The Association between TREM2 Gene and Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease in Chinese Han Population.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in triggering receptor expressed on the myeloid cells 2 protein (TREM2) gene and their interaction with environmental factors and haplotypes on late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD). METHODS: DNA was extracted from the whole blood of the participants and genotyped using PCR and followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism. The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium test was used in the control group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the 4 SNPs of the TREM2 gene and the risk of LOAD. Generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction was used to test the best interaction combination between SNPs and environmental factors. RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis showed that the T allele of rs75932628 and the T allele of rs2234253 were independently associated with increased risk of LOAD, and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were 1.81 (1.271-2.35) and 1.59 (1.15-2.03), respectively. However, there was no significant association with LOAD for rs142232675 and rs143332484. We found a best model significantly associated with LOAD risk that consisted of rs75932628 and smoking, which scored 10/10 for both the sign test and cross-validation consistency (p = 0.012). Stratified analysis indicated that current smokers with rs75932628-CT/TT genotype have the highest LOAD risk compared to never smokers with rs75932628 - CC genotype, OR (95% confidence interval) = 2.73 (1.72-3.79). Haplotypes of rs75932628 and rs2234253 were analyzed using the SHEsis online software. However, no haplotype was found to be significantly associated with the risk of LOAD. CONCLUSIONS: The T allele of rs75932628 and the T allele of rs2234253 and interaction between rs75932628 and smoking were all correlated with increased risk of LOAD.

Genetic polymorphisms in DNA repair genes and their association with risk of cervical cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: There have been a large number of epidemiologic studies regarding the association between genetic polymorphisms in DNA repair genes and onset of cervical cancer. However, results are inconsistent. METHODS: Articles published before June 2021 and regarding genetic polymorphisms in DNA repair genes and cervical cancer were searched in following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and CNKI. With at least three articles for each polymorphism, we made meta-analysis to compute multivariate odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: The present study showed significant associations between XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphisms and risk of cervical cancer in Asian, whereas no significant association between them were showed in Caucasian (Asian: GA vs. GG: OR = 1.27, 95%CI 1.06-1.52; AA vs. GG: OR = 1.91, 95%CI 1.29-2.83; GA + AA vs. GG: OR = 1.36, 95%CI 1.12-1.65; AA vs. GG + GA: OR = 1.66, 95%CI 1.17-2.37; Caucasian: GA vs. GG: OR = 1.08, 95%CI 0.83-1.41; AA vs. GG: OR = 2.18, 95%CI 0.75-6.31; GA + AA vs. GG: OR = 1.23, 95%CI 0.85-1.78; AA vs. GG + GA: OR = 1.70, 95%CI 0.69-4.18). In addition, there were significant associations between ERCC2 rs13181 polymorphisms and risk of cervical cancer in Asian (AC vs AA: OR = 0.53, 95%CI 0.37-0.75, I2 = 0.0%, p value of Q test = 0.847; AC + CC vs AA: OR = 0.50, 95%CI 0.36-0.70, I2 = 0.0%, p value of Q test = 0.856). CONCLUSIONS: The meta-analysis showed that there were significant associations between XRCC1 Arg399Gln and ERCC2 rs13181 polymorphisms and risk of cervical cancer.

[Origin and evolution of the thunder-fire moxibustion therapy].

Through analyzing the origin and evolution of the thunder-fire moxibustion therapy, the mysteries and misunderstandings of it were revealed. As a result, a more objective and comprehensive recognition of this ancient therapy was displayed to the people nowadays. The thunder-fire moxibustion therapy maybe originate from the Taoism magic arts before the Yuan Dynasty and became matured in the middle of the Ming Dynasty. Two categories were divided during the long-term evolution in the history. In one category, the peach twig was taken as the moxa material rather than moxa stick and the incantation of Taoism remained. Regarding the other category, the herbal medicine was mixed in the moxa stick and the herbal composition was relatively specified. The incantation was removed. The moxibustion in the first category vanished at the end of the Ming Dynasty. The latter one kept on development from the middle of the Ming Dynasty through the modern times. Additionally, the herbal composition of moxa material has been modified; the indication enlarged and the operation improved. This therapy is still developed and applied by many doctors at the present times.

[Textual research on the Han yao xin jue (New Recognition of Chinese Medicines), a representative book of amalgamation of Chinese and western medicines in the Republican period].

Guo Ruo-ding's Han yao xin jue (New Recognition of Chinese Medicines) was the representative work of amalgamating Chinese and western pharmacy of the Republican period. Its first volume was published in Medicine Tomorrow in Peiping in installments, also with offprints; while the second volume was collected by his relatives. The whole book was published by the Shanghai Press of Science and Technology, carrying 208 kinds of Chinese materia medica mainly with individual drug descriptions, some compound prescriptions, and some western medicines. The amalgamating idea was expressed in three points: collection of both Chinese and western drugs; inheritance and creation with new idea of amalgamating Chinese and western medical systems; mutual consultation of Chinese and western medicine aiming at their amalgamation.

[Ancient understanding and the method analysis of combined acupuncture and medication].

To study and analyze on the understanding of ancient physicians' experience about combined acupuncture and medication, the thought of combined acupuncture and medication in ancient Chinese medicine, and the concrete application are analyzed by reorganization of the treatises and literature of ancient physicians. It is found that physicians of past dynasties have the greatest esteem for such academic thought of combined acupuncture and medication as essential quality of physicians, and accumulate rich experience and understanding in the application rules of clinical treatment model of combined acupuncture and medication, and action characteristics of acupuncture and medical herbs, etc. which are worthy to be further studied, so as to better guide clinical practice and scientific researches.