Association of AGTR1 Promoter Methylation Levels with Essential Hypertension Risk: A Matched Case-Control Study.

UNLABELLED: The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether methylation of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AGTR1) promoter contributed to the risk of essential hypertension (EH). A total of 96 EH cases and 96 gender- and age-matched healthy controls were recruited. Methylation of 8 CpG dinucleotides (CpG1-8) in the AGTR1 promoter was examined using the bisulphite pyrosequencing technology. Three CpG dinucleotides (CpG6-8) could not be well sequenced, therefore only the remaining 5 CpG sites were analysed. A significantly lower CpG1 methylation level was identified in EH cases than in controls (cases vs. CONTROLS: 6.74 ± 4.32% vs. 9.66 ± 5.45%, p = 0.007), and no significant association was observed in the remaining analyses. In addition, significantly lower CpG1 (p = 0.028) and higher CpG2 (p = 0.032) methylation levels were observed in males than in females. In the breakdown association test by gender, a higher CpG1 methylation level was also identified in EH in both males (p = 0.034) and females (p = 0.020). Receiver operating characteristic curves showed that CpG1 methylation was a significant predictor of EH. Furthermore, CpG1 methylation was inversely correlated with uric acid levels in controls. The present study suggests that CpG1 hypomethylation in the AGTR1 promoter is likely associated with the risk of EH in the population assessed.

Relationship between chemical industrial environment and allergic skin diseases.

OBJECTIVE: This study is an exploration of the relationship between chemical industrial environment and allergic skin diseases. METHODS: In this retrospective analysis, 200 patients with allergic skin diseases who worked or lived in a chemical industrial zone and were admitted in our hospital between January 2018 and January 2020 were enrolled as Group A. Besides, 500 patients with allergic skin disease who lived in Zhenhai New District, five kilometers away from the chemical radiation zone, were selected as Group B. The specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels were determined by Western blotting. The allergen positivity, as well as allergen positivity between different age, sex and body mass index (BMI) were compared between the two groups. The positive food-specific allergen IgE antibody (sIgE) and positive inhalational sIgE were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The positive rate of total IgE and inhalational sIgE in Group A was higher than that in Group B (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in positive rate in food sIgE between the two groups (P>0.05). In Group A, the differences in positive rates of total IgE, food-induced sIgE and inhalational sIgE were not significant between patients with different ages, sexes and BMI (P>0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in sIgE positive rates of wheat, mango, soybean/peanut/cashew nut combination, limb/beef combination, crab/shrimp/fish combination, milk and egg white (P>0.05). The positive rates of inhalational sIgE in tree combination and dust mites/household dust mites combination in Group A were higher than those in Group B (P<0.05), but had no significant difference between the two groups in the positive rates of inhalational sIgE in Humulus japonicus, mold combination 1, cockroach, cat/dog hair combination, and ragweed/artemisia combination (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Chemical industrial environment is closely associated with allergic dermatosis, and the positive rate of total IgE and inhalational sIgE increases significantly in patients living there.

[Effectiveness of preoperative autologous plateletpheresis combined with intraoperative autotransfusion on the blood coagulation in orthopaedic patients].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of preoperative plateletpheresis combined with intraoperative autotransfusion on the blood coagulation of orthopaedic patients. METHODS: Sixty patients (ASA I-II) undergoing selective orthopaedic surgery were randomized into three groups (n = 20), that is, preoperative plateletpheresis combined with intraoperative autotransfusion for group I, intraoperative autotransfusion for group II, and group III without any managements of blood conservation. Coagulation parameters (prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen), hemoglobin and hematocrit values, platelet counts and aggregability were evaluated before the anaesthesia, 10 minutes after plateletpheresis, 10 minutes before the infusion of platelet rich plasma or autologous blood, 10 minutes after infusion, 24 and 48 hours postoperation. Intra- and postoperation blood loss and homologous blood transfusion requirements were also recorded. RESULTS: Among three groups, there were no differences in intraoperative blood loss, perioperative haemoglobin level (Hb and Hct). As compared with group I, significant lower level of platelet counts and aggregability were observed in group II and III at the time of 24 and 48 hours after operation (P < 0.05), while postoperation blood loss and homologous blood-transfusion requirements increased at the same period (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative plateletpheresis combined with intraoperative autotransfusion can ameliorate the blood coagulation in orthopaedic patients, and it is an effective way to decrease blood loss and homologous blood-transfusions requirements.

Preliminary analysis of the association between methylation of the ACE2 promoter and essential hypertension.

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether methylation of the angiotensin I converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) promoter increases the risk of essential hypertension (EH). A total of 96 patients with EH were recruited and 96 sex­ and age­matched healthy controls. Methylation of 5 CpG dinucleotides in the ACE2 promoter was quantified using bisulfite pyrosequencing. Logistic regression and multiple linear regression were used to adjust for confounding factors and the generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR) method was applied to investigate high­order interactions. Methylation of CpG4 (adjusted P=0.020) and CpG5 (adjusted P=0.036) was significantly higher in patients with EH, with frequency 97.56±5.65% and 12.75±4.15% in EH individuals and 95.73±9.11% and 11.47±3.67% in healthy controls. GMDR detected significant interaction among the 5 CpG sites (odds ratio=7.33, adjusted P=0.01). Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic curves identified that CpG5 methylation was a significant predictor of EH. Notably, CpG2 methylation was significantly higher in males than in females (adjusted P=0.018). Conversely, CpG5 methylation was significantly lower in males (adjusted P=0.032). These results indicated that aberrant methylation of the ACE2 promoter may be associated with EH risk. In addition, sex may significantly influence ACE2 methylation.

Novel 3D hexapod computer-assisted orthopaedic surgery system for closed diaphyseal fracture reduction.

BACKGROUND: Long-bone fractures are very common in trauma centers. The conventional Arbeitsgemeindschaft fur Osteosynthesefragen (AO) technique contributes to most fracture healing problems, and external fixation technology also has several disadvantages, so new techniques are being explored. METHOD: A novel hexapod computer-assisted fracture reduction system based on a 3D-CT image reconstruction process is presented for closed reduction of long-bone diaphyseal fractures. A new reduction technique and upgraded reduction device are described and the whole system has been validated. RESULTS: Ten bovine femoral fracture models were used with random fracture patterns. Tests results were as follows: residual deviation 1.24 + 0.65 mm for the axial deflection, 1.19 + 0.37 mm for the translation, 2.34 + 1.79° for the angulation, and 2.83 + 0.9° for the rotation. CONCLUSION: The reduction mechanism has the advantages of high positioning, reduction and computer accuracy, and intra-operative stability for both patients and surgical team. With further investigation, it could be applied in many kinds of long-bone diaphyseal fractures.