[The study on the association of long-term ambient fine particulate matters exposure and elevated blood pressure in children].

Objective: To evaluate the association of long-term ambient fine particulate matters (PM(2.5)) exposure with elevated blood pressure in children. Methods: From April 2012 to June 2013, we used cluster randomized sampling method to investigate 9 354 children aged 5-17 years old from 68 primary and middle schools in the seven Northeastern Cities (Shenyang, Dalian, Fushun, Anshan, Benxi, Liaoyang and Dandong) in Liaoning Province, and measured their blood pressure (BP). A spatial statistical model nested by aerosol optical depth (AOD) was used to inverse PM(2.5) concentrations. Generalized additive model was used to quantify the association between PM(2.5) exposure and blood pressure in children. To examine the associations, two-level regression model was used to evaluate individual characteristics' modifying effect on the health influence of PM(2.5). Results: The prevalence of hypertension in children was 13.78% (1 289/9 354). The results showed that there was an associations between hypertension and pollutants, and the multivariable regression analysis indicated that the increase in mean systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and the OR of hypertension associated with a 10 µg/m(3) increase for PM(2).5 were 3.12 (95%CI: 2.71-3.54) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa), 1.45 (95%CI:1.12-1.78) mmHg, and 1.55 (95%CI: 1.10-2.19), respectively. Compared with non-breastfeeding children (OR=2.10, 95%CI: 1.39-3.17), children who were breastfeeding (OR=1.49, 95%CI: 1.00-2.20) exhibited consistently weaker effects, and the interaction effect of P value was 0.002. Conclusion: Study findings indicate that long-term exposure to PM(2.5) is associated with increased arterial BP and hypertension among the children. Breastfeeding may reduce this association.

[The clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of patients with gout in China].

Objective: To investigate the demographic characteristics, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of patients with gout in China. Methods: Clinical data of 6 814 patients with gout from 100 hospitals in 27 provinces, municipalities or autonomous regions in China were collected and analyzed. Results: (1) The ratio of male to female in patients with gout was 14.7∶1. The mean age of onset was (48.8±15.1) years old. Mean serum urate level was (526.7±132.3) µmol/L. Patients' education background was of U-shaped distribution; (2) Hypertension was the most common comorbidity [15.8%(1 079/6 814)], then overweight or obesity [51.9%(3 536/6 814)]; (3) Alcohol and high-purine food intake were dominant triggering factors in men. The diagnosis of gout was made after onset in majority of patients with cardinal symptom arthralgia. Most patients had the disease less than 5 years, and the longer the course, the more flares in the previous year of entry; (4) Febuxostat was the mostly used urate-lowering medication. 20.7%(1 412/6 814), 10.8%(739/6 814) and 3.9%(265/6 814) of patients were followed up in 4 weeks, 12 weeks and 24 weeks after registration, and 18.9%(267/1 412), 29.1%(215/739) and 38.1%(101/265) of them reached the control target of serum urate levels, respectively. After treatment, patients' liver function was not affected, but serum creatinine levels decreased significantly. Conclusions: The proportion of gout patients who reach target serum urate level is very low. Further steps including education and survey need to be carried on.

Pre-natal and post-natal exposure to pet ownership and lung function in children: The Seven Northeastern Cities Study.

To evaluate the association between pre-natal and post-natal exposure to pet ownership and lung function in children, a cross-sectional study named Seven Northeastern Cities (SNEC) study was conducted. In this study, children's lung function including the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1 ), forced vital capacity (FVC), maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF), and peak expiratory flow (PEF) were measured by spirometers, and pet ownership situations were collected by questionnaire. Analyzed by multiple logistic regression and generalized linear modeling, we found that for all subjects, pet exposure in the first 2 years of life was significantly associated with lung function impairment of FVC<85% predicted (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01, 1.63). For current pet exposure, the increased odds of lung function impairment ranged from 35% (aOR=1.35; 95%CI: 1.12, 1.62) for FVC<85% predicted to 57% (aOR=1.57; 95%CI: 1.29, 1.93) for FEV1 <85% predicted. The in utero exposure was not related to lung function impairment. Compared with other pets, higher odds were observed among children with dogs. When stratified by gender, girls with current pet exposure were more likely to have lung function impairment than boys. It implies self-reported exposures to pets were negatively associated with lung function among the children under study.

Breastfeeding modifies the effects of environment tobacco smoke exposure on respiratory diseases and symptoms in Chinese children: the Seven Northeast Cities Study.

To evaluate the potential effect of interaction between breastfeeding and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure on respiratory health, we studied 31 049 children (aged 2-14 years) from 25 districts of seven cities in northeast China. Parents of the children completed standardized questionnaires that characterized the children's histories of respiratory symptoms and illness, feeding methods, ETS exposure, and other associated risk factors. Breastfeeding was defined as having been mainly breastfed for 3 months or more. The results showed that the association of ETS exposure with childhood respiratory conditions/diseases was modified by breastfeeding, and the association for nonbreastfed children was stronger than that for breastfed children. In particular, for nonbreastfed children, the odds ratios (ORs) for the effect of current ETS exposure asthma was 1.71 (95% CI: 1.43-2.05); however, the OR for breastfed children was 1.33 (95% CI: 1.20-1.48), indicating that the interactions between breastfeeding and current ETS exposure on asthma were statistically significant (P = 0.019). When stratified by school (kindergarten vs. elementary school), breastfeeding was more protective for asthma-related symptoms among children from kindergarten. In conclusion, this study shows that breastfeeding is associated with smaller associations between ETS exposure and respiratory conditions in children, suggesting that breastfeeding reduces susceptibility to the respiratory effects of ETS.

Correlation between chromosome 1p/19q status and VEGF mRNA expression in gliomas.

The chromosome 1p/19q deletion has been reported as a good prognosis marker for gliomas. However, the detection of 1p/19q status alone in glioma patients is not sufficient. The identification of a combination of molecular factors could effectively enhance the prediction accuracy. Thus far, the potential correlation between the 1p/19q status and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression has not been elucidated. The level of VEGF mRNA expression in the tumor and the adjacent normal tissues was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The 1p/19q status of glioma patients was determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The association between the 1p/19q status and VEGF mRNA expression, as well as the glioma grade, was evaluated. A higher VEGF mRNA expression level was observed in gliomas, compared to matched normal tissues (P < 0.01). The 1p/19q status was significantly correlated with glioma grade (P = 0.018) and VEGF mRNA expression in the tissues (P = 0.005). A higher percentage of patients with high-grade gliomas displayed an intact 1p/19q and higher VEGF mRNA expression than those with low-grade gliomas. A survival analysis revealed that patients (with high- and low-grade gliomas) with intact 1p/19q and higher VEGF mRNA expression showed a shorter overall survival time. Moreover, tissue VEGF mRNA expression and WHO grade were found to be independent risk factors for gliomas. In conclusion, the 1p/19q status and VEGF mRNA expression in tissues could be used in combination to predict the prognosis of gliomas.

Wnt1 and SFRP1 as potential prognostic factors and therapeutic targets in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

The Wnt signaling pathway plays a key role in insurgence and progression of many different forms of cancer. Some crucial components of the Wnt pathway have been proposed to be novel targets for cancer therapy. To date, the Wnt signaling pathway has not been studied in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). This study was designed to investigate the expression of Wnt1 and SFRP1 from the Wnt pathway in CSCC. Tissue samples were obtained from 35 patients with CSCC and 30 controls admitted to the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region People's Hospital at Urumchi City, China. Gene and protein expressions of Wnt1 and SFRP1 were quantified by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Wnt1 expression was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in CSCC samples than in normal skin cells of the control subjects; in contrast, SFRP1 expression was significantly lower in CSCC tissues than that in tissues of control subjects (P < 0.05). Moreover, Wnt1 expression (P < 0.05) was found to be correlated with histopathological differentiation in CSCC, and negatively correlated with SFRP1 expression in CSCC (rs = -0.473, P = 0.015). Therefore, we concluded that Wnt1 and SFRP1 play important roles in the development of CSCC and could be potent markers for diagnosis, prevention, and therapy of CSCC.

Epidemiology of elevated blood pressure and associated risk factors in Chinese children: the SNEC study.

Despite the association of childhood blood pressure (BP) with hypertension later in the life course, there remains dearth of information regarding the prevalence and emergence of hypertension in children, especially in China. To investigate the current status of BP, prevalence of elevated BP and related factors in Chinese children, a cross-sectional survey in a representative sample of 9354 Chinese children 5-17 years old was conducted in seven cities in Northeastern China during 2011 and 2012. BP measurements were taken by mercury sphygmomanometer. Elevated BP in children was defined as an average diastolic BP or systolic BP that is in the 95th percentile or higher for their gender, age and height. Overall, total prevalence of elevated BP was 13.8%, and no significant difference between males and females was identified. Multivariate analyses revealed that children having a higher area of residence had a lower of elevated BP. Increased odds for elevated BP were found for individuals who were lean (odds ratio (OR)=2.12; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.67-2.69), overweight (OR=2.05; 95% CI: 1.74-2.42), obese (OR=3.15; 95% CI: 2.70-3.68), were born with low birth weight (OR=1.26; 95%CI: 1.01-1.63), premature birth (OR=1.46; 95%CI: 1.13-1.88), and were with home coal use (OR=1.24; 95%CI: 1.02-1.52). In conclusion, elevated BP was found to be prevalent in children in urban areas of Northeast China. These results underscore the importance of implementing a package of measures aimed at reducing malleable risk for this cardiovascular condition in school-aged children in Northeast China.

Versatility of distributed focus ultrasound in treatment of superficial lesions.

In order to study the efficacy of hyperthermia as a cancer treatment modality, it is important to be able to define the specific volume being raised to hyperthermic temperatures corresponding to the selected method of heating. Measurements have been made of temperature distributions in rat mammary tumors during steady state heating with annular focused ultrasound (2.0 MHz). Biological response in terms of growth inhibition is compared with uniformity of induced temperature throughout the tumors as a function of annular focusing dimensions.

Changes in VP2 gene during the attenuation of very virulent infectious bursal disease virus strain Gx isolated in China.

Very virulent (vv) infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) Gx strain with high pathogenicity was attenuated through replication in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chicken embryos and in chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cell cultures. The changes in VP2 nucleotide and the deduced amino acid sequences were obtained during attenuation of vvIBDV in CEF culture. Sequence analysis of selected passages from numbers 0 to 20 in CEFs (designated here Gx to CEF-20) showed that no changes were detectable in the VP2 gene before CEF-7. There were a few changes in the nucleotide sequence of the VP2 gene but no amino acid substitutions at CEF-8. The virus of CEF-9 was an intermediate with some amino acid changes that possibly were related to virulence. CEF-10 virus had become similar to CU-1 strain. The VP2 gene sequence remained the same from CEF-10 to CEF-20. The results of pathogenicity tests showed that the mortalities of Gx, CEF-5, CEF-8, and CEF-9 in 4-wk-old SPF chickens were 64%, 60%, 60%, and 32%, respectively; whereas CEF-10, CEF-15, and CEF-20 were nonpathogenic. Virus neutralization tests with Gx strain showed that the antigenicities are similar from Gx to CEF-20.

[Preparation of diclofenac sodium controlled release pellets and multiple-dose evaluation in healthy volunteers].

The yield of pellets obtained in preparing diclofenac sodium (DC-Na) controlled release pellets was affected by the lactose/starch ratio of the feed granules, viscosity of the binding solution and residence time in the rolling pot. The pellet shape was found to be correlated with surface tension of the binding solution. The concentration and composition of the coating solution and pellet size distribution were responsible for the agglutination in coating. The controlled release pellets (CRP) and commercial tablets (CT) of DC-Na were administrated orally to healthy volunteers by multiple-dose. The steady-state condition, based on trough plasma concentration on day 3-5, was achieved on day 3. A great difference in plasma drug concentration fluctuation index (FI) between CRP (0.476 +/- 0.0484) and CT (0.935 +/- 0.092) was observed (P < 0.05) during steady-state. The area under the plasma drug concentration-time curve for a 0-12 h interval (AUC) on day 5 of CRP (6.493 +/- 0.4169 micrograms.h.ml-1) and CT (7.551 +/- 0.4745 micrograms.h.ml-1) was shown to be not significantly different (P > 0.05). The relative bioavailability in the human was about 86%.

[Application of cluster analysis to chemical taxonomy of medicinal material maidong].

The cluster analysis shows that the phytochemical constituents in genera Ophiopogon and Liriope are obviously different from each other and even different species of the same genus are not quite similar. Being consistent with the result of the traditional morphological classification, the cluster analysis may provide a chemical evidence for the phytochemical taxonomy and identification of medicinal material Maidong.

[Observation on the persistence period and transmission of residual microfilaremia with medium and higher density].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the persistence period of medium and higher density of microfilaremia and its role in the transmission of filariasis in areas with filariasis basically eradicated. METHODS: The residual microfilaremia was followed up and the population were regularly examined by thick blood film assay. Culex quinquefaciatus were dissected to determine the natural infection rate and density of filarial larvae. The filarial antibody levels were detected by using IFAT. RESULTS: Two cases with medium and higher density of microfilaremia were found to be microfilaremia positive for twelve years. The natural infection rate and density of filarial larvae in Culex quinquefasciatus dropped down year by year, one case of new microfilaremia was found in the sixteenth year. CONCLUSION: The persistence period of residual medium and higher density of microfilaremia lasted for more than twelve years. The individual residual medium and higher density of microfilaremia cases still possess the potential for transmission of filariasis.

Upregulation of miR-27a contributes to the malignant transformation of human bronchial epithelial cells induced by SV40 small T antigen.

The introduction of the Simian virus 40 (SV40) early region, the telomerase catalytic subunit (hTERT) and an oncogenic allele of H-Ras directly transforms primary human cells. SV40 small T antigen (ST), which forms a complex with protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and inhibits PP2A activity, is believed to have a critical role in the malignant transformation of human cells. Recent evidence has shown that aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression patterns are correlated with cancer development. Here, we identified miR-27a as a differentially expressed miRNA in SV40 ST-expressing cells. miR-27a is upregulated in SV40 ST-transformed human bronchial epithelial cells (HBERST). Suppression of miR-27a expression in HBERST cells or lung cancer cell lines (NCI-H226 and SK-MES-1) that exhibited high levels of miR-27a expression lead to cell growth arrested in the G(0)-G(1) phase. In addition, suppression of miR-27a in HBERST cells attenuated the capacity of such cells to grow in an anchorage-independent manner. We also found that suppression of the PP2A B56γ expression resulted in upregulation of miR-27a similar to that achieved by the introduction of ST, indicating that dysregulation of miR-27a expression in ST-expressing cells was mediated by the ST-PP2A interaction. Moreover, we discovered that Fbxw7 gene encoding F-box/WD repeat-containing protein 7 was a potential miR-27a target validated by dual-luciferase reporter system analysis. The inverse correlation between miR-27a expression levels and Fbxw7 protein expression was further confirmed in both cell models and human tumor samples. Fbxw7 regulates cell-cycle progression through the ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis of a set of substrates, including c-Myc, c-Jun, cyclin E1 and Notch 1. Thus, promotion of cell growth arising from the suppression of Fbxw7 by miR-27a overexpression might be responsible for the viral oncoprotein ST-induced malignant transformation. These observations demonstrate that miR-27a functions as an oncogene in human tumorigenesis.

α4 is highly expressed in carcinogen-transformed human cells and primary human cancers.

A regulator of the protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), α4, has been implicated in a variety of functions that regulate many cellular processes. To explore the role of α4 in human cell transformation and tumorigenesis, we show that α4 is highly expressed in human cells transformed by chemical carcinogens including benzo(a)pyrene, aflatoxin B(1), N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, nickel sulfate and in several hepatic and lung cancer cell lines. In addition, overexpression of α4 was detected in 87.5% (74/80) of primary hepatocellular carcinomas, 84.0% (21/25) of primary lung cancers and 81.8% (9/11) of primary breast cancers, indicating that α4 is ubiquitously highly expressed in human cancer. Functional studies revealed that elevated α4 expression results in an increase in cell proliferation, promotion of cell survival and decreased PP2A-attributable activity. Importantly, ectopic expression of α4 permits non-transformed human embryonic kidney cells (HEKTER) and L02R cells to form tumors in immunodeficient mice. Furthermore, we show that the highly expressed α4 in transformed cells or human tumors is not regulated by DNA hypomethylation. A microRNA, miR-34b, that suppresses the expression of α4 through specific binding to the 3'-untranslated region of α4 is downregulated in transformed or human lung tumors. Taken together, these observations identify that α4 possesses an oncogenic function. Reduction of PP2A activity due to an enhanced α4-PP2A interaction contributes directly to chemical carcinogen-induced tumorigenesis.