Responses of Micropterus salmoides under Ammonia Stress and the Effects of a Potential Ammonia Antidote.

Ammonia is a common environmental limiting factor in aquaculture. To investigate the effects of ammonia stress and explore the protective effect of N-carbamylglutamate (NCG) on Micropterus salmoides (M. salmoides), tissue sections and parameters related to oxidative stress and the inflammatory response in M. salmoides were carried out during the ammonia stress test and feeding test. The results demonstrated that the LC50 for 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, and 96 h under ammonia stress in M. salmoides were 25.78 mg/L, 24.40 mg/L, 21.90 mg/L, and 19.61 mg/L, respectively. Under ammonia stress, the structures of the tissues were damaged, and the GSH content decreased, while the MDA content increased with the increase in stress time and ammonia concentration. The NO content fluctuated significantly after the ammonia nitrogen stress. In the 15-day feeding test, with the increased NCG addition amount and feeding time, the GSH content increased while the MDA and NO contents decreased gradually in the NCG addition groups (NL group: 150 mg/kg; NM group: 450 mg/kg; NH group: 750 mg/kg) when compared with their control group (CK group: 0 mg/kg). In the ammonia toxicology test after feeding, the damage to each tissue was alleviated in the NL, NM, and NH groups, and the contents of GSH, MDA, and NO in most tissues of the NH group were significantly different from those in the CK group. The results suggested that ammonia stress caused tissue damage in M. salmoides, provoking oxidative stress and inflammatory response. The addition of NCG to the feed enhances the anti-ammonia ability of M. salmoides. Moreover, the gill and liver might be the target organs of ammonia toxicity, and the brain and kidney might be the primary sites where NCG exerts its effects. Our findings could help us to find feasible ways to solve the existing problem of environmental stress in M. salmoides culture.

Folate-grafted glycyl-glycine-melphalan conjugate self-assembled amphilphilc nanomicelles augmented drug delivery, cytotoxicity and cellular uptake in human ovarian cancer cells.

OBJECTIVES: Folic acid was coupled to melphalan using glycyl-glycine (FA-Gly-Gly-Melphalan) to synthesise self-assembled nanomicelles for targeting ovarian cancer cells, SKOV3. METHODS AND RESULTS: FA-Gly-Gly-Melphalan self-assembled nanomicelles were prepared with critical micellar concentration (CMC) of 12-µg/ml. The mean particle size of FA-Gly-Gly-Melphalan self-assembled nanomicelles was measured to be 95.9 ± 3.4-nm significantly (p < 0.05) higher than 73.8 ± 6.3-nm of Gly-Gly-Melphalan self-assembled nanomicelles. Subsequently, zeta-potential of FA-Gly-Gly-Melphalan self-assembled nanomicelles was estimated to be -28.0 ± 1.5-mV significantly (p < 0.05) lower than -36.6 ± 2.7-mV of Gly-Gly-Melphalan self-assembled nanomicelles. The IC50 of FA-Gly-Gly-Melphalan self-assembled nanomicelles was estimated to be 4.1-µg/ml significantly (p < 0.001) lower than 14.2-µg/ml of Gly-Gly-Melphalan self-assembled nanomicelles and >18-µg/ml of melphalan. FA-Gly-Gly-Melphalan self-assembled nanomicelles preferentially accumulated in cytoplasm of SKOV3 cells nearby nucleus via receptor mediated endocytosis pathway after 24-h of incubation period, whilst Gly-Gly-Melphalan self-assembled nanomicelles were not incorporated sufficiently. CONCLUSION: FA-Gly-Gly-Melphalan self-assembled nanomicelles warrant in depth in vivo study for their safety, efficacy, and potency in clinical settings.

Prevalence and risk factors associated with hypertension in the Chinese Qiang population.

Our aim is to investigate the prevalence and risk factors associated with hypertension among the Chinese Qiang population. From September 2012 to March 2013, a cross-sectional study was conducted in urban and rural communities of the Qiang population using multistage cluster sampling. A total of 2676 people aged above 20 years were enrolled in the analysis. Standardized mercury sphygmomanometer was used to measure the blood pressure twice after a 10-minute seated rest, and the average blood pressure was obtained. The hypertension prevalence among the population aged above 20 years was 13.9%, and age-standardized prevalence was 12.3%. Male and female prevalence of hypertension, as well as the prevalence in urban and rural areas, all increased with age. There were no significant differences between males and females and between urban and rural residents. Among hypertensive patients, 44.2% were aware of their hypertension, 38.0% were undergoing antihypertensive treatment, but only 10.5% achieved blood pressure control. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the risk factors of hypertension included age, low income, overweight and obesity, family history of hypertension. The prevalence of hypertension in Chinese Qiang adults is significantly lower than the national level. Awareness, treatment, and control rates of hypertension were low in the Qiang population. Thus, hypertension-related health knowledge should be more aggressively delivered to improve public awareness and the capacity of community health services should be strengthened.

[Meta analysis for interventional effect on unexpected injury among children and adolescents in China].

OBJECTIVE: To comprehensively evaluate the interventional effect on unexpected injury among children and adolescents in China, and to provide scientific basis for the injury control strategy.
 METHODS: Meta analysis was utilized to analyze the selected literatures. After heterogeneity test of the data, a relevant model was chosen to estimate the combined effect values relative risk (RR) and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Subgroup analysis were performed based on the intervention measures, objects and places. Sensitivity and publication bias were analyzed.
 RESULTS: A total of 18 papers were included in the Meta analysis with a sample size of 32 599. The combined RR value was 0.54 (95% CI 0.44 to 0.68). Subgroup analysis showed that the RR value of health education and comprehensive intervention were 0.59 and 0.50, respectively, with no significant difference between them (P>0.05). The RR values of the interventions in school alone, in school and community or in community alone were 0.51, 0.78 or 0.63. The RR values on children alone, children and parents or parents alone were 0.53, 0.65 or 0.35. The differences were significant when the interventions were performed among different places or objects (P<0.05). Sensitivity analysis revealed that meta-analysis results were relatively stable.
 CONCLUSION: The targeted interventions were significant in the prevention of unexpected injuries among children and adolescents. It is worth further promoting and spreading.

[COMT genetic variation and clinical response to antipsychotic drug treatment: A Meta-analysis].

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between COMT polymorphisms and the response to antipsychotic drugs, and then provide a basis for personalized medicine of antipsychotic drugs.
 METHODS: We performed a systematic search from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CBM, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang database for eligible studies. Stata 12.0 was used for Meta-analysis after evaluating the quality of studies and collecting the data.
 RESULTS: Nine studies included 868 participants met inclusion criteria. Significant association was found between the COMT Val108/158Met gene polymorphism and antipsychotic drug efficacy. Evaluating the therapeutic efficacy through general symptoms: Met vs Val, RR=1.18, 95% CI: 1.04-1.35, P=0.013; Met/Met vs Val/Val, RR=1.40, 95% CI: 1.08-1.82, P=0.010. Evaluating the therapeutic efficacy through negative symptoms: Met vs Val, RR=1.24, 95% CI: 1.05-1.46, P=0.013; Met/Met vs Val/Val, RR=1.60, 95% CI: 1.04-2.46, P=0.031.
 CONCLUSION: COMT Val108/158Met gene polymorphism is significantly associated with antipsychotic drug efficacy, and Met gene is a dominant gene which displays a better response to antipsychotic drugs.