuronal calcium excitability in hippocampus.

Vitamin A (VA) is important for postnatal brain development, and VA deficiency (VAD) can cause learning and spatial memory deficits in rats. Most of the biological functions of VA are mediated by retinoic acid (RA). To investigate the mechanisms underlying VA deficits, mother rats were fed elemental diets to achieve blood VA levels classified as normal, deficient or severely deficient.

[Impact of antioxidant vitamins and heavy metal levels at birth on neurodevelopment of children assessed at two years of age].

Objective: Epidemiologic study on the perinatal interaction of antioxidant vitamins and heavy metals on offspring's intellectual development is extremely limited. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to investigate the status of maternal and cord blood antioxidant vitamins (Vitamin A, E and C) and heavy metals (lead, cadmium and mercury) at delivery and correlations between these antioxidant vitamins or metals and neurodevelopment of early childhood, and to explore the protective effect of antioxidant vitamins against the injure of heavy metals to intellectual development in children in Tongliang, Chongqing, China.

Method: A total of 150 pairs of mothers-neonates were recruited.

The pattern of retinoic acid receptor expression and subcellular, anatomic and functional area translocation during the postnatal development of the rat cerebral cortex and white matter.

Retinoic acid (RA), which is an important modulator of brain development, neural cell proliferation, neurite outgrowth, and synaptic plasticity, is regulated via changes in RA receptors. The pattern of RA receptor changes in the rat cerebral cortex and white matter during postnatal development has not been extensively studied. Therefore, we studied the mRNA expression patterns of 6 RA receptors in the postnatal rat cerebral cortex and white matter at 1, 3, 7, 10, 14, 21, 28, and 35days.

[Primary culture of rat hippocampal neurons and detection of the neuronal excitability].

Objective: To improve the efficiency of primary culture of hippocampal neurons and obtain highly purified neurons with good in vitro growth and minimal risk of contamination.

Methods: The hippocampal neurons of neonatal Wistar rats were isolated and the single cell suspension was prepared by mechanical trituration and sedimentation in stead of trypsin digestion and filteration. Twenty-four hours after the cell plating, the culture medium was removed and replaced by serum-free DMEM/F12 with B27 supplementation.

Effect of vitamin A, vitamin A plus iron and multiple micronutrient-fortified seasoning powder on infectious morbidity of preschool children.

Objective: Improvement of hemoglobin and serum retinol and facilitation of the mobilization of iron storage were achieved with a multiple-micronutrient-fortified diet in preschoolers for 6 mo in a suburb of Chongqing, China. We investigated whether fortification with multiple micronutrients in a diet for preschool children results in changes in children's infectious morbidity compared with diets fortified solely with vitamin A and with vitamin A plus iron.

Methods: From December 2005 to June 2006, 226 2- to 6-y-old preschool children were recruited from three nurseries randomly assigned to three different fortified-diet groups for 6 mo.

Perinatal vitamin A status in relation to neurodevelopmental outcome at two years of age.

Unlabelled: Information about the effect of antioxidant vitamins nutrition during pregnancy on offsprings intellectual development is extremely limited.

Objective: To investigate the correlation of antioxidant vitamins (Vitamin A, E and C) at delivery and the neurodevelopment of early childhood.

Method: A total of 158 paired maternal-neonatal subjects were recruited.

Antioxidant vitamin status during pregnancy in relation to cognitive development in the first two years of life.

Objective: To investigate the correlation of the antioxidant vitamins status (vitamins A, E and C) during pregnancy and the intellectual development of early childhood.

Method: A total of 150 paired maternal-neonatal subjects were recruited into the present study. The serum concentrations of antioxidant vitamins (vitamins A, E and C) in maternal blood and cord blood after delivery were determined by high performance liquid chromatography and the intellectual development was evaluated by Gesell Development Schedules (GDS) at two-years-old.

[Clinical observation of XELOX (Capecitabine puls Oxaliplatin): an adjuvant chemotherapy regimen used in stage III colorectal cancer].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of an adjuvant chemotherapy regimen: XELOX (Capecitabine puls Oxaliplatin) used after curative resection for stage III colorectal cancer.

Methods: From Jan. 1998 to Jan.

[Karyotypes and pelvic ultrasonography in children with Turner syndrome].

Objective: To study the relationship of karyotypes and gonadal development in children with Turner syndrome.

Methods: Fifty-one children with Turner syndrome were studied. Pelvic ultrasonography was performed on the children.

Donor denervation and elimination of Kupffer cells affect expression of P-selectin and ICAM-1 in liver graft.

Background: The non-function and dysfunction of primary liver graft likely involves dependence on Kupffer cells and hepatic innervation. The present experiment was designed to study the expression of P-selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) mRNA in liver graft and to elucidate the role of Kupffer cells and the sympathetic nerve of the liver in down-regulating this expression.

Methods: Donor rats were given hexamethonium, a sympathetic ganglionic blocking agent, and/or gadolinium chloride, an inhibitor of Kupffer cells.