[Screening for asymptomatic atrial fibrillation in elder community populations in Dalian: a single center study].

Objective: We aimed to determine the epidemiological characteristics of asymptomatic AF in elder community population (≥65 years old) to analyze the detection rate of different screening methods. Methods: The study was a prospective cohort study. The elder (≥65 years old) residents who voluntarily participated in free physical examination in Dalian community were selected. The participants were randomly divided into screening group (including intensive screening group and single screening group) and control group. The control group received interrogation, medical history collection and routine 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) examination. Screening group received an additional single-lead ambulatory ECG equipment worn for 5-7 days. Intensive screening group received two equal-length wearings in 2020 and 2021 respectively, while one screening group only wore once in 2020. Results: Finally 3 340 residents ((70.7±5.0) years old) which consisted of 1 488 males (44.55%) were enrolled. There were 1 945 residents in screening group, including 859 in intensive screening group and 1 086 in one-time screening group. The control group included 1 395 people. Detection rate of asymptomatic AF was significantly higher in screening group than control group (79(4.06%) vs. 24(1.72%), P<0.001). Higher detection rate was found in screening group than control group in AF risk factors (1 or 2-3) subgroups and CHA2DS2-VASc score (2-3 or≥4) subgroups (P<0.05). Additionally, no difference was found between intensive screening group and single screening group (42(4.89%) vs. 37(3.41%), P=0.100). Intensive screening increased detection rate (7(6.93%) vs. 1(0.58%), P=0.009) only in residents those with low thrombosis risk (CHA2DS2-VaSc<2). Conclusions: Screening in elderly (≥65 years old) can significantly improve the detection rate of asymptomatic AF by wearing single lead dynamic ECG device. The rate increased significantly with the increase of risk factors associated with AF by single screening. In addition, repeat screening of the same method may only improve detection rates in the group with low risk thrombotic scores and non-combination of AF risk factors.Screening methods that are appropriate for different populations may require further exploration.

[Analysis of chromosome aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocyte of medical radiation workers in a tertiary hospital].

Objective: To analyze the level of chromosome aberration in lymphocytes of medical radiation workers and its influencing factors. Methods: From July to September 2020, 252 medical workers in a tertiary hospital were selected as the study subjects and 107 preserviceworkers were selected as the control group. The Chromosomal aberrations of peripheral blood lymphocytes were measured using conventional cytogenetic analysis method, and the differences were analyzed. Results: The frequencies of dicentric puls centric ring, total chromosome-type aberrations, and abnormal detection rate in the radiation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (Z=2.59, 3.74, 9.99, P<0.05). There was significant difference in the frequencies of dicentric plus centric ring and total chromosome-type aberrations among different types of work (χ(2)=8.59, 8.17, 11.39, P<0.05), and the frequencies of dicentric plus centric ring were significantly higher in the interventional radiology group than those in diagnostic radiology (χ(2)=2.90, P<0.05), While the rates of acentric fragment and total chromosome-type aberrations were significantly higher in the nuclear medicine group than those in diagnostic radiology (χ(2)=2.81, 3.19, P<0.05). The difference in the abnormal detection rate of chromosome aberrations between different types of work was statistically significant (P<0.05), and the rate in the interventional radiology group was significantly higher than that in the diagnostic radiology group (χ(2)=7.66, P<0.05). There was no significant difference in chromosome aberration level and abnormal detection rate among different working ages (P>0.05). Poisson regression analysis indicated that the type of work is a risk factor for chromosomal aberration [IRR=2.31 (nuclear medicine group), 1.66 (Radiation therapy), and 1.78 (interventional group) ; P<0.05]. Conclusion: Ionizing radiation causes certain radiation damage to medical radiology workers, and the frequencies of chromosome aberration in the radiation workers of nuclear medicine and interventional radiology groups are relatively high, so radiation protection should be strengthened to ensure the health of relevant workers.

[Epidemiological investigation on allergic diseases related to animal dander of cats, dogs and horses].

Objective: A multicenter Chinese mainland survey was conducted to investigate the sensitization distribution characteristics of cat, dog and horse dander in patients with allergic diseases, so as to provide clinicians with epidemiological data of common animal allergens and useful information for the prevention and treatment of allergies in cats, dogs and horses. Methods: The epidemiological investigation and design was adopted. This study is based on the national epidemiological survey of allergic diseases led by the first affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University. From January to December in 2021, a total of 2 122 patients diagnosed with allergic diseases were included in the outpatient department of respiratory department/pediatrics/allergy department of 14 units such as the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, and 222 healthy subjects were included as controls from the physical examination center of the above units in the same period. All the subjects filled out the allergic disease questionnaire under the guidance of doctors, and the allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) of cats, dogs and horses of all subjects were detected by magnetic particle chemiluminescence system. The epidemiological characteristics of three animal allergens in different diseases, ages and regions were analyzed. Chi square test was used to analyze the frequency difference between groups, t test or Mann Whitney U test was used to test the distribution difference between two groups, and one-way ANOVA or Kruskal Wallis H test was used to compare the distribution difference between multiple groups. Bar chart, Venn-plot and radar chart were drawn to show the sensitization distribution characteristics. A small number of missing values caused by subjects' omission have been excluded during the analysis. Results: The 2 122 patients with allergic diseases were 57.35% male (1 217/2 122) and 40.95% female (869/2 122), and 1.70% (36/2 122) patients had loss of gender information. The age of patients with allergic diseases was 9.0 (6.0, 28.0) years, while that of healthy controls was 29.0 (13.0, 39.0) years old, and there were 1.7% (36/2 122) and 0.9% (2/222) subjects with missing age information, respectively. The proportion of caesarean section in allergic patients was significantly higher than that in healthy controls (31.4% vs. 17.6%,χ2=16.582,P<0.001) [2.5% (54/2 122) of the patient group and 5.4% (12/222) of the control group had missing birth mode information], and the proportion of patients with allergic diseases who reported that both parents had allergic diseases was significantly higher than that of the control group (35.7% vs. 9.5%, χ2=65.171,P<0.001). Patients with allergic diseases are mainly school-age (6-12 years old) and adolescents (12-18 years old). 16.4% of patients with allergic diseases were sensitized to cat dander, 10% and 6% to dog and horse dander. The sensitization rate of cat dander in patients with rhinitis, asthma, conjunctivitis, food allergy and atopic dermatitis was the highest (16.4%-21.6%), followed by dog dander (10.2%-15.2%). The prevalence of allergic rhinitis was the highest among different animal sensitized populations. The proportion of cat, dog and horse allergens sensitized at the same time is between 10%-15%, and the proportion of any two or more animal dander sensitized at the same time is about 45%. Animal allergens are associated with respiratory allergic diseases, especially allergic rhinitis with allergic conjunctivitis. There were significant differences in the distribution of positive rates of three animal allergens in different regions, and the highest positive rate of cat dander was found in all provinces of the country. Conclusion: The sensitization rate of animal dander allergens increased significantly, and the highest was in children and adolescents. Cat dander is the most common animal allergen, followed by dog. Different animals show obvious cross or common sensitization due to their high homology.

Urinary biomarkers of early renal injury in antiretroviral-naïve HIV-positive persons in Shanghai, China: comparison with the general population.

OBJECTIVES: People living with HIV (PLWH) have a high risk of kidney injury. Measurement of serum creatinine, along with proteinuria, is not sensitive to detect early kidney injury. Here, we investigated novel urinary biomarkers of early renal injury in PLWH. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study of 166 antiretroviral-naïve PLWH and 99 HIV-negative persons who all had an estimated glomerular filtration rate > 90 mL/min/1.73 m2 . We compared the levels of seven urinary biomarkers between the two groups using the propensity score matching (PSM) approach and explored the risk factors associated with elevated urinary biomarkers in PLWH. RESULTS: Eighty-three pairs were successfully matched based on PSM. Compared with the HIV-negative group, the HIV-positive group had higher ratios of N-acetyl-ß-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) to urine creatinine (UCr), alpha1-microglobulin (α1-M) to UCr, kidney injury marker-1 (KIM-1) to UCr, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin to UCr, and epidermal growth factor to UCr, whereas the Tamm-Horsfall protein to UCr ratio and the abnormal albumin to UCr ratio were not significantly different. Positive correlations were observed between HIV RNA level and NAG: UCr (rs  = 0.32; P < 0.001) and α1-M:UCr (rs  = 0.24; P = 0.002) ratios, and negative correlations were observed between CD4 cell count and NAG:UCr (rs  = -0.34; P < 0.001), KIM-1:UCr (rs  = -0.16; P = 0.042) and α1-M:UCr (rs  = -0.36; P < 0.001) ratios. In multivariate linear regression analyses, older age, lower total cholesterol and higher HIV RNA were independently associated with higher NAG:UCr; older age, lower total cholesterol and lower CD4 cell count were independently associated with higher α1-M:UCr. CONCLUSIONS: In comparioson with HIV-negative participants, PLWH were more likely to have tubular injury. Early antiretroviral treatment might mitigate the development of kidney injury.

[Phenotype and genetic mutation analysis of an inherited protein C deficiency pedigree].

Objective: A phenotypic and gene mutation study was carried out to investigate the molecular mechanism of inherited protein C deficiency in a family with the disorder. Methods: The proband was a 21-year-old male who was admitted to hospital due to swelling of the left lower limb for 3 months and hemoptysis with chest tightness for more than 1 week. The clinical diagnosis was pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis of the left lower limb. Plasma protein C activity, protein S activity and antithrombin Ⅲ activity were detected in the patient and their family members. Whole exon sequencing was used to analyze a total of 199 genes associated with thrombus susceptibility of the patient. After the mutation was found and Sanger sequencing was used to verify whether the family members carried the same gene mutations as the patient. The conservation of amino acid mutation sites was analyzed by using the software ClustalX-2.1-win. The damage of mutations to protein function was analyzed by PROVEAN and PolyPhen-2 online bioinformatics software. Finally, PyMOL 2.3 software was used to analyze the protein model. Results: The patient and four family members all had the identical heterozygous missense mutation c.1019 C>T (p. Thr340Met) in exon 9 of the protein C gene, resulting in various degrees of protein C deficiency. The Thr340 amino acid was discovered to be poorly conserved in seven homologous species after investigation with the clustalx-2.1-win software. P. Thr340Met was found to be a detrimental mutation by both PROVEAN and PolyPhen-2 online bioinformatics program. The mutation of Thr340 to Met340 caused the hydrogen bond between Thr340 and Gln226 to dissolve, changing the spatial arrangement of protein C, which might be the main explanation for the lower protein C activity, according to the protein model. Conclusions: Protein C deficiency in this family was caused by a hybrid missense mutation C. 1019 C>T (p. Thr340Met). Protein C deficiency may present in varying severity among mutation carriers at the same locus of the protein C gene. Whole-exome sequencing may be considered in young patients with spontaneous venous thromboembolism, even if there is no relevant family history.

A retrospective cohort study of early mortality among patients with HIV/TB co-infection in Shanghai municipality.

OBJECTIVES: Tuberculosis (TB) is the most common and fatal opportunistic co-infection among HIV-infected individuals. While TB-associated mortality predominantly occurs in the first 90 days after admission, such a correlation remains unclear in HIV/TB co-infected patients. Thus, we aimed to investigate the 90-day mortality and associated risk factors among HIV/TB co-infected patients in China. METHODS: Adult patients with HIV and a newly confirmed TB diagnosis admitted to the Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center between September 2009 and August 2017 were enrolled. Clinical and laboratory characteristics, key treatments and outcomes were collected retrospectively. The associations between different factors and early mortality were analysed. RESULTS: Of the 485 laboratory-confirmed HIV/TB patients [median (range) age = 39 (19-79) years], 413 (85.15%) were male. Diagnosis was confirmed by culture, pathology and acid-fast bacilli smear alone in 362 (74.6%), 6 (1.2%) and 117 (24.1%) patients, respectively. Multiple drug-/rifampin-resistant TB was detected in 21 (5.8%) of the 367 patients with a positive culture. Rifampin or rifabutin was administered to 402 (82.9%) patients. Additionally, 66 (13.6%) and 86 (17.7%) died within 90 days and 1 year of admission, respectively. Of the 64 TB-related deaths, 59 (92.2%) occurred within 90 days of admission. In Cox regression, central nervous system (CNS) TB [odds ratio (OR) = 2.49, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.46-4.23, P < 0.001], no antiretroviral therapy (ART) within 3 months after admission (OR = 11, 95% CI: 6.4-18.9, P < 0.001), and plasma albumin level < 25 g/L (OR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.07-3.40, P = 0.021) were associated with early death. CONCLUSIONS: Tuberculosis co-infection was prevalent and fatal in HIV-infected patients, with most deaths occurring within 90 days of admission. Early mortality was associated with CNS-TB, no ART, and serum albumin level < 25 g/L.

Protective effects of miRNA-589 on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

To uncover the potential influence of microRNA-589 (miRNA-589) on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and the underlying mechanism, BV2 cells were stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or conditioned medium (CM) of primary cortical neurons undergoing oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). Regulatory effects of miRNA-589 on the release of inflammatory factors in BV2 cells induced with LPS or CM of primary cortical neurons undergoing OGD were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The interaction between miRNA-589 and TRAF6 was finally assessed by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. MiRNA-589 was downregulated in BV2 cells induced with LPS or CM of primary cortical neurons undergoing OGD. Overexpression of miRNA-589 reduced the release of inflammatory factors in LPS or CM-induced BV2 cells. TRAF6 was verified to be the downstream gene of miRNA-589, and its level was negatively regulated by miRNA-589. MiRNA-589 is downregulated following cerebral IRI and alleviates inflammatory response through negatively regulating TRAF6.

[Effect of esmolol in septic shock patients with tachycardia: a randomized clinical trial].

Objective: To investigate the effect of esmolol in septic shock patients with tachycardia. Methods: A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted. Screening septic shock patients that admitted to Department of General Intensive Care Unit of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from June 2016 to August 2017. After 24 h resuscitation therapy, 100 cases of septic shock patients with tachycardia (heart rate>100 bpm) were divided into esmolol group (n=50) and control group (n=50) with random number table. Patients in esmolol group accepted standard treatment plus esmolol injection with an initial dose of 25 mg/h. Heart rate target is 80 to 100 bpm. Patients in esmolol group continued to use esmolol for 7 days or to the day the patient left the ICU when the heart rate didn't achieve the target. Patients in control group were given standard treatment. Primary outcome was 28 d mortality. Secondary outcomes included heart rate, norepinephrine dosages, lactate level, inflammatory markers in per day during the trial; acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE Ⅱ) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) on day 1, 3, 5, 7; length of hospital stay, length of mechanical ventilation, medication time of vasoactive agent. The data were compared with t test or rank sum test between the two groups. Results: The 28 d mortality of esmolol group and control group was 62%, 68%, respectively(χ(2)=0.529, P=0.529). Logistic regression analysis showed that primary heart rate (increase of 10 bpm, OR=1.568, 95%CI: 1.039-1.238, P=0.027), primary APACHEⅡ (OR=1.134, 95%CI: 1.026-1.239, P=0.005), integral heart rate (per 10 bpm, OR=2.207, 95%CI: 1.400-3.479, P=0.001) were independent risk factors for 28 d mortality. Compared with control group, the esmolol group had a lower heart rate on day 1-7; but over all, there was no statistically significant difference in heart rate between the two groups (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in total does of norepinephrine, lactate level, inflammatory markers, APACHE Ⅱ, SOFA, length of hospital stay between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion: Tachycardia significantly increases the risk of death in patients with septic shock, esmolol may decrease the mortality by controlling heart rate.

[Clinical characteristics and outcome comparison between atrial fibrillation patients underwent catheter ablation under general aesthesia or local anesthesia and sedation].

Objective: To compare the outcome of radiofrequency catheter ablation under local anesthesia/sedation (S) or general anesthesia(GA) in atrial fibrillation patients. Methods: Data of 498 patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing radiofrequency catheter ablation in our departmentfrom January 2014 to December 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Two hundred and twenty patients assigned to the GA group, the other 278 patients to the S group. Patients were followed clinically every 3 months within one year after procedure. Immediate electrocardiogram was performed in patients with palpitation or choking sensation in chest. The end point of the study was recurrence of any atrial tachyarrhythmia lasting >30 seconds in device interrogation, 24-hour Holter monitoring or 12-lead electrocardiogram after a single procedure. After the ablation procedure, a blanking period of 3 months was allowed according to the guidelines. Procedure time, radiofrequency time, fluoroscopy time, the detection of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, the success rate and the complications were compared between the two groups. Results: There was no difference in the baseline characteristics between the two groups, such as age, gender, BMI, complications, LVEF, LAD (all P>0.05). The duration of procedure ((117.8±51.7)minutes vs.(115.4±36.9)minutes, P=0.79), duration of fluoroscopy((12.5±11.2)minutes vs. (10.4±10.2)minutes, P=0.35), duration of radiofrequency((40.1±12.9)minutes vs. (48.6±44.3)minutes, P=0.48) were similar between the two groups (P>0.05). Compared with S group, discovery of the frequency of atrioventricular node reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) was significantly lower in GA group (0 vs. 3.6%(10/278), P<0.01), but the difference disappeared with repeat electrophysiological examination when patients become conscious from GA(3.2%(7/220) vs. 3.6%(10/278), P=0.311). The difference of atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT) was similar between the two groups(0.9%(2/220) vs. 0.7%(2/278), P=0.841). Compared with S group, reflection of vagus nerve was less in GA group (1.4%(3/220) vs. 8.6%(24/278), P=0.026). After following up of (356±92) days, freedom from atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter/atrial tachyarrhythmia was similar between the two groups(77.9%(162/208) vs. 79.9%(215/269), P=0.818). Conclusion: General anesthesia is a promising method to atrial fibrillation ablation, in view of stable patient status and safety for the procedure. There is no difference in complications, recurrence of arrhythmia between the two groups, but detection rate of AVNRT is lower in GA group.

Vena-venous hemofiltration in treating severe injury-induced multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.

Severe multiple injury (SMI) can induce multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and easily result in complications, as well as having a high mortality rate. To explore the curative effect of continuous vena-venous hemofiltration (CVVH) in treating MODS and its effect on serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α interleukin (IL)-10 and nitric oxide (NO), we selected 200 patients who suffered from SMI and received treatment in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between April 2012 and April 2014 as research subjects. All patients were treated with CVVH. Vital signs, blood oxygen pressure (PaO(2)) and oxygenation index (OI) of artery, electrolyte and acid-base balance were observed before and after treatment. Before treatment, 1 h and 12 h after the start of treatment, and at the end of treatment, TNF-α and IL-10 concentrations in serum and ultrafiltrate were tested using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, and NO concentration in serum and ultrafiltrate was detected using nitrate reduction method. After treatment, heart rate and respiratory rate of patients had significant decline (P less than 0.05) and average arterial pressure rose remarkably (P less than 0.05); blood urea nitrogen and creatinine decreased (P less than 0.05 or 0.01); PaO(2) and OI were both significantly increased (P less than 0.01); hyperkalemia and acidosis were effectively corrected (P less than 0.01); but differences of Na+, Ca2+ and Cl- before and after treatment had no statistical significance (P>0.05). Serum IL-10 concentration had a significant increase after treatment, while TNF-α and NO concentrations had a significant decline after treatment. A small quantity of IL-10, but not of TNF-α, was detected from ultrafiltrate. Concentration of NO in ultrafiltrate was higher. It can be concluded that CVVH can effectively relieve clinical symptoms of MODS patients, improve function of organs, correct electrolyte disturbance and acid-base imbalance and eliminate TNF-α and NO in serum, which is effective in improving the ratio of successful rescue of patients developing MODS.

Real-time shear wave elastrography and APRI index for evaluating autoimmune hepatitis fibrosis.

The objective of this study was to investigate the significance of real-time supersonic shear imaging (SSI) and serum biochemical index in evaluating the degree of autoimmune hepatitis fibrosis. Retrospective analysis was carried out to study 291 cases of patients with autoimmune hepatitis, and discuss the value of SSI application, APRI index and bilirubin on autoimmune hepatitis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was taken for statistical analysis to determine its diagnostic accuracy. In the high degree of hepatic fibrosis, the hepatic SSI measured value of autoimmune hepatitis positively correlated to ALT, AST, APRI ratio, AST and AST/ALT. The SSI measured value significantly and positively correlated to the degree of hepatic fibrosis (r=0.598, p=0 less than 0.01). In chronic hepatic fibrosis, the elasticity values of AIH, PBC, AIH-PBC overlap syndrome (OS) were in a rising trend, and the difference in the elasticity value of each fibrosis stage was statistically significant (P less than 0.01). Hepatic SSI measured value was employed to respectively detect the AUROC of S3 stage and S4 stage for AIH, PBC, and AIR-PBC OS groups, which resulted as being higher than the APRI index detected in S3 stage and S4 stage. SSI measured index had better diagnostic significance than APRI index on hepatic fibrosis for AIH, PBC and AIH-PBC OS groups.

Pinning effect of reactive elements on adhesion energy and adhesive strength of incoherent Al2O3/NiAl interface.

The profound effects of reactive elements (REs) on the adhesion energy and adhesive strength of the α-Al2O3/ß-NiAl interface in thermal barrier coating (TBC) systems have attracted increasing attention because RE-doping has played a significant role in improving the thermal cycling lifetime of TBCs. However, the fundamental mechanism is, so far, not well understood due to the experimental difficulty and theoretical complexity in interface modelling. For this purpose, in the present study we have performed comprehensive density functional theory calculations and information targeted experiments to underline the origin of the surprising enhancement of interface adhesion, stability and mechanical strength of the α-Al2O3/ß-NiAl interface by different RE doping levels. Our results suggest that the interface failure firstly appears within the NiAl layer adjacent to the Al-terminated oxide under mechanical loading, while the formation of O-RE-Ni bond pairs at the interface can effectively hinder the interface de-cohesion, providing a higher mechanical strength. By comparing several typical REs, it is observed that Hf can emerge not only with the highest interface adhesion energy, but also the highest mechanical strength; in agreement with our experimental results. By continuously increasing the dopant concentration, the strengthening effect may increase correspondingly, but is limited by the solute solubility. These results shed light into the effect of REs on the stability and strength of the α-Al2O3/ß-NiAl interface, providing theoretical guidance for interface design via a combinational analysis of bond topology and electronic structure.

High polymorphism at microsatellite loci in the Chinese donkey.

To reveal the genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships between Chinese donkey breeds, 415 individuals representing ten breeds were investigated using ten microsatellite markers. The observed number of alleles, mean effective number of alleles (NE), mean expected heterozygosity (HE), and polymorphic information content (PIC) of each breed and polymorphic locus were analyzed. The results showed that seven (HTG7, HTG10, AHT4, HTG6, HMS6, HMS3, and HMS7) of ten microsatellite loci were polymorphic. The mean PIC, HE, and NE of seven polymorphic loci for the ten donkey breeds were 0.7679, 0.8072, and 6.0275, respectively. These results suggest that domestic Chinese donkey breeds possess higher levels of genetic diversity and heterozygosity than foreign donkeys. A neighbor-joining tree based on Nei's standard genetic distance showed that there was close genetic distance among Xinjiang, Qingyang, Xiji, and Guanzhong donkey breeds. In addition, Mongolia and Dezhou donkey breeds were placed in the same category. The phylogenetic tree revealed that the genetic relationships between Chinese donkey breeds are consistent with their geographic distribution and breeding history.

Gender difference in protein expression of vascular wall in mice exposed to chronic intermittent hypoxia: a preliminary study.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as systemic arterial hypertension, ischemic heart disease, stroke, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and cardiac sudden death. The pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease in OSA is thought to be induced primarily by chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH), a specific pattern of change in oxygenation during sleep. However, the underlying mechanisms of CIH-induced vasculature injury and gender differences are not well documented. The iTRAQ Quantitative Proteomic method enables analysis of a number of different proteins among several groups. Thus, we explored gender differences in protein expression in the vascular walls of mice exposed to CIH. C57BL/6J mice of each gender were exposed to CIH with a fractional inspired O2 (FiO2) nadir of 5% or control, with a treatment time of 8 h/day for 28 days. Differential proteins related to CIH-induced vascular injury between genders were identified using iTRAQ proteomic technology. A total of 163 proteins were identified, of which 34 showed significant differences between genders, which may correlate with vascular injury by CIH. Twenty up-regulated proteins and 14 downregulated proteins were observed in female mice compared with male mice. We identified different vascular proteins expressed under CIH between genders, suggesting that these proteins may be biomarkers of vascular injury by CIH.

Retraction Note: LncRNA UCA1 affects osteoblast proliferation and differentiation by regulating BMP-2 expression.

The article "LncRNA UCA1 affects osteoblast proliferation and differentiation by regulating BMP-2 expression", by R.-F. Zhang, J.-W. Liu, S.-P. Yu, D. Sun, X.-H. Wang, J.-S. Fu, Z. Xie, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2019; 23 (16): 6774-6782-DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_201908_18715-PMID: 31486475 has been retracted by the authors for the following reasons: - The data presented in the manuscript require further validation, which may affect the results. After careful consideration, we have decided to withdraw it to ensure its reliability and reproducibility. All authors concur with this decision. This article has been retracted. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/18715.

Serological survey of viral hepatitis markers among newly diagnosed patients with HIV/AIDS in China.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine the seroprevalence and epidemiological features of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among patients newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in China. METHODS: Two thousand and forty patients newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS from 10 provinces in China were selected during 2009 to 2010. Serum samples obtained from each individual were screened for HBV and HCV serum markers [HBV surface antigen (HBsAg), HBV surface antibody (HBsAb), HBV envelope antigen (HBeAg), HBV envelope antibody (HBeAb), HBV core antibody (HBcAb) and HCV antibody (HCVAb)]; liver function tests were also performed. Demographics and medical histories were collected. RESULTS: Of the 2040 patients, 741 (36.3%) were positive for at least one HBV and HCV serum marker; 300 (14.71%) were HCVAb positive, and 248 (12.16%) were isolated HCVAb positive; 222 (10.9%) were positive for HBsAg; 19 (0.93%) were positive for both HBsAg and HCVAb. The highest prevalence of HBsAg positivity was found in Guangxi (15.31%), followed by Guangdong (15.19%) and Shanghai (14.36%). The highest prevalence of HCVAb positivity was found in Xinjiang (43.18%), followed by Henan (39.06%) and Yunnan (27.36%). The proportion of patients with abnormal liver function in patients positive for HCVAb and/or HBsAg was significantly higher than that in those who were negative for both HCVAb and HBsAg (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The seroprevalence of HBV and HCV among patients newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in China is high. HBsAg and HCVAb positivity prevalences were found to vary significantly in different provinces in China. Patients newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and coinfected with HBV and HCV are at higher risk of abnormal liver function. It is necessary to routinely screen for HBV and HCV infection among patients newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

Paternal origins of Chinese cattle.

To determine the genetic diversity and paternal origin of Chinese cattle, 302 males from 16 Chinese native cattle breeds as well as 30 Holstein males and four Burma males as controls were analysed using four Y-SNPs and two Y-STRs. In Chinese bulls, the taurine Y1 and Y2 haplogroups and indicine Y3 haplogroup were detected in seven, 172 and 123 individuals respectively, and these frequencies varied among the Chinese cattle breeds examined. Y2 dominates in northern China (91.4%), and Y3 dominates in southern China (90.8%). Central China is an admixture zone, although Y2 predominates overall (72.0%). The geographical distributions of the Y2 and Y3 haplogroup frequencies revealed a pattern of male indicine introgression from south to north China. The three Y haplogroups were further classified into one Y1 haplotype, five Y2 haplotypes and one Y3 haplotype in Chinese native bulls. Due to the interplay between taurine and indicine types, Chinese cattle represent an extensive reservoir of genetic diversity. The Y haplotype distribution of Chinese cattle exhibited a clear geographical structure, which is consistent with mtDNA, historical and geographical information.

Ferroptosis in neurodegenerative diseases: inhibitors as promising candidate mitigators.

OBJECTIVE: Ferroptosis is a new form of iron-dependent programmed cell death, characterized by intracellular iron overload and lipid peroxidation. Several studies have revealed that ferroptosis is associated with the occurrence and development of various neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). Therefore, this paper reviews the mechanism and related genes of ferroptosis, focusing on the research of antiferroptosis drugs in NDs to provide theoretical support for future experimental research and clinical application. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This work focuses on ferroptosis, and the authors searched the literature on PubMed related to ferroptosis using the keywords "neurodegenerative diseases" and "neurons". All articles were from August 2022 and earlier, excluding irrelevant or retracted articles, and articles from the last five years were used as the main inclusion criteria. RESULTS: After collection and summary, it was found that ferroptosis in NDs was not only related to iron metabolism, lipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism but also related to genes such as Nrf2, FSP1, VDACs, and p53. We also summarized drugs that inhibited ferroptosis in NDs and classified them according to their mechanism of action. CONCLUSIONS: Ferroptosis was involved in the progression of NDs through its production mechanism and related genes. Targeting ferroptosis might be a new strategy for treating NDs.

Adherence to osteoporosis medications amongst Singaporean patients.

UNLABELLED: Compliance and persistence to bisphosphonates amongst Singaporean patients with osteoporosis were estimated. Mean medication possession ratio (MPR) ± standard deviation (SD) was 78.9 ± 27.5%, and 69.0% was persistent at 1 year. In contrast to US and Europe where poor adherence is noted, our study suggests higher adherence rates to bisphosphonate therapy amongst patients. INTRODUCTION: Adherence to bisphosphonate therapy during treatment of osteoporosis has been reported to be poor. We aimed to estimate the compliance and persistence to prescribed bisphosphonate therapy amongst patients at the largest public restructured hospital in Singapore. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of records of patients who were prescribed the two most commonly used oral bisphosphonates-alendronate and risedronate. The study was conducted between January 2007 and December 2008. Prescription and pharmacy refill records of all patients were extracted and matched. Compliance was calculated using the MPR, while persistence, a dichotomous variable, was defined as continuous refill of bisphosphonates for at least 12 months with a permissible gap of 30 days. RESULTS: Seven hundred ninety-eight patients were included in the study. Mean MPR ± SD was 78.9 ± 27.5%, and 69.0% of the patients were persistent with bisphosphonate therapy at 1 year. The proportion of patients with MPR ≥ 80% at 6, 12 and 18 months was 90%, 72% and 62%, respectively. Age <69 years was associated with better compliance (OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 0.99-1.82; P = 0.043), and history of fractures was associated with better compliance (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.02-1.87; P = 0.038) and persistence (OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 0.97-1.82; P = 0.046). CONCLUSION: In contrast to studies conducted in the US and Europe that show poor adherence, our study suggests higher adherence rates to bisphosphonate therapy amongst Singaporean patients.

Stability and strength of transition-metal tetraborides and triborides.

Using density functional theory, we show that the long-believed transition-metal tetraborides (TB(4)) of tungsten and molybdenum are in fact triborides (TB(3)). This finding is supported by thermodynamic, mechanical, and phonon instabilities of TB(4), and it challenges the previously proposed origin of superhardness of these compounds and the predictability of the generally used hardness model. Theoretical calculations for the newly identified stable TB(3) structure correctly reproduce their structural and mechanical properties, as well as the experimental x-ray diffraction pattern. However, the relatively low shear moduli and strengths suggest that TB(3) cannot be intrinsically stronger than c-BN. The origin of the lattice instability of TB(3) under large shear strain that occurs at the atomic level during plastic deformation can be attributed to valence charge depletion between boron and metal atoms, which enables easy sliding of boron layers between the metal ones.