Association between physical exercise and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in people infected with hepatitis B virus / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective: To investigate the association between physical exercise and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in people infected with HBV. Methods: The information about the 3 813 participants infected with HBV, including the prevalence of NAFLD, prevalence of physical exercise and other covariates, were collected from the National Science and Technology Major Project of China during 2016-2020. The logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association between physical exercise and NAFLD in HBV infected patients, and subgroup analysis was performed to identify the effect modifiers. Results: A total of 2 259 HBV infected participants were included in the final analysis and 454 (20.10%) had NAFLD. After adjusting for covariates, we found that moderate physical exercise was a protective factor for NAFLD (OR=0.66, 95%CI: 0.46-0.94). Subgroup analysis suggested that the protective effect of moderate physical exercise on NAFLD might be stronger in women (OR=0.61, 95%CI: 0.36-1.01), those <45 years old (OR=0.24, 95%CI: 0.06-0.80), those who had low education level (OR=0.16, 95%CI: 0.04-0.49), those who had low annual income (OR=0.39, 95%CI: 0.16-0.89 for <30 000 yuan RMB; OR=0.64, 95%CI: 0.40-1.00 for 30 000-80 000 yuan RMB), those who had hypertension (OR=0.45, 95%CI: 0.21-0.88), those with BMI ≥24.0 kg/m2 (OR=0.66, 95%CI: 0.43-1.01), those who had more daily fruit or vegetable intake (OR=0.61, 95%CI: 0.38-0.97), those who had more daily meat intake (OR=0.49, 95%CI: 0.23-0.97), and those who had no smoking history (OR=0.66, 95%CI: 0.45-0.95) or passive smoking exposure (OR=0.61, 95%CI: 0.37-0.97). Conclusions: Among HBV infected patients, moderate physical exercise was negatively associated with the prevalence of NAFLD. Women, young people, those who had low education level, those who had low annual income, those with hypertension, those with high BMI, those who had more daily fruit or vegetable and meat intakes, and those who had no smoking history or passive smoking exposure might be more sensitive to the protective effect.

Causal links between long-term exposure to NO2 and the risk of cardiovascular hospitalization / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective: To determine the causal association between long-term Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure and the risk of cardiovascular hospitalization. Methods: Based on a sub-cohort of a community-based prospective cohort study, a total of 36 271 participants were recruited from 35 communities randomly selected in Guangzhou in 2015. The annual average exposure of NO2, demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and information on the causes of hospitalization was collected. We applied marginal structural Cox models to investigate the effect of NO2 on cardiovascular hospitalization. Demographic and behavioral factors also stratified results. Results: The mean age of participants in the present study was (50.9±17.8) years, and the cardiovascular admission rate was 8.7%, with 203 822 person-years of follow-up. The annual mean NO2 concentration was 48.7 μg/m3 during 2015-2020. For each 10 μg/m3 increase in NO2 concentrations, the HRs (95%CIs) of total cardiovascular hospitalization, cardiovascular hospitalization, and cerebrovascular hospitalization were 1.33 (1.16-1.52), 1.36 (1.16-1.60) and 1.25 (1.00-1.55), respectively. Participants who were never married/married, with secondary education, high exercise frequency, or non-smokers/current smokers may be more susceptible than their counterparts. Conclusion: Long-term exposure to NO2 significantly increased hospitalization risk for cardiovascular disease.

Development and Validation of Web-Based Nomograms to Precisely Predict Survival Outcomes of Non-metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in an Endemic Area / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

Purpose@#This study aimed to develop web-based nomograms to precisely predict survival outcomes in patients with non-metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in an endemic area. @*Materials and Methods@#A total of 10,126 patients who underwent radical intensity-modulated radiotherapy at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC) from 2009 to 2015 were analyzed. We assigned patients into a training cohort (SYSUCC-A, n=6,751) and an internal validation cohort (SYSUCC-B, n=3,375) based on computer-generated random numbers. Patients collected from Wuzhou Red Cross Hospital (WZRCH) between 2012 and 2015 were used as the independent external validation cohort (WZRCH, n=450). Concordance index (C-index) was used to determine predictive accuracy and discriminative ability for the nomogram. The web-based clinicopathologic prediction models for predicting survival were based on Cox regression. @*Results@#The C-indexes for SYSUCC-A, SYSUCC-B, and WZRCH cohorts for the established nomograms to predict 3-year overall survival (OS) was 0.736, 0.715, and 0.691. Additionally, C-indexes to predict 3-year distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) was 0.717, 0.706, and 0.686, disease-free survival (DFS) was 0.713, 0.697, and 0.656, local relapse-free survival was 0.695, 0.684, and 0.652, and regional relapse-free survival was 0.672, 0.650, and 0.616. The calibration plots showed great agreement between nomogram-predicted 3-year survival outcomes and actual 3-year survival outcomes. Moreover, C-indexes of the nomograms for OS, DMFS, and DFS were significantly superior than TNM stage (p< 0.001 for all). @*Conclusion@#These user-friendly nomograms can precisely predict survival endpoints in patients with non-metastatic NPC. They may serve as a useful tool for providing patient counseling and help physicians to make individual follow-up plans.

Development and Validation of Web-Based Nomograms to Precisely Predict Survival Outcomes of Non-metastatic Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in an Endemic Area / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

Purpose@#This study aimed to develop web-based nomograms to precisely predict survival outcomes in patients with non-metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in an endemic area. @*Materials and Methods@#A total of 10,126 patients who underwent radical intensity-modulated radiotherapy at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC) from 2009 to 2015 were analyzed. We assigned patients into a training cohort (SYSUCC-A, n=6,751) and an internal validation cohort (SYSUCC-B, n=3,375) based on computer-generated random numbers. Patients collected from Wuzhou Red Cross Hospital (WZRCH) between 2012 and 2015 were used as the independent external validation cohort (WZRCH, n=450). Concordance index (C-index) was used to determine predictive accuracy and discriminative ability for the nomogram. The web-based clinicopathologic prediction models for predicting survival were based on Cox regression. @*Results@#The C-indexes for SYSUCC-A, SYSUCC-B, and WZRCH cohorts for the established nomograms to predict 3-year overall survival (OS) was 0.736, 0.715, and 0.691. Additionally, C-indexes to predict 3-year distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) was 0.717, 0.706, and 0.686, disease-free survival (DFS) was 0.713, 0.697, and 0.656, local relapse-free survival was 0.695, 0.684, and 0.652, and regional relapse-free survival was 0.672, 0.650, and 0.616. The calibration plots showed great agreement between nomogram-predicted 3-year survival outcomes and actual 3-year survival outcomes. Moreover, C-indexes of the nomograms for OS, DMFS, and DFS were significantly superior than TNM stage (p< 0.001 for all). @*Conclusion@#These user-friendly nomograms can precisely predict survival endpoints in patients with non-metastatic NPC. They may serve as a useful tool for providing patient counseling and help physicians to make individual follow-up plans.

Mast cell stabilizer ketotifen reduces hyperalgesia in a rodent model of surgically induced endometriosis.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of oral treatment with ketotifen, a mast cell (MC) stabilizer, in a rat model of surgically induced endometriosis. Methods: At 14 days after Sprague-Dawley rats had surgery, they were treated with ketotifen (1 or 10 mg/kg/day). Pain behaviors were evaluated 3 days prior to surgery and then at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after surgery. At day 28, rats were sacrificed and all samples were then processed for biochemical studies. Results: We found that ketotifen-treated rats showed significantly shorter duration of hyperalgesia (p<0.05); smaller cyst diameter (p<0.05) and lower histopathologic score (p<0.001); significantly lower MC number and degranulation (p<0.001), blood vessel number (p<0.001), lower expression levels of nerve growth factor (p<0.001), cyclooxygenase-2 (p<0.001), intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (p<0.001), and vascular endothelial growth factor (p<0.05) in cysts, and nerve growth factor (p<0.001) and transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily V, member 1 (p<0.001) in dorsal root ganglia; and lower histamine (p<0.05) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (p<0.05) concentrations in serum compared with placebo-treated animal subjects. Conclusion: Oral treatment with ketotifen significantly suppressed the development of hyperalgesia, probably by modulating MC activity in cysts, thereby reducing peripheral sensitization due to noxious signals from endometriotic lesions. Our results suggest that ketotifen may inhibit the development of endometriotic lesions and hyperalgesia in rats.

The Characteristics and Survival Outcomes in Patients Aged 70 Years and Older with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in the Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy Era / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: We aim to examine nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) characteristics and survival outcomes in patients aged 70 years and older in the intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) era. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2006 to 2013, 126 non-metastatic NPC patients aged ≥ 70 years who were treated with IMRT +/‒ chemotherapy were included. Adult Comorbidity Evaluation 27 (ACE-27) was used to measure patient comorbidities. The overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS)were calculatedwith the Kaplan-Meier method, and differenceswere compared using the log-rank test. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to carry out multivariate analyses. RESULTS: For the entire group, only two patients (1.6%) presented stage I disease, and up to 84.1% patients had stage III-IVB disease. All patients had a comorbidity score of 0 in 24 (19.0%), 1 in 45 (35.7%), 2 in 42 (33.3%), and 3 in 15 (11.9%) patients. The main acute grade during radiotherapy was 3-4 adverse events consisting of mucositis (25.4%), bone marrow suppression (16.7%), and dermatitis (8.7%). After treatment, four patients (3.2%) developed temporal lobe injury. Five-year CSS and OS rates were 67.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 58.6% to 77.4%) and 54.0% (95% CI, 45.6% to 63.9%), respectively. Five-year OS was significantly higher for ACE-27 score 0-1 than ACE-27 score 2-3 (72.9% and 39.9%, respectively; p 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest IMRT +/– chemotherapy has a manageable toxicity and provides an acceptable survival in patients aged ≥ 70 years with NPC. ACE-27 score was significantly associated with survival outcomes in this group population.

Optimal relationship between physical activity and body fat indexes during puberty / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To explore the optimal correlation between physical activity and body fat indexes during pubertal transition,and to provide a reference for reducing obesity of adolescents and making the interventional measures.@*Methods@#A total of 366 junior high school students were recruited. ActiGraPh-GT3X accelerometer was used to collect daily physical activity data for 7 days. InBody 520 was used to assess body composition. Pearson partial correlation was used to analyze the correlation between physical activity level and body composition. Curve fitting was used to construct the optimal model of physical activity and body fat index.@*Results@#There was no gender difference in waist height ratio and fat mass between boys and girls(P>0.05), and the percentage of body fat in boys was significantly lower than that in girls(t=-4.73,P<0.01). There was no gender difference in light physical activity (LPA) time between boys and girls (P>0.05).The time of moderate physical activity (MPA), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and vigorous physical activity (VPA) in boys was significantly higher than that in girls (P<0.01).The sedentary time in boys was significantly lower than that in girls (t=2.64，3.23，4.24，-2.85，P<0.01). For overweight and obese group, less time was spent in LPA, MPA, MVPA and VPA compared with normal group, while more time spent in sedentary time. Waist height ratio, fat mass and body fat percentage among male and female adolescents were positively correlated with sedentary time (F=14.63，15.54,P<0.01), while negatively correlated with LPA, MPA and MVPA time (P<0.05).@*Conclusion@#The body fat percentage was higher in boys than in girls,and the level of physical acitivity was even higher in boys than in girls.The adolescents of normal weight has got a higher level of physical activity than over weight or obese adolescents. Long-term adherence to certain physical activities and appropriate reduction of sedentary time are of vital importance for teenagers to effectively control their weight and prevent chronic diseases.

Optical Fiber Sensors Based on Fiber Ring Laser Demodulation Technology.

A review for optical fiber sensors based on fiber ring laser (FRL) demodulation technology is presented. The review focuses on the principles, main structures, and the sensing performances of different kinds of optical fiber sensors based on FRLs. First of all, the theory background of the sensors has been discussed. Secondly, four different types of sensors are described and compared, which includes Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) typed sensors, Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) typed sensors, Sagnac typed sensors, and fiber Bragg grating (FBG) typed sensors. Typical studies and main properties of each type of sensors are presented. Thirdly, a comparison of different types of sensors are made. Finally, the existing problems and future research directions are pointed out and analyzed.

Targeted delivery of miRNA-204-5p by PEGylated polymer nanoparticles for colon cancer therapy.

AIM: miRNAs have been recognized for their potential in cancer therapeutics, and multiple miRNAs were suggested to affect target genes expression. To overcome limitations of free synthetic miRNAs, such as easily degraded in biofluids and limited in cellular uptake, novel miRNAs delivery systems need to be developed. MATERIALS & METHODS: Using surface-functionalizing technique, poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide)/poly(L-lactide)-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-folate polymer nanoparticle (PLGA/PLA-PEG-FA) loaded with miR-204-5p (FA-NPs-miR-204) was developed. The therapeutic efficacy of FA-NPs-miR-204 was evaluated in the Luc-HT-29 xenograft tumor model in vivo. RESULTS: FA-NPs-miR-204 could be taken up by HT-29  and HCT-116 cells efficiently, resulting in significant inhibitory effect on cell proliferation and promotive effect on cell apoptosis. In vivo study showed that FA-NPs-miR-204 could exert tumor suppressive function in Luc-HT-29 xenograft model. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates a convenient miRNA delivery system that targets tumor tissue and exerts tumor suppressive function, thus demonstrating a potential new therapeutic option for colon cancer.

Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of blood microvessel density in endometrial cancer: a meta-analysis and subgroup analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to systematically review the association between angiogenesis and clinicopathological characteristics and its prognostic value in patients with endometrial cancer. METHODS: Eligible studies were searched in PubMed, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang database. Studies that assessed blood microvessel density (BMVD) and correlated with clinicopathological features and/or overall survival (OS) were included. Geometric mean values and hazard ratio with 95% confidence interval were pooled to examine the risk or hazard association. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on populations, BMVD criteria, BMVD markers, and type of survival analysis. RESULTS: A total of 29 studies of 2517 patients were included. BMVD was associated with depth of myometrial invasion (MI) [standard mean difference (SMD) 1.24; 95% CI 0.53-1.95; P = 0.0006], lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) (SMD 0.75; 95% CI 0.3-1.21; P = 0.001), and lymph node metastasis (LNM) (SMD 0.99; 95% CI 0.46-1.52; P = 0.0003). BMVD was also significantly associated with poor OS (HR 2.65; 95% CI 1.86-3.77; P < 0.00001). The association remained significant in the subgroups Asian population, BMVD criteria using Weidner method, BMVD marker CD34 for MI, LVSI, and LNM, CD105 for MI, and factor VIII for MI and LNM, respectively. For OS, either Asian or non-Asian population, BMVD criteria using Weidner or non-Weidner method, BMVD marker CD31, or factor VIII antibody and analysis using univariate or multivariate were all significantly associated. CONCLUSIONS: BMVD was associated with deeper MI, positive LVSI, positive LNM, and poor OS in patients with endometrial cancer. Therefore, angiogenesis is a useful measure for poor clinicopathological outcomes and prognosis in patients with endometrial cancer.

Hypoxia-induced Rab11-family interacting protein 4 expression promotes migration and invasion of colon cancer and correlates with poor prognosis.

Rab11-family interacting proteins (Rab11­FIPs) are associated with the progression of various tumors; however, their expression and clinical significance in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains largely undetermined. In this study, the clinical implications, functions and underlying mechanisms of Rab11­FIP4 in CRC were investigated. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that expression of Rab11­FIP4 was significantly increased in human CRC tissues and correlated with poor prognosis of patients with CRC. Overexpression of Rab11­FIP4 in the CRC cell line significantly promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro and tumor metastasis in vivo. Furthermore, the results of a co­immunoprecipitation assay and western blot analysis demonstrated that Rab11­FIP4 interacted with Rab11 and insulin­like growth factor 1 receptor, and increased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal­regulated kinase 1/2 and AKT serine/threonine kinase. In addition, hypoxia contributed to the upregulation of Rab11­FIP4 expression via hypoxia­inducible factor­1α activation of the Rab11­FIP4 promoter. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggest that Rab11­FIP4 may act as an oncogene in CRC, and may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of patients with CRC.

Andrographolide ameliorates d-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide-induced acute liver injury by activating Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Andrographolide (ADH), a diterpenoid lactone extracted from Andrographis paniculata, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects. However, its protective effects and mechanisms on liver injury have not been investigated clearly. This study takes an attempt to reveal the protective effects and mechanism of ADH on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and D-galactosamine (D-GalN)-induced acute liver injury in mice. The mice liver injury model was induced by LPS (60 mg/kg) and D-GalN (800 mg/kg), and ADH was given 1 h after LPS and D-GalN treatment. Hepatic tissue histology was measured by H&E staining. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were detected by detection kits. The levels of TNF-α and IL-1ß were detected by ELISA. Moreover, malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents were also detected. Meanwhile, the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and NF-κB were detected by western blot analysis. The results showed that ADH treatment improved liver histology and decreased the levels of ALT, AST, MPO, IL-1ß, TNF-α, as well as MDA and ROS levels of hepatic tissues in a dose-dependent manner. ADH also inhibited LPS/D-GalN-induced NF-κB activation. The expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 were increased by treatment of ADH. In conclusion, ADH protected against LPS/D-GalN-induced liver injury by inhibiting NF-κB and activating Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Embelin induces apoptosis of human gastric carcinoma through inhibition of p38 MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Embelin is a small-molecule inhibitor of X­linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), and it induces apoptosis in tumor cells via the inhibition of XIAP. The aim of the present study was to investigate the anticancer effect of embelin on human gastric carcinoma cells and the mechanisms underlying this effect. Cell proliferation of SGC7901 human gastric carcinoma cells was measured using MTT assay, following treatment with embelin (5, 10 and 15 µM) on days 1, 3 and 5. Caspase­3 and nuclear factor (NF)­κB p65 activation in SGC7901 cells were assessed using commercial kits. Cellular and nuclear apoptosis were analyzed with an Annexin V­FITC/PI Apoptosis Detection kit and DAPI staining assay, respectively. Phospho (p)­p38 mitogen­activated protein kinase (MAPK), p­inhibitor of NF­κB (p­IκBα) and p­IκB kinase α/ß (p­IKKα/ß) protein expression levels were analyzed with western blot assay. In the present study, treatment with embelin decreased cell proliferation, induced caspase­3 activation and suppressed NF­κB p65 activation in SGC7901 cells. Furthermore, embelin administration reduced p­IκBα and p­IKKα/ß protein expression levels. In conclusion, embelin induces cell apoptosis in human gastric carcinoma through activation of p38 MAPK and inhibition of the NF­κB signaling pathways. It was further suggested that embelin may be used as a potential drug for the treatment of gastric carcinoma.

Rab11-FIP2 promotes colorectal cancer migration and invasion by regulating PI3K/AKT/MMP7 signaling pathway.

Rab11-family interacting proteins (Rab11-FIPs) belong to an evolutionarily conserved protein family and act as effector molecules for the Rab11 family of small GTPases. Recent evidence suggests that Rab11-FIPs have important roles in tumor progression and metastasis. However, the contribution of Rab11-FIPs to colorectal carcinoma (CRC) remains elusive. Our study focuses on elucidating the role of Rab11-FIP2 in the migration and invasion of colorectal cancer cells. We firstly found upregulation of Rab11-FIP2 in CRC tissues compared with peritumor tissues by oncomine data-mining analysis, western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis, respectively. Then, we demonstrated that knockdown of Rab11-FIP2 via siRNAs transfection resulted in a decrease in migration and invasion of CRC cells, while overexpression of Rab11-FIP2 via lentiviral infection increased migration and invasion of CRC cells. In addition, we verified that Rab11-FIP2 promoted migration and invasion of CRC cells through upregulating MMP7 expression. Finally, using several kinase inhibitors, our results showed that Rab11-FIP2 regulated MMP7 expression through activating PI3K/Akt signaling. Our data suggested a potential role of Rab11-FIP2 in tumor progression and provided novel insights into the mechanism of how Rab11-FIP2 positively regulated cell migration and invasion in CRC cells.

[Correlations of genetic polymorphisms of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand gene and its plasma phenotype with ulcerative colitis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the correlations of genetic polymorphisms in tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) gene and the plasma levels of soluble TRAIL (sTRAIL) with ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS: From May 2004 to April 2011, a total of 393 UC patients were recruited from Second and First Affiliated Hospitals of Wenzhou Medical College and Second Renmin Hospital of Wenzhou City. During the same period, a total of 1292 healthy controls were recruited from Physical Examination Center at Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College. After PCR amplification, the genetic polymorphisms in TRAIL (G1525A, G1588A, C1595T) genes were examined by direct sequencing, and the haplotype analysis were also performed in all study subjects. Furthermore, the plasma levels of sTRAIL were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The frequencies of variant genotypes in TRAIL (G1525A, G1588A, C1595T) genes were significantly lower in the UC patients than those in the controls (all P < 0.01). Both of variant allele frequencies in TRAIL G1525A and G1588A were significantly decreased in UC patients (40.08% (315/786) vs 54.95% (1420/2584), 49.49% (389/786) vs 55.53% (1435/2584), both P < 0.01). However, the variant allele frequency in TRAIL C1595T gene was not significantly lower in the UC patients (P = 0.133). According to disease severity, the UC patients were divided into mild, intermediate and severe groups. The frequencies of variant allele (T) and genotype (CT + TT) in TRAIL C1595T gene were also significantly higher in the patients with severe UC than those in others (63.50% (127/200) vs 49.15% (288/586), 77.00% (77/100) vs 61.43% (180/293), both P < 0.01). In haplotype analysis, the frequency of GAT haplotype was significantly higher in the UC patients than that in the controls. However, the frequency of AAT haplotype was significantly lower in the UC patients (both P < 0.01). Furthermore, the plasma levels of sTRAIL were significantly higher in the UC patients than those in the controls ((1.05 ± 0.48) vs (0.96 ± 0.90) ng/L, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The genetic polymorphisms of TRAIL (G1525A, G1588A, C1595T) and the plasma levels of sTRAIL are correlated with UC in Chinese patients.

[The associations of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene C677T and A1298C polymorphisms and ulcerative colitis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between the genetic polymorphisms of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and ulcerative colitis (UC) of Han ethnic population in Zhejiang, China. METHODS: Two hundred and seventy-four consecutive patients with UC and 726 healthy controls (HC) were studied. The genetic polymorphisms of MTHFR (C677T and A1298C) were genotyped using PCR-RELP methods. RESULTS: The frequencies of variant allele and genotype in MTHFR A1298C gene were higher in UC patients than in the HC (35.77% vs 29.96%, P = 0.013; 52.19% vs 44.90%, P = 0.039; respectively). However, there were no significant discrepancies of the allele and genotype frequencies in the MTHFR C677T gene between the UC patients and the HC (P > 0.05). In addition, the MTHFR 677TT homozygote, T allele and 677CT/1298AC compound genotype were more prevalent in patients with extensive colitis than in those with distal colitis (37.66% vs 14.72%, P = 0.0002; 49.35% vs 32.99%, P = 0.0004; 29.87% vs 15.23%, P = 0.006; respectively). Furthermore, the variant allele in the MTHFR A1298C gene (C) in severe UC patients was significantly lower than in mild and moderate UC patients (18.97% vs 33.88%, P = 0.022). CONCLUSION: The genetic polymorphisms of MTHFR C677T and A1298C are obviously associated with Han ethnic population with UC in Zhejiang province.

[Changes in oral microflora in patients with recurrent oral ulcers].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between the changes in oral microflora and recurrent oral ulcers (ROU). METHODS: Salivary sample were collected from ROU patients with oral ulcers (group T) and those with ulcer healing (group C) as well as from ROU-free individuals (group N). The quantity of 3 common bacteria (Streptococcus sp., Veillonella sp., and Neisseria sp.) in the salivary samples was detected and compared between the 3 groups. RESULTS: The quantities of Streptococcus sp. (7.30-/+0.89 copies/ml) and Veillonella sp. (8.29-/+0.77 copies/ml) in group T were significantly lower than those in group N (8.15-/+0.55 and 8.93-/+0.76 copies/ml, respectively, P<0.01), but similar with those in group C. The quantity of Streptococcus sp. (7.51-/+0.81 copies/ml) in group C was significantly lower than that in group N (8.15-/+0.55 copies/ml, P<0.01), but the quantity of Veillonella sp. was similar between the two groups. No significant difference were found in the quantity of Neisseria sp. between the 3 groups. CONCLUSION: The quantity of oral microflora differs significantly between patients with recurrent oral ulcers and normal individuals, suggesting a possible correlation between oral microfora and recurrent oral ulcers.