A Functional Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism in Pre-microRNA-196a2 is Associated with Atrial Fibrillation in Han Chinese.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs are small, single-stranded, non-protein-coding RNAs of about 22 nucleotides. MicroRNA molecules have been identified to play key roles in a broad range of physiologic and pathologic processes. Polymorphisms in the corresponding sequence space are likely to make a significant contribution to phenotypic variation. A T/C genetic variant (rs11614913) in the pre-miR-196a2 sequence could alter mature miR-196a expression and target mRNA binding. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the relationship between this polymorphism and atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS: A total of 123 participants were enrolled, 65 AF patients were confirmed with electrocardiogram (ECG) or dynamic electrocardiography, 58 normal individuals were assigned to the control group. Genotypes of the premiR-196a2 were distinguished using the method of polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay. RESULTS: The distribution of the pre-miR-196a2 genotypes (TT, TC, and CC) was 15.38%, 46.15%, and 38.46% in the AF group and 39.66%, 46.55%, and 13.79% in the controls, respectively (p = 0.0011). Compared with the TT genotype, the C allele carriers (TC+CC genotypes) had a 3.968-fold increased risk of AF (adjusted OR = 3.968, 95% CI = 1.633 - 9.644, p = 0.002). AF patients with the TC+CC genotype had greater left atrial dimension than did patients with the TT genotype (42.10 ± 8.74 vs. 35.13 ± 8.16, p = 0.0224). CONCLUSIONS: Our data support that the pre-miR-196a2 polymorphism is associated with AF, and the C allele is a risk factor for AF.

[Prognostic value of admission B-type natriuretic peptide on outcome for patients with congestive heart failure].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the prognostic value of admission B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) on outcome for patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). METHODS: Blood BNP levels, routine echocardiography and tissue Doppler image were obtained in 162 CHF patients [95 male, mean age: (71.8±3.7) years] at admission. Patients were divided into high BNP (BNP>1500 ng/L, n=104) and low BNP (BNP≤1500 ng/L, n=58) groups. All patients were followed up for 2 years and clinical characteristics, echocardiography including Doppler image and cardiovascular events results were analyzed. Data were also compared between patients with (n=48) or without (n=107) cardiovascular events. RESULTS: Left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF) was significantly lower [(40.9±5.6)% vs. (44.0±5.9)%, P<0.01] while the total cardiovascular events rate (49.1% vs. 21.0%, P<0.01) and cardiac mortality rate (25.5% vs. 9.0%, P<0.01) were significantly higher in high BNP group than in low BNP group. BNP level at admission in event group was significantly higher than in event-free group [(2875.4±325.7) ng/L vs. (1136.9±298.6) ng/L, P<0.000]. BNP level was positively related to Tei-index (r=0.793, P<0.001) and negatively correlated with LVEF (r=-0.57, P<0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that BNP, LVEF, Tei-index and ß-blocker use were independent risk factors for cardiovascular events. The area under the ROC curve for predicting cardiovascular death within 2 years in event group by BNP was 0.795 (95%CI 0.693-0.935, sensitivity: 72.31% and specificity: 84.62%, cut-off BNP value: 1910 ng/L). The event risk was 2.17 times higher in CHF patients with admission BNP>1910 ng/L compared CHF patients with admission BNP≤1910 ng/L (95%CI: 1.852-2.954, P=0.000). CONCLUSION: Admission BNP level, LVEF, Tei-index and ß-blocker use are independent risk factors for cardiovascular events in patients with CHF. Patients with higher admission BNP level (>1910 ng/L) is linked with worse prognosis in this patient cohort.

The Impact of Team Learning Climate on Innovation Performance - Mediating role of knowledge integration capability.

To address the fierce competition for corporate innovation in the digital economy, this study introduces knowledge integration capability as a mediating variable in light of social information processing theory, and explores the mechanism of team learning climate on innovation performance. Data were collected from a sample of 184 team members for statistical analysis, and Statistical methods such as descriptive statistical analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were used to verify the study hypotheses through SPSS and Amos software, and the results showed that: (1) Team learning climate has a significant positive effect on knowledge integration capability. (2) Team learning climate has a significant positive effect on innovation performance. (3) Knowledge integration capability has a significant positive effect on innovation performance. (4) Knowledge integration capability partially mediates the role between team learning climate and innovation performance. The results proved the perspective of knowledge integration capability for the mechanism of team learning climate on innovation performance from the perspective of knowledge integration capability, and provided theoretical references for creating a learning climate in companies to promote members' knowledge learning and enhance innovation performance.

The G to A polymorphism at -597 of the interleukin-6 gene is extremely rare in southern Han Chinese.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a cytokine involved in different physiologic and pathophysiologic processes including essential hypertension (EH). Associations of the IL-6 promoter region polymorphisms with circulating level of IL-6 have been reported in various studies. We detected the IL-6-597G/A polymorphism in 246 EH patients and 194 healthy controls from Jiangsu area (south of China). Individuals all carried the GG wild genotype, no GA or AA genotypes were found. Our results suggest that IL-6-597G/A polymorphism is extremely rare and unlikely to be contributing significantly to disease susceptibility in southern Han Chinese.

Interleukin-10 promotor -592A/C polymorphism is associated with slow coronary flow in Han Chinese.

An accumulating body of evidence suggests that slow coronary flow (SCF) phenomenon seems to be an early-form of atherosclerosis and low-grade inflammation plays a major role in the atherosclerotic vascular processes. Interleukin (IL)-10 is a multifunctional cytokine involved in both innate and adaptive immune response. The aim of the present study is to investigate the association of IL-10 gene -592A/C polymorphism with SCF in Han Chinese. 250 patients who underwent coronary angiography and had angiographically normal coronary arteries of varying coronary flow rates without any atherosclerotic lesion were enrolled in this study. Patients who had thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame counts (TFC) above the normal cutoffs were considered to have SCF and those within normal limits were considered to have normal coronary flow (NCF). The PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique was used to assess the genotypes frequencies. The distribution of the IL-10 -592A/C genotypes (AA, AC, and CC) was 46.34%, 41.46%, and 12.20% in the NCF group, and 66.51%, 28.71%, and 4.78% in SCF subjects, respectively (P = 0.0280). The frequency of the A allele in the SCF group was significantly higher than that in the NCF group (80.86% vs. 67.07%, P = 0.0054). Compared with the CC genotype, the AA genotype had increased risk of SCF in both unadjusted and adjusted analyses. In SCF patients, the average serum IL-10 levels in AA genotype were statistically lower than in AC + CC genotype (P = 0.0000). These findings suggest that IL-10 -592A/C polymorphism is associated with SCF and the A allele has increased risk for SCF in Han Chinese.

Association of Interleukin-10 promotor polymorphisms with atrial fibrillation in Han Chinese.

There is an accumulating body of evidence indicating strong association between inflammation and the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation (AF). IL-10 is a multifunctional anti-inflammatory cytokine that down-regulates cell-mediated immune responses and cytotoxic inflammatory responses. The aim of the present study is to investigate the association of IL-10 gene -592A/C polymorphism with AF in Han Chinese. 117 AF patients and 100 healthy volunteers were eligible for this study. The PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique was used to assess the genotypes frequencies. The distribution of the IL-10 -592A/C genotypes (AA, AC, and CC) was 55.00%, 35.00%, and 10.00% in the controls, and 71.79%, 23.08%, and 5.13% in AF subjects, respectively (p = 0.0335). The frequency of the A allele in the AF group was significantly higher than that in the control group (83.33% vs 72.50%, p = 0.0063). Compared with the CC genotype, the AA genotype had increased risk of AF in both unadjusted and adjusted analyses. The average serum IL-10 levels in AA genotype were statistically lower than in AC + CC genotype (p = 0.0000). These findings suggest that IL-10 -592A/C polymorphism is associated with AF and the A allele has increased risk for AF in Han Chinese.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene 2350 G/A polymorphism and susceptibility to atrial fibrillation in Han Chinese patients with essential hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: The angiotensin-converting enzyme gene is one of the most studied candidate genes related to atrial fibrillation. Among the polymorphisms of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene, the 2350 G/A polymorphism (rs4343) is known to have the most significant effects on the plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme concentration. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2350 G/A polymorphism with atrial fibrillation in Han Chinese patients with essential hypertension. METHODS: A total of 169 hypertensive patients were eligible for this study. Patients with atrial fibrillation (n = 75) were allocated to the atrial fibrillation group, and 94 subjects without atrial fibrillation were allocated to the control group. The PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism technique was used to assess the genotype frequencies. RESULTS: The distributions of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2350 G/A genotypes (GG, GA, and AA, respectively) were 40.43%, 41.49%, and 18.08% in the controls and 18.67%, 46.67%, and 34.66% in the atrial fibrillation subjects (p = 0.037). The frequency of the A allele in the atrial fibrillation group was significantly greater than in the control group (58.00% vs. 38.83%, p = 0.0007). Compared with the wild-type GG genotype, the GA and AA genotypes had an increased risk for atrial fibrillation. Additionally, atrial fibrillation patients with the AA genotype had greater left atrial dimensions than the patients with the GG or GA genotypes (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained in this study indicate that the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2350 G/A polymorphism is associated with atrial fibrillation and that the A allele shows an increased risk for atrial fibrillation in Han Chinese patients with essential hypertension.

The association of interleukin 6-634C/G polymorphism with left atrial thrombus and severe spontaneous echocontrast in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) not only is an independent risk factor for death but also confers significant risk of morbidity from stroke associated with left atrial thrombus. The association of interleukin 6 (IL-6) polymorphism with thrombus in AF has not been investigated before. We carried out a case-control study in Han Chinese. The IL-6 -634C/G genotypes of 31 patients with thrombus and 45 patients without thrombus were detected by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. The frequencies of the IL-6 genotypes (CC, CG, and GG) were 29.03%, 54.54%, and 16.13% for the patients with thrombus, and 55.56%, 40.00%, and 4.44% for the patients without thrombus, respectively (P = .0391). Compared with the CC genotype, the G allele carriers (CG + GG) had a 2.79-fold increased risk of thrombus or severe spontaneous echocontrast (SEC). These results suggest that IL-6 -634C/G polymorphism is associated with thrombus and severe SEC, and the G allele is an independent risk for thrombus and severe SEC in Han Chinese patients with AF.

The A to G polymorphism at -1082 of the interleukin-10 gene is rare in the Han Chinese population.

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a multifunctional anti-inflammatory cytokine involved in various physiological and pathophysiological processes including cardiovascular disease. It has been reported that 50-75% of the variation in IL-10 production is genetically controlled. In the present study, the IL-10 -1082A/G (rs1800896) polymorphism was detected in 174 coronary artery disease (CAD) patients confirmed by selective coronary angiography and 176 age and gender-matched controls from the Jiangsu area (East China). The majority of the subjects (93.14%) carried the AA wild-type genotype, whereas only 0.29% carried the GG genotype. Our results suggest that IL-10 -1082A/G is rare and unlikely to be a significant contributory to disease susceptibility in the Han Chinese population.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene 2350 G/A polymorphism and susceptibility to atrial fibrillation in Han Chinese patients with essential hypertension

OBJECTIVE: The angiotensin-converting enzyme gene is one of the most studied candidate genes related to atrial fibrillation. Among the polymorphisms of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene, the 2350 G/A polymorphism (rs4343) is known to have the most significant effects on the plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme concentration. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2350 G/A polymorphism with atrial fibrillation in Han Chinese patients with essential hypertension. METHODS: A total of 169 hypertensive patients were eligible for this study. Patients with atrial fibrillation (n = 75) were allocated to the atrial fibrillation group, and 94 subjects without atrial fibrillation were allocated to the control group. The PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism technique was used to assess the genotype frequencies. RESULTS: The distributions of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2350 G/A genotypes (GG, GA, and AA, respectively) were 40.43%, 41.49%, and 18.08% in the controls and 18.67%, 46.67%, and 34.66% in the atrial fibrillation subjects (p = 0.037). The frequency of the A allele in the atrial fibrillation group was significantly greater than in the control group (58.00% vs. 38.83%, p = 0.0007). Compared with the wild-type GG genotype, the GA and AA genotypes had an increased risk for atrial fibrillation. Additionally, atrial fibrillation patients with the AA genotype had greater left atrial dimensions than the patients with the GG or GA genotypes (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained in this study indicate that the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2350 G/A polymorphism is associated with atrial fibrillation and that the A allele shows an increased risk for atrial fibrillation in Han Chinese patients with essential hypertension. .