Dietary Calcium Intake and HPV Infection Status Among American Women: A Secondary Analysis from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) Data Set of 2003 - 2016.

BACKGROUND The evidence on the link of dietary calcium (DCa) to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is limited. Thus, this research was conducted to explore whether DCa is independently associated with HPV infection status in American women with age of 18 to 59 years old. MATERIAL AND METHODS We performed a secondary analysis from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data set including 7 cycles from 2003 to 2016. A total of 13 475 selected participants were used for data analysis. The interested independent and the outcome variable were DCa and HPV infection status (HPV infection; HPV subtype). Sociodemographic, dietary, laboratory, questionnaire, and physical examination data were covariates. Weighted binary logistic regression and generalized additive model (GAM) were used for the investigation of both linear and non-linear relationships between DCa and HPV infection status. RESULTS Weighted multivariable binary logistic regression indicated DCa was not associated with HPV infection and subtype (OR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.82-1.05 for HPV infection; OR: 1.09; 95% CI: 0.93-1.28 for HPV subtype). For HPV infection, a non-linear correlation was detected, whose inflection points were 9.78 of log2 DCa. The OR values and the confidence intervals on both sides of inflection point were 0.83 (95% CI: 0.70-0.98) and 1.18 (95% CI: 0.91-1.52), respectively. CONCLUSIONS At the range of 3.32-9.78 of log2 calcium intake, DCa intake was negatively correlated with HPV infection. After this interval, DCa intake was not associated with the risk of HPV infection.

[Xianglian External Lotion Restored the Sensitivity of Drug-resistant Candida albicans Strains to Fluconazole: a Transcriptomics Study].

OBJECTIVE: To perform a transcriptomics study in differential genes after Xianglian External Lotion (XEL) induced the recovery of drug-resistant Candida albicans strains sensitive to Fluconazole. METHODS: Broth microdilution antifungal susceptibility test was used to detect minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of drug-resistant Candida albicans strains induced by XEL. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) was used to determine and compare the transcription of primary drug-resistant Candida aIbicans strains and sensitive strains induced by XEL. High expressed genes and signaling pathways strains were analyzed by gene ontology (GO) method. RESULTS: XEL could induce drug-resistant strains of the 6th generations to recover sensitivity. Transcriptome sequencing showed that, as compared with primary drug-resistant strains, there were 165 genes with up-regulated RPKM index and 144 genes with down-regulated RPKM index after XEL induction. GO analyses found that all genes were mainly classified as GO:0015903 (fluconazole transport). CONCLUSIONS: XEL could induce the recovery of drug-resistant Candida albicans strains sensitive to Fluconazole. By analyzing transcriptomes, authors speculated that XEL could recover strain sensitivity to fluconazole by opening fluconazole transport pathway.

[Study on application of SELDI protein chip technique in diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus of yin deficiency caused internal heat syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the application of surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI) protein chip in diagnosis and Chinese medicie syndrome type researching of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: Eighteen female SLE patients of mild/moderate degree with yin-deficiency caused internal heat syndrome (YDHS) were enrolled in the treatment group, and 15 women healthy volunteers was set up as the control group. Using SELDI method, the pre-, mid- and post-treatment peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) protein fingerprint of them was created respectively, which was then managed to screen out the markers by using ZUCI-PDAS package for establishing a diagnosis model. RESULTS: Study was completed in 15 cases of the treatment group with 2 cases dropped out and 1 case lost. Before treatment, 44 protein peaks in the treatment group were found significantly different to those in the control group (P<0.01), and the sensitivity and specificity of the created models, 10542 Da m/z and 2554 Da m/z, reached 100%. After a 12-week treatment, 30 peaks were found significantly different between the two groups (P<0.01), and the sensitivity of 3365, 7104, 3882 and 6796 Da m/z created peak models was 100%, its specificity being 93.33%. Comparing the 35 samples (pre-, mid- and post-treatment) got from the treatment group with the 15 samples from the control group, significant difference was found in 55 peaks (P<0.01), the sensitivity and specificity of the 7103, 3882, 7143 Da m/z created peak models was 100% and 91.43% respectively. CONCLUSION: Significant differences of PBMC protein expression patterns were found between SLE patients of YDHS and healthy persons at times of before, during and after treatment, suggesting that SELDI may be used as a new method to create the diagnosis model, and its application in effecter protein screening, activity scoring and Chinese medicine syndrome type researching are expectable and waiting for further study in depth.

Realgar-mediated growth inhibition on HaCaT human keratinocytes is associated with induction of apoptosis.

Traditional Chinese medicine has long been used to treat a variety of ailments including skin diseases. Our previous study has revealed the ethanolic extract of realgar, a common ingredient used in psoriasis treatment in Chinese medicine, to possess potent anti-proliferative action on cultured HaCaT cells of human keratinocyte origin. In the present study, the mechanisms of action of the observed growth inhibitory action of realgar were investigated. Several bioassay methods were employed to elucidate whether cellular apoptosis is involved in the realgar-induced growth inhibition of the skin cells. Morphologically, nuclear condensation and DNA fragmentation were observed when HaCaT cells were exposed to the realgar extract. DNA fragmentation induced by the treatment of realgar was also evident as detected by gel electrophoresis and the TUNEL method. Cell cycle analysis by propidium iodide (PI) staining demonstrated the appearance of sub-G1 peak and cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase upon realgar treatment. Quantitative analysis by annexin V-PI staining revealed that the realgar-induced apoptotic event was dose-dependent. Furthermore, realgar was able to activate caspase-3 expression when examined by Western blot analysis. Our experimental data unambiguously confirm that induction of cellular apoptosis is mainly responsible for the observed growth inhibition brought about by realgar on the HaCaT keratinocytes, and this finding helps place the traditional use of this mineral for psoriasis treatment on a scientific footing.

[Gene expression profiling of peripheral leukocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus using oligonucleotide DNA microarray].

OBJECTIVE: To identify the differentially expressed genes in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by comparing the gene expression profiles of peripheral leukocytes between SLE patients and healthy controls. METHODS: The total RNA was extracted from 5 ml peripheral blood of normal subjects and SLE patients, and reversely transcribed in cDNA templates to synthesize cDNA probes labeled for hybridization with the microarray. RESULTS: Totally 89 over- or under-expressed genes were identified in 9 SLE patients as compared with the controls. These genes included genes associated with cytokines and their receptors, immunity, cell signal transduction, protein transcription and synthesis, ion channel and transporters, cell apoptosis, DNA and RNA processing, and extracellular matrix etc. Clustering analysis showed that in spite of the individual diversity of the SLE patients, their gene expression profiles were strikingly similar. CONCLUSION: The differentially expressed genes screened with oligonucleotide DNA microarray technique may provide clues for exploring the pathogenesis and progression of SLE, and for identification of potential molecular markers for diagnosis and development of therapeutic drugs.