No abstract

Environmental isotope ratios (e.g. 2 H/ 1 H, 13 C/ 12 C and 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) vary systematically across space due to natural isotope-discriminating processes (West, Bowen, Dawson, & Tu, 2010). Because animals assimilate these isotopes from their environment with oftensystematic offsets, the isotopic composition of animal body tissues can be used to retrospectively infer the geographic origin or movement history of individuals (Chamberlain et al., 1997;Hobson & Wassenaar, 1997;Wassenaar & Hobson, 1998). For example, hydrogen isotope ratios (reported as δ 2 H = R sample /R standard − 1; R = [ 2 H]/[ 1 H] and standard is Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water) vary along continental-scale gradients due to isotope effects in the water cycle. Animal tissue δ 2 H values are compared with spatial models representing the distribution of isotopes in the environment, termed isoscapes (Bowen, 2010), to constrain the geographic region within which the tissue was grown. Such isotopic geolocation applications have proven useful in fields ranging

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are believed to be resistant against radiotherapy in certain types of cancers. The aim of our study was to determine the clinical application of miRNAs in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Sixty NSCLC tissue samples and adjacent histologically normal tissues were obtained for miRNAs microarray analysis and validated by RT-qPCR. Correlation between miRNA expression level and clinicopathological features was evaluated. Our study examined the influence of changed miRNA expression on the damaged DNA and its associated radio sensitivity. Luciferase assay was performed to determine potential effects on the targeted gene. Our study identified fifteen altered miRNAs in which miR-328-3p was down regulated in NSCLC tumour tissue as compared to normal tissues. Down-expression of miR-328-3p was positively associated with an enhanced lymph node metastasis, advanced clinical stage and a shortened survival rate. miR-328-3p expression was decreased in A549 cells compared to other NSCLC cell lines. Up-regulation of miR-328-3p demonstrated a survival inhibition effect in A549 and restored NSCLC cells’ sensitivity to radio therapy. An increased miR-328-3p expression promoted irradiation-induced DNA damage in cells. γ-H2AX was identified as the direct target of miR-328-3p. Over-expressed miR-328-3p can improve the radiosensitvity of cells by altering the DNA damage/repair signalling pathways in NSCLC.