ObjectiveTo explore the Apolipoprotein-E （ApoE） gene polymorphism in patients with Alzheimer's disease （AD）, vascular dementia (VD) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MethodsPeripheral blood was taken from patient with AD, VD or MCI to determine the ApoE genotypes. ResultsThe most of the patients were ε3/ε3 genotype, while the ε2/ε2 and ε4/ε4 could not be detected. ε3/ε4 genotype （P=0.001） and ApoE ε4 allele （P=0.013） was more frequent in AD than in MCI. ApoE ε4 was more frequent in VD than in MCI （P=0.044）. ConclusionApoE ε4 allele is a risk factor in AD, and may be associated with VD and MCI.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between cerebral infarction (CI) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the exon of membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-14) gene in Chinese Han population.

METHODSFive hundred seventy four patients with CI and 463 healthy individuals were recruited. Serum MMP-14 level was measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). rs1042704 and rs2236307 polymorphisms of the MMP-14 gene were genotyped with a TaqMan assay. Multivariate logistic regression was carried out to analyze the risk factors of CI.

RESULTSA significant lower risk of CI was found in individuals with MMP-14 rs2236307 TC and CC genotypes (vs. TT genotype: P<0.05). The frequencies of MMP-14 rs2236307 C allele were significantly different between the CI group (37.46%) and the control group (43.95%) (P=0.003). Serum level of MMP-14 was higher in the CI group (P=0.003) and was also higher in the group with MMP-14 rs2236307 TT genotype compared with those with CT and CC genotypes (P=0.000; P=0.009). Logistic regression analysis indicated that the MMP-14 rs2236307 CT+CC genotypes was a protective factor, and that history of hypertension, smoking status, triglycerides, diastolic blood pressure and systolic blood pressure were the independent risk factors of CI (AOR:2.027, 1.302, 1.296, 1.434, 2.087; P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe rs2236307 polymorphism of MMP-14 gene is associated with CI, for which the C allele maybe a protective factor. No association of MMP-14 gene rs1042704 polymorphism with CI has been found.

Adult ; Aged ; Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Blood Pressure ; Case-Control Studies ; Cerebral Infarction ; genetics ; physiopathology ; Female ; Genetic Association Studies ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 14 ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Risk Factors

Objective To compare the external morphological characteristics and movement patterns between Schistosoma japonicum and S. sinensis cercariae. Methods S. japonicum and S. sinensis cercariae were heat-fixed, and well-extended cercariae, of 50 each species, were randomly selected for measurement of body length, body width, tail stem length, and tail fork length. The external morphological characteristics of S. japonicum and S. sinensis cercariae were compared. In addition, S. japonicum-infected Oncomelania snails and S. sinensis-infected Tricula snails were observed under a microscope and the movement patterns of S. japonicum and S. sinensis cercariae were compared. Results The mean body length, body width, tail stem length, and tail fork length were (0.16 ± 0.01), (0.05 ± 0.01), (0.14 ± 0.01) mm and (0.06 ± 0.01) mm for S. japonicum cercariae, and (0.13 ± 0.01), (0.05 ± 0.01), (0.13 ± 0.01) mm and (0.06 ± 0.01) mm for S. sinensis cercariae, respectively, and there were significant differences in terms of cercaria body length (t = 14.583, P < 0.05) and tail stem length (t = 3.861, P < 0.05), while no significant differences were seen in terms of body width (t = 0.896, P > 0.05) or tail fork length (t = −0.454, P > 0.05). Microscopy revealed that the tails of both S. japonicum and S. sinensis cercariae swung from side to side and there was no significant difference in their movement pattern. Conclusion S. sinensis and S. japonicum cercariae share highly similar external external morphological characteristics and movement patterns.