Effect of Regional Brain Activity Following Repeat Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in SCA3: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a noninvasive neuroregulatory technique used to treat neurodegenerative diseases, holds promise for spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) treatment, although its efficacy and mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to observe the short-term impact of cerebellar rTMS on motor function in SCA3 patients and utilize resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI) to assess potential therapeutic mechanisms. Twenty-two SCA3 patients were randomly assigned to receive actual rTMS (AC group, n = 11, three men and eight women; age 32-55 years) or sham rTMS (SH group, n = 11, three men and eight women; age 26-58 years). Both groups underwent cerebellar rTMS or sham rTMS daily for 15 days. The primary outcome measured was the ICARS scores and parameters for regional brain activity. Compared to baseline, ICARS scores decreased more significantly in the AC group than in the SH group after the 15-day intervention. Imaging indicators revealed increased Amplitude of Low Frequency Fluctuation (ALFF) values in the posterior cerebellar lobe and cerebellar tonsil following AC stimulation. This study suggests that rTMS enhances motor functions in SCA3 patients by modulating the excitability of specific brain regions and associated pathways, reinforcing the potential clinical utility of rTMS in SCA3 treatment. The Chinese Clinical Trial Registry identifier is ChiCTR1800020133.

Ultrafine NiFe-Based (Oxy)Hydroxide Nanosheet Arrays with Rich Edge Planes and Superhydrophilic-Superaerophobic Characteristics for Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

NiFe-based (oxy)hydroxides are the benchmark catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline medium, however, it is still challenging to control their structures and compositions. Herein, molybdates (NiFe(MoO4 )x ) are applied as unique precursors to synthesize ultrafine Mo modified NiFeOx Hy (oxy)hydroxide nanosheet arrays. The electrochemical activation process enables the molybdate ions (MoO4 2- ) in the precursors gradually dissolve, and at the same time, hydroxide ions (OH- ) in the electrolyte diffuse into the precursor and react with Ni2+ and Fe3+ ions in confined space to produce ultrafine NiFeOx Hy (oxy)hydroxides nanosheets (<10 nm), which are densely arranged into microporous arrays and maintain the rod-like morphology of the precursor. Such dense ultrafine nanosheet arrays produce rich edge planes on the surface of NiFeOx Hy (oxy)hydroxides to expose more active sites. More importantly, the capillary phenomenon of microporous structures and hydrophilic hydroxyl groups induce the superhydrophilicity and the rough surface produces the superaerophobic characteristic for bubbles. With these advantages, the optimized catalyst exhibits excellent performance for OER, with a small overpotential of 182 mV at 10 mA cm-2 and long-term stability (200 h) at 200 mA cm-2 . Theoretical calculations show that the modification of Mo enhances the electron delocalization and optimizes the adsorption of intermediates.

Effects of miR-503-5p on apoptosis of human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells in simulated microgravity.

Recent studies have shown that microRNA (miRNAs) can play important roles in the regulation of endothelial cell (EC) function. However, the expression profile of miRNAs and their effects on the apoptosis of ECs under microgravity conditions remains unclear. In this study, the apoptosis of human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs) under simulated microgravity was identified by Annexin V and propidium iodide double staining and transmission electron microscopy. miRNA microarray assay was used to screen the differentially expressed miRNAs in HPMECs under simulated microgravity, and eight differentially expressed miRNAs were identified. Specifically, miR-503-5p, which was found to be most significantly upregulated in both microarray and quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction assays, was selected for further functional investigation. Overexpression of miR-503-5p induced apoptosis of HPMECs under normal gravity and aggravated the negative effects of simulated microgravity on HPMECs. Furthermore, silencing of miR-503-5p expression effectively attenuated the negative effects of simulated microgravity on HPMECs. Further experiments showed that the mRNA and protein expression of anti-apoptotic factor B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), which has been confirmed as a direct target of miR-503-5p, was inhibited by the upregulation of miR-503-5p and increased by the downregulation of miR-503-5p. Taken together, our findings demonstrate, for the first time, that miR-503-5p can induce apoptosis of HPMECs under simulated microgravity through, at least in part, inhibiting the expression of Bcl-2.

Risk/benefit profile of panitumumab-based therapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: evidence from five randomized controlled trials.

This study aims to evaluate the risk and benefit profiles of panitumumab-based therapy (PBT) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Relevant randomized controlled trials were identified by searching PubMed, Medline, EMBASE and Cochrane Library. Data on progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), all grade and severe (grade ≥3) adverse events were extracted and pooled to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and risk ratios (RRs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). Number needed to treat (NNT) for PFS and number needed to harm (NNH) for significantly changed toxicities were calculated. A total of 4,155 patients were included in the analysis. PBT significantly improved PFS (HRrandom = 0.66, 95 % CI = 0.45-0.95) but not OS (HRfixed = 0.93, 95 % CI = 0.83-1.04) when used in the subsequent-line setting. The effect on PFS was more evident in patients with wild-type KRAS (HRrandom = 0.64, 95 % CI = 0.47-0.87) and the NNT for PFS is 11 to 23at 1 year. PBT did not benefit patients when used in the first-line setting. In addition, PBT significantly increased the risk of skin toxicity, infections, diarrhea, dehydration, mucositis, hypokalemia, fatigue, hypomagnesemia, pulmonary embolism and paronychia. The NNHs for skin toxicity, diarrhea, infection, hypokalemia and mucositis are less than 23. In conclusion, when used in the subsequent-line setting, PBT can improve the disease progression, especially in mCRC patients with wild-type KRAS. Regarding the adverse events associated with the PBT, close monitoring and necessary preparations are recommended during the therapy.

[The effects of microgravity on blood vessels and vascular endothelial cells].

The dysfunction of vascular system is one of the main causes of orthostatic intolerance induced by microgravity. Vascular endothelial cell is a single layer on the inner wall of the blood vessel and is the important component of the blood vessel wall. Vascular endothelial cell plays a pivotal role in the regulation of vascular functions, such as serving as a permeability barrier, regulating vasoconstriction and vasodilatation. Recent studies have demonstrated that microgravity may have different effects on vascular sys- tem and vascular endothelial cells in different parts of the body, such as increasing vasoconstrictor reactivity and decreasing vasodilator reactivity of cerebral arteries, decreasing vasoconstrictor and vasodilator reactivity of carotid and abdominal aortic arteries, decreasing vasoconstrictor reactivity and increasing vasodilator reactivity of pulmonary arteries, decreasing vasoconstrictor reactivity of mesenteric arteries and veins and lower extremity arteries. In addition, microgravity can promote the growth of vascular endothelial cells in the large vessels and inhibit the growth of microvascular endothelial cells. This paper summarized the research progress in the effects of microgravity on blood vessels and vascular endothelial cells.

Disease Progression and Multiparametric Imaging Characteristics of Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3 With Spastic Paraplegia.

Background and Objectives: Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is a hereditary ataxia that occurs worldwide. Clinical patterns were observed, including the one characterized by marked spastic paraplegia. This study investigated the clinical features, disease progression, and multiparametric imaging aspects of patients with SCA3. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 249 patients with SCA3 recruited from the Organization for Southeast China for cerebellar ataxia research between October 2014 and December 2020. Of the 249 patients, 145 were selected and assigned to 2 groups based on neurologic examination: SCA3 patients with spastic paraplegia (SCA3-SP) and SCA3 patients with nonspastic paraplegia (SCA3-NSP). Participants underwent 3.0-T brain MRI examinations, and voxel-wise and volume-of-interest-based approaches were used for the resulting images. A tract-based spatial statistical approach was used to investigate the white matter (WM) alterations using diffusion tensor imaging, neurite orientation dispersion, and density imaging metrics. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to compare the clinical and imaging parameters between the 2 groups. The longitudinal data were evaluated using a linear mixed-effects model. Results: Forty-three patients with SCA3-SP (mean age, 37.58years ± 11.72 [SD]; 18 women) and 102 patients with SCA3-NSP (mean age, 47.42years ± 12.50 [SD]; 39 women) were analyzed. Patients with SCA3-SP were younger and had a lower onset age but a larger cytosine-adenine-guanine repeat number, as well as higher clinical severity scores (all corrected p < 0.05). The estimated progression rates of the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) and International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale scores were higher in the SCA3-SP subgroup than in the SCA3-NSP subgroup (SARA, 2.136 vs 1.218 points; ICARS, 5.576 vs 3.480 points; both p < 0.001). In addition, patients with SCA3-SP showed gray matter volume loss in the precentral gyrus with a decreased neurite density index in the WM of the corticospinal tract and cerebellar peduncles compared with patients with SCA3-NSP. Discussion: SCA3-SP differs from SCA3-NSP in clinical features, multiparametric brain imaging findings, and longitudinal follow-up progression.

Intraoperative hypotension is associated with decreased long-term survival in older patients after major noncardiac surgery: Secondary analysis of three randomized trials.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of intraoperative hypotension with long-term survivals in older patients after major noncardiac surgery mainly for cancer. DESIGN: A secondary analysis of databases from three randomized trials with long-term follow-up. SETTING: The underlying trials were conducted in 17 tertiary hospitals in China. PATIENTS: Patients aged 60 to 90 years who underwent major noncardiac thoracic or abdominal surgeries (≥ 2 h) in a single center were included in this analysis. EXPOSURES: Restricted cubic spline models were employed to determine the lowest mean arterial pressure (MAP) threshold that was potentially harmful for long-term survivals. Patients were arbitrarily divided into three groups according to the cumulative duration or area under the MAP threshold. The association between intraoperative hypotension exposure and long-term survivals were analyzed with the Cox proportional hazard regression models. MEASUREMENTS: Our primary endpoint was overall survival. Secondary endpoints included recurrence-free and event-free survivals. MAIN RESULTS: A total of 2664 patients (mean age 69.0 years, 34.9% female sex, 92.5% cancer surgery) were included in the final analysis. MAP < 60 mmHg was adopted as the threshold of intraoperative hypotension. Patients were divided into three groups according to duration under MAP < 60 mmHg (<1 min, 1-10 min, and > 10 min) or area under MAP <60 mmHg (< 1 mmHg⋅min, 1-30 mmHg⋅min, and > 30 mmHg⋅min). After adjusting confounders, duration under MAP < 60 mmHg for > 10 min was associated with a shortened overall survival when compared with the < 1 min patients (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09 to 1.57, P = 0.004); area under MAP < 60 mmHg for > 30 mmHg⋅min was associated with a shortened overall survival when compared with the < 1 mmHg⋅min patients (adjusted HR 1.40, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.68, P < 0.001). Similar associations exist between duration under MAP < 60 mmHg for > 10 min or area under MAP < 60 mmHg for > 30 mmHg⋅min and recurrence-free or event-free survivals. CONCLUSIONS: In older patients who underwent major noncardiac surgery mainly for cancer, intraoperative hypotension was associated with worse overall, recurrence-free, and event-free survivals.

Altered brain white matter structural motor network in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3.

OBJECTIVES: Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 is a disorder within the brain network. However, the relationship between the brain network and disease severity is still unclear. This study aims to investigate changes in the white matter (WM) structural motor network, both in preclinical and ataxic stages, and its relationship with disease severity. METHODS: For this study, 20 ataxic, 20 preclinical SCA3 patients, and 20 healthy controls were recruited and received MRI scans. Disease severity was quantified using the SARA and ICARS scores. The WM motor structural network was created using probabilistic fiber tracking and was analyzed using graph theory and network-based statistics at global, nodal, and edge levels. In addition, the correlations between network topological measures and disease duration or clinical scores were analyzed. RESULTS: Preclinical patients showed increasing assortativity of the motor network, altered subnetwork including 12 edges of 11 nodes, and 5 brain regions presenting reduced nodal strength. In ataxic patients assortativity of the motor network also increased, but global efficiency, global strength, and transitivity decreased. Ataxic patients showed a wider altered subnetwork and a higher number of reduced nodal strengths. A negative correlation between the transitivity of the motor network and SARA and ICARS scores was observed in ataxic patients. INTERPRETATION: Changes to the WM motor network in SCA3 start before ataxia onset, and WM motor network involvement increases with disease progression. Global network topological measures of the WM motor network appear to be a promising image biomarker for disease severity. This study provides new insights into the pathophysiology of disease in SCA3/MJD.

Babao Dan decreases hepatocarcinogenesis by inhibiting hepatic progenitor cells malignant transformation via down-regulating toll-like receptor 4.

Background: Babao Dan (BBD) is a traditional Chinese medicine that has been widely used as a complementary and alternative medicine to treat chronic liver diseases. In this study, we aimed to observe the effect of BBD on the incidence of diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-initiated hepatocellular carcinoma formation in rats and explored its possible mechanism. Methods: To verify this hypothesis, BBD was administrated to rats at a dose of 0.5g/kg body weight per two days from the 9th to 12th week in HCC-induced by DEN. Liver injury biomarkers and hepatic inflammatory parameters were evaluated by histopathology as well as serum and hepatic content analysis. We applied immunohistochemical analysis to investigate the expression of CK-19 and SOX-9 in liver tissues. The expression of TLR4 was determined by immunohistochemical, RT-PCR, and western blot analysis. Furthermore, we also detected the efficacy of BBD against primary HPCs neoplastic transformation induced by LPS. Results: We observed that DEN could induce hepatocarcinogenesis, and BBD could obviously decrease the incidence. The biochemical and histopathological examination results confirmed that BBD could protect against liver injury and decrease inflammatory infiltration. Immunohistochemistry staining results showed that BBD could effectively inhibit the ductal reaction and the expression of TLR4. The results showed that BBD-serumcould obviously inhibit primary HPCs neoplastic transformation induced by regulating the TLR4/Ras/ERK signaling pathway. Conclusion: In summary, our results indicate that BBD has potential applications in the prevention and treatment of HCC, which may be related to its effect on hepatic progenitor cells malignant transformation via inhibiting the TLR4/Ras/ERK signaling pathway.

Comparison of adenoma detection in different colorectal segments between deep-sedated and unsedated colonoscopy.

To investigate if deep-sedated colonoscopy affects adenoma detection in certain colorectal segment. Review of colonoscopy reports, electronic images and medical records of individuals underwent screening colonoscopy with or without propofol sedation between October 2020 and March 2021 from seven hospitals in China. A total of 4500 individuals were analyzed. There was no significant difference in ADR between deep-sedated colonoscopy and unsedated colonoscopy [45.4% vs. 46.3%, P > 0.05]. The APP of deep-sedated colonoscopy was lower than unsedated colonoscopy (1.76 ± 0.81 vs. 2.00 ± 1.30, P < 0.05). Both average number of adenomas and luminal distention score of splenic flexure and descending colon were lower in deep-sedated colonoscopy (P < 0.05), and average number of adenomas was positively correlated with an improved distension score in splenic flexure and descending colon (splenic flexure r = 0.031, P < 0.05; descending colon r = 0.312, P < 0.05). Linear regression model showed deep-sedated colonoscopy significantly affected luminal distention of splenic flexure and descending colon as well as average number of adenomas detected in splenic flexure (P < 0.05). Deep-sedated colonoscopy decreased adenoma detection in splenic flexure and the luminal distention of splenic flexure and descending colon compared with unsedated colonoscopy.

A polymorphism in the visfatin gene promoter is related to decreased plasma levels of inflammatory markers in patients with coronary artery disease.

Visfatin, a newly identified proinflammatory adipokine, has been linked to coronary artery disease (CAD). The -1535C>T polymorphism (rs61330082) located in the visfatin gene promoter is reportedly associated with proinflammatory status. However, it is unclear whether this polymorphism correlates with plasma levels of inflammatory markers including visfatin, hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α in CAD patients. The present study was to investigate the potential association of the -1535C>T polymorphism with plasma levels of visfatin, IL-6, C reactive protein (hs-CRP) and TNF-α in patients with CAD. We conducted a hospital based study with 171 CAD patients to examine the association between the -1535C>T polymorphism and plasma levels of visfatin, hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α. Plasma visfatin levels were markedly different between patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP, 11.91 ± 0.70 ng/l) and those with unstable angina pectoris (UAP, 17.49 ± 0.20 ng/l) or acute myocardial infarction (AMI, 16.63 ± 0.22 ng/l; SAP versus UAP or AMI, P < 0.05). Compared with the CC genotype, variant genotypes CT and TT correlated with significantly lower levels of visfatin, hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α in the SAP group (P < 0.05), with lower levels of hs-CRP and IL-6 in the UAP group (P < 0.05), and with lower levels of visfatin in the AMI group (P < 0.05) after adjustment for age, gender, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and medication. Our results suggest that the -1535C>T polymorphism is associated with decreased plasma levels of inflammatory markers in CAD patients, reflecting that this polymorphism might provide a useful marker for predicting the development of CAD events.

[Estimation of the SOA Formation Potential of the National Trunk Highway in Central Plains Urban Agglomeration].

Secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) are among the main components of air pollution. Accurately estimating SOAs formed from automobile exhaust is crucial for controlling and mitigating traffic air pollution. Sufficient monitoring data is difficult for regional analysis owing to limited monitoring data over a small area or few observation stations. Indirect methods may be used to estimate SOA using data on the number and types of vehicles. A linear reference system of Central Plains urban agglomeration was built from the national trunk line network system and the traffic survey data of transportation. The numbers of different types of vehicles were assigned to road segments as the traffic flow according to the represented length between monitoring stations. Then, VOCs emissions were calculated through the emission coefficient method based on the previous traffic flow data. Moreover, further estimations of the SOA formation potential were made by the fractional aerosol coefficient approach. Through kernel density analysis, discrete point data of the observer station were transformed into line segments and expanded to a continuous spatial distribution for quantitative and spatial variation analysis of the SOA in the study area. The results show that ① toluene has the highest SOA generation potential, 1,4-diethylbenzene has the strongest ability to form SOA, and aromatic hydrocarbons exhibit higher SOA formation capacity than alkanes; ② small and medium gasoline passenger cars generate the most SOA and account for about 1/3 of the total SOA, but small gasoline trucks exhibit the strongest capacity for SOA formation; ③ regarding the capacity of SOA formation for vehicles using different fuel types, gasoline vehicles have a higher capacity than diesel vehicles, and passenger cars have a slightly higher capacity than trucks; ④ in Central Plains urban agglomeration, the spatial distribution of SOA intensity data shows a trend of convergence to the center of Zhengzhou city. Gasoline vehicles exhibit a similar pattern overall, but diesel vehicles exhibit a weaker trend that decreases distinctly. SOA intensity along the north-south direction is much higher than that of the east-west direction around the center of Zhengzhou crossing.

[Spatial distribution of human activity intensity in Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau Wetland scenic area: A case study of Lashihai watershed in Yunnan Province, China]. / 云贵高原湿地景区人类活动强度的空间分布­­ä»¥äº‘南省拉市海流域为例.

Human activity intensity is mostly used to quantify the degree of human influence on natural systems, with obvious spatial variability. With Lashihai watershed in Yunnan Province as an example, we used SPOT remote sensing images to update land use data, and obtained a comprehensive index of land use intensity after gridding by assigning weights to different land types, which was considered as the basic human activity intensity. The local tourism activities (horseback riding and boating) were also included. The horseback riding and boating were spatially quantified according to the location of horse farms and the abundance of horses and boats which were superimposed with the basic human activity intensity on the spatial scale of 100 m×100 m to obtain a more accurate comprehensive human activity intensity and to analyze the spatial variations. The results showed that the gridding and the kernel density analysis improved the accuracy of spatial analysis and reflected the spatial superposition and diffusion effects. In the comprehensive human activity intensity map of Lashihai watershed, the highest intensity value of water area was at the mouth of the sea, the lowest intensity value was at the center of the sea, and the overall trend of intensity gradually decreased from the surrounding to the middle. The land settlement had the highest intensity, the intensity value of the agricultural land gathering area was at the middle level, and the intensity of human activities in the forestry area of higher altitude was lower. The comprehensive human activity intensity in the water area of the Lashihai watershed varied most obviously, and differed greatly from the basic human activity intensity. Although there were many local characteristic tourism activities in Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau Wetland scenic area, but their land use types did not change. We need to take them into account when quantifying the intensity of human activities.

Construction of H4x K2x Sn2-x S4+x /TiO2 nanocomposites with enhanced visible light-driven photocatalytic performance.

In this paper, a new photocatalyst with TiO2 nanospheres decorated on ultrathin layered thiostannate H4x K2x Sn2-x S4+x (X = 0.5-0.6, HKTS) nanosheets was successfully synthesized by a facile solvothermal method combined with the hydrolysis of tetrabutyl titanate and it was denoted as HKTS/TiO2. By adjusting the content of tetrabutyl titanate, composites with different Sn/Ti molar ratios were prepared. The composites were applied for RhB degradation under visible light irradiation, and the optimum proportion of HKTS/TiO2 was obtained. The results of X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy confirmed that TiO2 was successfully decorated on HKTS nanosheets. The combination of TiO2 and HKTS extended the absorption wavelength of TiO2 from UV to visible light range, and the separation efficiency of photoexcited electron-hole pairs was also enhanced. The photocatalytic degradation rate of RhB over HKTS/TiO2-1.0 was almost 97.9% after 60 min illumination, which was higher than those of HKTS and pure TiO2. The photocatalyst exhibited excellent reusability and stability as the degradation rate of RhB was 95.7% even after three cycles. The photocatalytic mechanism experiment indicated that ·O2 - and h+ played a dominant role in the photocatalytic process. All these results indicate that the newly fabricated HKTS/TiO2 composites provide a high-performance photocatalyst for waste water treatment, and the application of thiostannate can be extended to the field of photocatalytic materials.

Tea consumption and risk of endometrial cancer: a metaanalysis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to assess the association between tea consumption and endometrial cancer. STUDY DESIGN: Studies were identified by searching PubMed and EMBASE databases and screening the references of retrieved articles. The summary relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated. RESULTS: The combined RR for ever drinkers vs non/lowest drinkers was 0.85 (95% CI, 0.77-0.94). Compared with non/lowest drinkers, the summary RR was 0.88 (95% CI, 0.78-0.98) for low to moderate drinkers and 0.75 (95% CI, 0.64-0.88) for high drinkers. An increase in tea intake of 2 cups/day was associated with a 25% decreased risk of endometrial cancer. In subgroup analyses, tea consumption was significantly associated with reduced endometrial cancer risk in Asian studies and studies using interviewing techniques. Furthermore, the protective effect of green tea on endometrial cancer seemed more evident than that of black tea. CONCLUSION: Findings from this metaanalysis suggest that tea consumption may reduce the risk of endometrial cancer. Because of the limited number of studies, further prospective studies are needed to explore the protective effect of tea on endometrial cancer.

Flavonoids intake and risk of lung cancer: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: A number of studies have evaluated the association between flavonoids intake and lung cancer risk. However, results were inconsistent. To clarify the role of flavonoids in lung cancer, we conducted a meta-analysis on this topic. METHODS: Two authors independently searched PubMed and EMBASE for studies regarding the association of flavonoids intake with lung cancer risk. Summary relative risks (RRs) with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by using random-effects model. RESULTS: Eight prospective studies and four case-control studies involving 5073 lung cancer cases and 237 981 non-cases were included in this meta-analysis. The combined results indicated a statistically significant association between highest flavonoids intake and reduced risk of developing lung cancer (RR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.63-0.92). Furthermore, an increase in flavonoids intake of 20 mg/day was associated with a 10% decreased risk of developing lung cancer (RR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.83-0.97). In stratified analyses, the highest flavonoids intake was significantly associated with decreased lung cancer risk in prospective studies, studies conducted in Finnish population, studies without adjustment for fruits and vegetables or vitamins, males, smokers and studies using dietary history interview for flavonoids intake estimation. Most subclasses of flavonoids were inversely associated with lung cancer except for hesperetin. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that high or an increased intake of flavonoids is associated with reduced risk of lung cancer in some population but not in other population.

A polymorphism in the resistin gene promoter and the risk of coronary artery disease in a Chinese population.

OBJECTIVE: Resistin, a novel adipocyte-derived peptide, has been linked to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Recently, -420C>G, a variant located in the promoter region of the resistin gene (RETN) was identified. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between this RETN-420C>G polymorphism and the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). DESIGN: A hospital-based case-control study. PATIENTS: A total of 225 CAD patients and 225 age- and sex-matched control subjects. MEASUREMENTS: Genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction enzyme analysis to detect the presence of the RETN-420C>G polymorphism. RESULTS: The frequencies of RETN-420C>G genotypes in the CAD group were significantly different from those in the control group (P = 0.024). Subjects with the variant genotypes (CG and GG) had a 62% increased risk of CAD compared to CC carriers [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.62, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.09-2.41, P = 0.016]. However, there were no significant differences between the genotypes with respect to weight, body mass index (BMI) and lipid profiles in CAD patients, and no significant association was found between the RETN-420C>G polymorphism and the severity of CAD. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the RETN-420C>G polymorphism might be associated with an increased risk of CAD in a Chinese population.

Preproghrelin Leu72Met polymorphism in Chinese subjects with coronary artery disease and controls.

BACKGROUND: Ghrelin, a novel endogenous ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor, is considered to exert a protective effect against atherosclerosis. The Leu72Met (+408C>A) polymorphic variant of the preproghrelin, the gene for the ghrelin precursor, has been linked to obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome. However, it is unclear whether this polymorphism is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: We conducted a case-control study with 317 CAD patients and 323 controls to investigate the potential association of the Leu72Met polymorphism with the occurrence of CAD and CAD-related phenotypes in Chinese population. RESULTS: No significant difference in the Leu72Met genotype frequency was observed between CAD patients and controls (P=NS). The Leu72Met polymorphism was not associated with hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, the number of diseased vessels, plasma total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol or fasting glucose levels in CAD patients. However, among CAD patients, those with variant genotypes (Leu72Met and Met72Met) had lower BMI (24.4+/-0.3 kg/m(2)) than Leu72Leu carriers (25.4+/-0.2 kg/m(2), adjusted P=0.033). CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that the preproghrelin Leu72Met polymorphism is not associated with CAD in Chinese population. However, the Leu72Met variant is associated with BMI among CAD patients.

Genetic variant in glutathione peroxidase 1 gene is associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease in a Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: Glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1), the key antioxidant enzyme in vascular endothelial cells, has been shown to exert a protective effect against the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD). The 198Pro/leu variant, located at codon 198 of GPX1 gene, has recently been linked to cardiovascular disease, but data were inconsistent. We investigated the association between the occurrence of CAD and the 198Pro/leu variant in a Chinese population. METHODS: A total of 265 unrelated CAD patients and 265 age- and sex-matched control subjects were recruited in this study. The GPX1 198Pro/leu genotype was determined using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. RESULTS: Compared to the 198Pro/Pro carriers, subjects with the variant genotypes (198Pro/leu and 198Leu/leu) had a significantly higher risk of CAD (adjusted OR=2.02, 95%CI=1.27-3.22). In stratified analyses, the variant genotypes were significantly associated with increased CAD risk in subjects <64 y (adjusted OR=2.41, 95%CI=1.16-4.98), males (adjusted OR=1.86, 95%CI=1.09-3.18) and non-smokers (adjusted OR=2.40, 95%CI=1.15-5.01). However, no significant association was observed between this variant and the severity of CAD. CONCLUSION: These data provide evidence that GPX1 198Pro/leu variant genotypes are significantly associated with CAD risk in this Chinese population.

Synthesis of magnetic orderly mesoporous α-Fe2O3 nanocluster derived from MIL-100(Fe) for rapid and efficient arsenic(III,V) removal.

A calcination time regulation method has been unprecedentedly used to adjust the orderly meso-structure of novel α-Fe2O3 nanoclusters derived from MIL-100(Fe) (MIL: Materials of Institute Lavoisier). The as-synthesized magnetic orderly mesoporous α-Fe2O3 nanoclusters were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, TGA, N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, VSM, Zeta potential, FTIR and XPS. The 6h calcinated α-Fe2O3 nanocluster exhibited the optimal properties, including the high specific surface area and the orderly mesoporous properties, which facilitate the arsenic(III,V) adsorption capacity. The maximum adsorption capacities of As(III) and As(V) were 109.89 and 181.82mgg-1, respectively, and adsorption equilibrium can be reached just within 30min. The kinetics intra-particle diffusion model and adsorption isotherms reveal that the adsorption rate is controlled by pore diffusion and the adsorption process belongs to Langmuir monolayer adsorption. These results indicate that the orderly mesoporous structure of α-Fe2O3 nanoclusters plays a key role in rapid and efficient adsorption for arsenic(III,V). Meanwhile, adsorption mechanism verifies that arsenic can react with active sites (Fe-OH) to form complexes by Fe-O-As bond. Moreover, α-Fe2O3 nanocluster can be separated easily due to its excellent magnetism. Above all, the magnetism orderly mesoporous α-Fe2O3 nanocluster is a promising adsorbent for emergent treatment of arsenic in practice.