[Current status and the consistency analysis of using two criteria for decision making of aspirin use for the primary prevention of ischemic cardiovascular disease in outpatients].

Objective: To compare the consistency and accuracy of using 2 criteria for decision making of aspirin use for the primary prevention of ischemic cardiovascular disease (ISCVD) and explore the current status and related factors of aspirin use for the primary prevention of ISCVD in Chinese outpatients. Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 3 018 outpatients with hypertension, diabetes, or hypercholesterolemia, who visited the General Practice (GP) clinics of Anzhen hospital in Beijing from September to December 2015 were enrolled in. The information of risk factors for ISCVD and use of aspirin was collected. Both quantitative and qualitative criteria were used to make the decision of aspirin use for primary prevention of ISCVD in this patient cohort. Quantitative criteria were derived from the 2011 Chinese guideline of cardiovascular disease prevention: aspirin use for primary cardiovascular disease prevention in population with risk of ISCVD in the next 10 years≥10%. Qualitative criteria were derived from the Chinese expert consensus on the aspirin use issued in 2013: aspirin should be given for the purpose of primary ISCVD in population with≥3 risk factors:(1) men aged ≥50 years or postmenopausal women; (2) hypertensive subjects with blood pressure ≤150/90 mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa);(3) diabetes; (4) hypocholesteremia; (5) obesity with body mass index (BMI)≥28 kg/m(2); (6) Smokers;(7) with familiar premature ISCVD history (male<55 years, female<65 years). Demographic data of participants were obtained by questionnaire, on-site measurements or screening previous medical records. Results: 67.1% participants (n=2 024) should be recommended to take aspirin as primary prevention medication using 10-year risk of ISCVD≥10% as the criteria, and 77.9% participants (n=2 350) should be recommended to take aspirin as primary prevention medication using number of risk factors≥3 as the criteria. With 10-year risk of ISCVD≥10% as the gold standard and risk factors≥3 as the evaluation criteria, the sensitivity was 97%, specificity was 61%, the consistency rate was 85%, Kappa value was 0.628 (U=35.824, P<0.001) , indicating that the consistency of the 2 criteria was good. The percentage of real-world aspirin use for primary prevention of ISCVD in this cohort was significantly higher for participants evaluated with the 10-year risk of ISCVD≥10% than that evaluated with 3 risk factors (53.1% vs. 49.2%, χ(2)=6.523, P=0.011). 12.7% participants with 10-year risk of ISCVD<10% and 6.6% participants with<3 risk factors took aspirin for the primary prevention of ISCVD in this cohort. Age, smoking, hypertension, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia were significantly related to the aspirin use in this cohort, relative ORs were 1.047 (95%CI 1.035-1.060) , 1.969 (95%CI 1.403-2.762) , 2.065 (95%CI 1.623-3.629) , 3.493 (95%CI 2.726-4.475, and 1.344 (95%CI 1.109-1.628) , respectively. Obesity and familial history of premature ISCVD were not related to the aspirin use, relative ORs were 1.137 (95%CI 0.828-1.562) and 0.986 (95%CI 0.767-1.266) . Conclusions: The consistency of the 2 criteria for decision making of aspirin use for the primary prevention of ISCVD is good and about 50% participants who should be recommended to the use of aspirin for the primary prevention of ISCVD took the aspirin in the real-world scenario. The use of aspirin as primary prevention strategy for ISCVD in the real-world scenario is related to age, smoking, hypertension, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia.

Remote ischemic preconditioning provides neuroprotection: impact on ketamine-induced neuroapoptosis in the developing rat brain.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have demonstrated that the commonly used anesthetic ketamine can acutely increase apoptosis and have long-lasting detrimental effects on cognitive function as the animal matures. Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) has been confirmed to have a cerebral protective role in animal models of brain damage. The aim of this study was to investigate whether RIPC can protect the developing brain from anesthetic-induced neurotoxicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To investigate the protective properties of RIPC, 60 new-born Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly allocated into four groups: ketamine (20 mg/kg was diluted in saline, six times at an interval of 2 hours); RIPC (left hind row ischemia 5 min, reperfusion 5 min, a total of four cycles); ketamine + RIPC: RIPC was induced at postnatal day 5 and rats underwent the same treatment with the ketamine group after 48 hours; and saline (group vehicle). Neuronal apoptosis in the frontal cortex and hippocampal CA1 region was measured 24 h after treatment using immunohistochemistry of cleaved caspase-3. Learning and memory abilities were tested at the age of 60 days by Morris water maze test. RESULTS: The percentage of cleaved caspase-3 immunohistochemical staining positive cells in the ketamine + RIPC group showed a more marked decline in neuronal apoptosis of the CA1 region than that in the ketamine group (p < 0.05) but not in the CA1 region (p > 0.05). The mice exposed to RIPC alone showed no difference from the saline-treated mice. Moreover, RIPC significantly reversed the learning and memory deficits observed at 60 days of age. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that RIPC treatment provides protection against ketamine-induced neuroapoptosis in the frontal cerebral cortex but not in the hippocampal CA1 region in developing rats and attenuates long-term behavioural deficits as the animals mature, suggesting a new possible strategy for neuroprotection.

Analysis of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and pathological images of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE) lesions.

OBJECTIVE: Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) has been introduced as a promising imaging technique for diagnosis of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE). But the correlation between the image features and the underlying complex pathology of HAE has not been fully understood. In this study, we reviewed CEUS and pathological images of 31 lesions in 24 patients with HAE from Aba Tibetan Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, an epidemic area in China. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 24 patients who received CEUS examination for suspicion of HAE and with pathologically confirmed HAE were retrospectively reviewed. Parasitic lesions obtained from surgery were sectioned and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE). RESULTS: US examination showed that the 12 lesions were hypoechoic and 19 lesions were hyperechoic. The hypoechoic images of HAE quite resemble the images of hepatocellular carcinoma and hemangioma. For the CEUS images of lesions ≥3 cm, 9 lesions (9/25, 36%) were hypoechoic with mixed content without circular rim enhancement; 16 lesions (16/25, 64%) had circular rim enhancement. All the lesions < 3 cm (n=6) were with circular rim enhancement and non-enhancement internal area. Pathological examination showed that the cysts are surrounded by an inner necrotic zone and peripheral granulomatous and fibrous tissues. CONCLUSIONS: CEUS images of large HAE lesions are more complex than that of the small lesions. Large HAE lesions can be hypoechoic with mixed content with or without circular rim enhancement, and no internal area enhancement with circular rim enhancement. The small lesions are more likely to show circular rim enhancement and non-enhancement internal area.

Induction function of siRNA-mediated survivin gene silencing on nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell apoptosis.

We examined the function of survivin gene expression in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), as well as small interfering RNA (siRNA) on controlling CNE-2 NPC proliferation and apoptosis. Immunohistological methods, in situ hybridization, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction technique were used to detect survivin protein and mRNA expression. We designed an siRNA sequence to inhibit survivin gene expression. The MTT method was used to examine the function of siRNA on controlling cell growth and proliferation. Induction of cell apoptosis by siRNA was examined by flow cytometry; electron microscopy was used to observe ultrastructure changes in CNE-2 cells. Western blotting was used to detect survivin gene expression. The survivin protein was expressed in 71.9% of cells, while its mRNA was expressed in 65.6% of cells. Relative mRNA expression was 4.16 x 10(-2); these data for the control groups were 23.3, 33.3, and 4.42 x 10(-4), respectively. Following transfection with 3 different siRNA sequences, survivin mRNA expression in CNE-2 cells was decreased. Inhibition of cell proliferation and rate of apoptosis increased with increasing siRNA concentration. Western blotting revealed decreased survivin expression and electron microscopy revealed ultrastructural changes in cancer cells. Survivin gene expression in NPC generally increased. In vitro transcription of siRNA decreased CNE-2 survivin gene expression, and different sequences of siRNA decrease gene expression in CNE-2 cells to varying degrees. Transfected siRNA3 can effectively inhibit CNE-2 cell proliferation and induce apoptosis; gene silencing using siRNA may represent a new treatment for NPC.

Effects of different sources and levels of dietary gossypol on gossypol residues in plasma and milk of lactating cows.

Free gossypol residues in tissues or milk from feeding whole cottonseed and cottonseed meal were measured for their effect on health of dairy cows and humans. Forty lactating cows were randomly assigned to 5 treatments in a 60-d experiment to investigate the effects of sources and dietary level of gossypol on plasma and milk gossypol concentrations in lactating cows. Five experimental diets had identical net energy for lactation and crude protein content on a dry matter (DM) basis. Soybean meal was the main protein ingredient used in the control diet. Cottonseed meal (CSM) or whole cottonseed (WCS) substituted for part of the soybean meal in the other 4 diets. Gossypol levels in the 5 diets were 0 (control), 91.15 mg/kg of DM in CSM1, 117.31mg/kg of DM in CSM2, 385.43 mg/kg of DM in WCS1, and 611.13 mg/kg in WCS2. Yields of 3.5% fat-corrected milk were significantly higher for cows in the WCS2 group; cows in the CSM1 and WCS1 groups showed no differences but both were numerically higher than the control and CSM2 groups. Milk protein concentration was lower for cows consuming WCS1 compared with the control group. Lactose concentration was lower for cows in the CSM2 group compared with the WCS2 group, but no differences were observed among other diets. Aspartate aminotransferase in serum was significantly higher for the WCS2 group compared with the control and WCS1 groups, but no difference was observed with the CSM1 and CSM2 groups. Concentrations of gossypol in plasma and milk of cows in the WCS1 and WCS2 groups were both higher than those of the other groups. No adverse effects were observed on cows fed diets containing 12.0% CSM, and no gossypol was found in plasma and milk. When WCS comprised 15% of the diet DM, yields of 3.5% fat-corrected milk were increased in cows and gossypol was detected in plasma and milk but not at harmful levels.

An external-sample liquid scintillation counting for 75Se and its application to selenoprotein detection.

An external-sample liquid scintillation (LS) counting for the gamma emitter 75Se has been developed. An expressly designed well-type LS vial and a 2,5-diphenyoxazole-1,4-bis(5-phenyl-2-oxazoyl)-benzene-xylene solution containing 35% tertrabutylzinn allow 75Se to be counted in a standard LS counter with counting efficiency up to 43.2%, much higher than that of conventional LS counting method. This external sample LS has a good count rate linearity and exhibits low background count rates. After in vivo labeling with [75Se]selenite, 75Se distributions and the Se-containing proteins present in tissues of male rat were investigated by means of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, external-sample LS and gamma-detector. Eight Se-containing proteins or protein subunits were detected to be Se-containing proteins or protein subunits in arterial wall, and their apparent molecular masses (Mr) were 76.4, 67.0, 57.4, 30.3, 25.4, 22.7, 21.7, and 15.1 kDa, respectively. In addition, eight 75Se-labeled proteins (Mr: 66.8, 57.0, 43.1, 30.0, 24.8, 19.8, 18.0, and 14.8 kDa) were found in brain homogenates, and nine 75Se-labeled proteins (Mr: 117.0, 78.0, 66.6, 57.2, 43.0, 38.1, 25.0, 20.1, and 18.0 kDa) were detected in testis homogenates. Some of them should be new biologically important selenoproteins that have not been identified so far.

[Effects of iodine nutritional status of fetuses, infants and young children on their intelligence development in the areas with iodine-deficiency disorders].

Intelligence in children without iodine supplement during their fetal and infant periods, and in those born three to four years after the implementation of stable supply of iodized salt in the areas with endemic cretinism and goiter was tested with Standord-Binet method. Results indicated there existed a lot of mental retarded children in the iodine-deficiency areas, with most of them born before the implementation of iodine supplement. In order to study the changes of intelligence development in children probably induced by stable supply with iodine, the tested children living in the areas with endemic cretinism were followed-up for two years, and no improvement in children's intelligence could been seen. It suggested that impairment to children's intelligence development caused by iodine deficiency during their fetal and infant periods was irreversible.