OBJECTIVE: To investigate the associated factors of endogenous erythropoietin (EPO) and its association with 10-year risks of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in a Chinese community-based general population. METHODS: The participants of this study were from an atherosclerosis cohort survey which was established by the Department of Cardiology, Peking University First Hospital in 2011. The cohort survey was performed in the Gucheng and Pingguoyuan communities of Shijingshan district in Beijing, China. The inclusion criteria of this study were: (1) endogenous EPO was measured; (2) health questionnaire data and other clinical data were complete; (3) participatants who had cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases (defined as self-reported coronary heart disease, stroke or transient ischemic attack) or anemia or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/(min·1.73 m²) at baseline were excluded. Multivariate linear regression model was used to examine the associated factors of endogenous EPO. The participants were grouped into low (< 5%), moderate (5%-10%) and high risk (≥10%) groups, based on predicted 10-year cardiovascular disease risk using the prediction for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk in China (China-PAR) equations. RESULTS: A total of 4 013 participants were included. Mean age of them was (55.9±8.2) years, 62.2% (n=2 496) of them were female, and 46.3% (n=1 859), 70.9% (n=2 845), 21.9% (n=879) had hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes, individually. The average body mass index was (26.1±3.3) kg/m². The median of EPO level was 12.8 (9.3-17.4) IU/L and 25.1% (n=998) were at high 10-years risk of cardiovascular disease. Hemoglobin (β=-0.05, 95%CI: -0.07 to -0.04) and eGFR ≥90 mL/(min·1.73 m²) (β=-0.05, 95%CI: -0.07 to -0.04) were associated with lower in transformed EPO levels while hypertension (β=0.08, 95%CI: 0.05 to 0.12) and obesity (β=0.14, 95%CI: 0.09 to 0.18) were associated with higher in transformed EPO levels in multivariate linear regression analyses. Ten-year cardiovascular disease risks were positively associated with in transformed EPO levels (β=0.07, 95%CI: 0.05 to 0.09). The participants at moderate and high cardiovascular disease risks had significant higher EPO levels than the low risk group (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION In community-based Beijing populations, endogenous EPO was associated with hemoglobin, renal function, obesity and hypertension. Individuals at high 10-years cardiovascular disease risks have higher endogenous EPO levels. Endogenous EPO may be a potential risk marker of cardiovascular disease.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology* ; Erythropoietin ; Hemoglobins ; Hypertension/epidemiology* ; Obesity ; Risk Factors

Objective To explore risk factors of hyperkalemia among patients in intensive care unit(ICU)and to establish a risk assessment model for evaluating hyperkalemia.Methods The clinical data of 4 963 hospitalized patients admitted to ICU in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from October 2019 to December 2020 were retrospectively collected.According to serum potassium level,patients were divided into a normal serum potassium of 3.5-5.5 mmol/L group(n=4 535)and a hyperkalemia group(n=428)with serum potassium level above 5.5 mmol/L.All Patients were then randomly divided into a training set(n=3 474)and a validation set(n=1 489)in a 7∶3 ratio.Logistic regression analysis was used to construct a risk assessment model to evaluate the occurrence of hyperkalemia in ICU patients.ROC curve was used to evaluate the value of the model,and the model was validated in the validation set.Results Multivariate logistic analysis showed that male,ICU length of stay≥5 days,estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)＜90 mL·min-1·(1.73 m2)-1,APACHE Ⅱ score＞12,diabetes,acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS),cirrhosis,septic shock,multiple organ dysfunction syndrome(MODS)were independent related factors for hyperkalemia in severe patients.The area under the ROC curve(AUC)of this assessment model in the training set was 0.777,the cut-off value was 5,with 76.4%of the sensitivity and 66.6%of specificity;the validation set suggests that the model has the AUC of 0.777,with 80.5%of sensitivity,and 67.8%of specificity.Conclusions This risk assessment model is helpful to assess occurrence of hyperkalemia in ICU patients,which offers an alternative approach for the prevention and intervention of hyperkalemia.

Aim To investigate the hepatotoxic effect of aqueous extract of fructus psoraleae (WEFP) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced hepatotoxicity in SD rats under immune stress and its mechanism. Methods SD rats were divided into control (CON), LPS, WEFP, LPS+WEFP group. The LPS and LPS+WEFP groups were injected with 4 mg·kg-1 LPS via tail vein; 2 h later, the rats in WEFP group and LPS+WEFP group received the WEFP (1.1 g·kg-1·d-1) by oral gavage for seven consecutive days. Different endpoints such as body weight, liver index, bile flow rate, serum biochemical, histopathological changes, inflammatory cytokines, protein and mRNA expression levels were determined to clarify the liver toxicity and mechanism of WEFP. Results Compared with the CON group, rats in the LPS group had no significant changes in body weight, liver coefficient, serum ALT, AST, and ALP liver injury indicators; mild steatosis in the liver of the rats in the WEFP group did not cause liver damage; for rats in the LPS+WEFP group, body weight and bile excretion decreased, liver coefficient, serum ALT, AST, ALP, TBA levels significantly increased, and IL-1 and TNF-α secretion in the liver increased; at the same time, the pathological changes such as inflammatory reaction, cholestasis, and steatosis appeared in liver, RhoA mRNA and protein expression increased, and TLR4 and ICAM-1 pro-inflammatory gene expression increased, leading to acute liver injury. Conclusions The non-hepatotoxic dose of LPS can cause the same dose of psoralen to show more obvious liver toxicity, leading to the body's immunospecific response. Psoralen can cause immune stress rats to activate the expression of RhoA and other pro-inflammatory genes, further aggravate the release of inflammatory factors,and promote inflammatory reaction damage to liver cells and intrahepatic bile duct tissues,leading to obstruction of bile acid efflux and causing special effects such as heterogeneous liver injury.

To clarify the key quality attributes of substance benchmarks in Danggui Buxue Decoction(DBD), this study prepared 21 batches of DBD substance benchmarks, and established two methods for detecting their fingerprints, followed by the identification of peak attribution and similarity range as well as the determination of extract and transfer rate ranges and contents of index components ferulic acid, calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside, and astragaloside Ⅳ. The mass fractions and transfer rates of DBD substance benchmarks from different batches were calculated as follows: ferulic acid(index component in Angelicae Sinensis Radix): 0.037%-0.084% and 31.41%-98.88%; astragaloside Ⅳ(index component in Astragali Radix): 0.021%-0.059% and 32.18%-118.57%; calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside: 0.002%-0.023% and 11.51%-45.65%, with the extract rate being 18.4%-36.1%. The similarity of fingerprints among 21 batches of DBD substance benchmarks was all higher than 0.9. The quality control method for DBD substance benchmarks was preliminarily established based on the HPLC fingerprint analysis and index component determination, which has provided a basis for the subsequent development of DBD and the quality control of novel related preparations.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/standards* ; Quality Control

Isotemporal substitution model is a powerful tool to explore the real association between physical behavior and health outcomes, which has the potential of the application in large-scale cohort study. This paper systematically introduces the principle of isotemporal substitution model and its implementation method in specific analysis to provide analytical ideas for the epidemiological research related to physical behavior in China. The baseline data of Regional Ethic Cohort Study in Northwest China conducted in Shaanxi province were used to analyze the relationship between physical behavior and cardiovascular disease with single-factor model, partition model and isotemporal substitution model. The advantages and disadvantages of different models were compared, and the advantages of isotemporal substitution model in quantifying physical activity health risk were introduced. Isotemporal substitution model could qualify physical behavior and health outcomes, which has wide application value in epidemiological research.
Humans ; Cohort Studies ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; China/epidemiology*

Objective To study the relationship between pulmonary surfactant protein B (SP-B) intron 4 gene polymorphism and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in premature infants.Method From January 2016 to January 2019,premature infants diagnosed with BPD in our hospital were selected as the BPD group,and non-BPD premature infants of the same ethnic group were selected as the control group.The genotype and allele distribution of SP-B intron 4 were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)method.Result A total of 74 infants with BPD were included,including 30 Mongolian infants and 44 Han infants.A total of 134 cases were in the control group,including 56 Mongolian infants and 78 Han infants.Wild type and variant type (including insertion and deletion) could be detected in SP-B intron 4 gene in both Mongolian and Han infants.The frequencies of wild and variant genotypes and alleles in Mongolian BPD infants were similar with the control group [36.7％ (11/30) vs.19.6％ (11/56),21.7％ (13/60) vs.12.5％ (14/112)] (P ＞ 0.05).The frequencies of wild and variant genotypes and alleles in Han infants with BPD were significantly different from the control group [31.8 ％ (14/44) vs.12.8 ％ (10/78),20.5 ％(18/88)vs.7.1％(11/156)] (P＜0.05).Conclusion The variation of intron 4 gene in SP-B may be related with the genetic susceptibility of Han infants with BPD in Inner Mongolia.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the relationship between T cell subsets and clinical data.

METHODSmononuclear cells were collected from 103 patients with acute leukemia (AL) and 28 healthy volunteers, and percentage changes of CD3CD4, CD3CD8 and CD4 CD25 Foxp3 cell subsets were assayed by flow cytometory. Relationship between the T subsets and clinical features of the patients was analyzed.

RESULTSRatio of CD3 T cells decreased more significantly in patients with >50% blast cells than that in patients with <50% blast cells, while the ratio of Treg between the 2 groups was not significantly different. Treg increased more statistically significantly in the patients with CD34 leukemia cell than that with CD34 leukemia cells. In constrast to the relationship between prognosis and immune cells in the patients from 3 groups (low, intermediate and high-risk group) it was found that Treg cells increased more significantly in high-risk group than that in low-risk group. By continuously monitoring immune cells in 18 patients, it was found that Treg cells gradually increased during the first 3 courses of chemotherapy, then began to decreased in the 4th course, finally approached gradually to the normal value in the 6th course, and this change correlated with the clinical remission after chemotherapy. Treg cell number in the patients with AL was significantly higher than that in healthy controls, and Treg cell number during the onset and recurrence was significantly higher than that in the period of complete remission (continuous remission for over 6 months). Compared with the changes of immune cell number between different types of disease, it was found that Treg cells were increased more significantly in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) than that in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Proportion of Treg cells, Treg/CD4 decreased more significantly after the 1st course of chemotherapy in the group with complete remission (CR) than that in the group without CR. The complete remission rate and recurrence rate were 68.9% and 20% respectively in the group with >10% Treg cells, while the complete remission rate and recurrence rate were 85.7% and 7.69% respectively in the group with.<10% Treg cells. In comparison of the 6 recurrent patients with 32 patients with sustained CR, it was found that the ratio of Treg cells and Treg/CD4 was increased more significantly in the patients with relapse than that with CR and in control group.

CONCLUSIONDynamic change of Treg cells in the peripheral blood was closely related with clinical feature, recurrence and prognosis in the patients with acute leukemia.

OBJECTIVE: MicroRNA-155 (miR-155) is significantly highly expressed in breast cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer and other malignant tumors. This study was to design and construct a radiolabeled probe targeting miR-155 for in vivo imaging in breast cancer. METHODS: Anti-miR-155 oligonucleotide (AMO-155) was chemically synthesized with 2' OMe modification. Its 5' end was linked with acetyl amine group. After chelated with a bifunctional chelator NHS-MAG3, AMO-155 was radiolabeled with ^99mTc using stannous chloride. The serum stability was evaluated at cellular level. In vivo imaging was performed in MCF-7 tumor bearing mice after the administration of ^99mTc radiolabeled AMO-155 and scramble control probes, respectively. Furthermore, the blocked imaging of tumor bearing mice was obtained after the injection of unlabeled AMO-155 2 hours ahead. MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 tumor bearing mice with different expression level of miR-155 were imaged, respectively. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to identify the expression level of miR-155 in the bearing tumors. RESULTS: ^99mTc-AMO-155 was prepared with high radiolabeled efficiency (97%), radiochemical purity (greater than 98%), and radioactive specific activity (3.75 GBq/μg). ^99mTc-AMO-155 was stable in fresh human serum for 12 hours. After the administration via tail vein, ^99mTc-AMO-155 displayed significant accumulation in MCF-7 bearing tumors with high expression level of miR-155, whereas ^99mTc-control showed little accumulation. After blocked with unlabeled AMO-155, the tumor could not be visualized clearly after the administration of ^99mTc-AMO-155. Furthermore, ^99mTc-AMO-155 could show the differential expression of miR-155 in vivo. MCF-7 tumor was shown with significantly higher radioactive accumulation than MDA-MB-231, based on its higher expression level of miR-155, which was verified by qRT-PCR. CONCLUSION ^99mTc-labeled AMO-155 with chemical modification showed good serum stability and in vivo tumor targeting ability. This study provides a potential probe for in vivo imaging of breast cancer.
Animals ; Breast Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; Humans ; Mice ; MicroRNAs/analysis* ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; Oligopeptides ; Radiopharmaceuticals ; Succinimides ; Technetium ; Tissue Distribution

Objectives To test the hypothesis that concentration of amniotic fluid alpha-fetal protein (AFAFP) is increased in thalassemia fetus. Methods A total of 135 cases of amniocentesis admitted from July 2013 to December 2014 were included in this study. Among them 98 cases of normal fetuses were assigned into control group and 37 cases of thalassemia fetus were included as thalassemia fetus group. Alpha-fetoprotein levels detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and the alpha-fetoprotein concentration were compared between the two groups. There is no significant difference in gestational age between the two groups. Results 1. AFP concentration in thalassemia fetus group was significantly higher than that of normal control group [(1 541.65 ± 734.78) μg/mL vs. (2 728.84 ± 1 539.97) μg/mL], and amniotic fluid AFP concentration was related to fetal thalassemia. 2. AFAFP concentration in pure α-thalassemia fetus was higher than that of β-thalassemia fetus or mixed α- and β-thalassemia fetus, but the difference was not significant. Conclusions Concentration of amniotic fluid alpha-fetal protein is increased in thalassemia fetus. AFP concentration in α-thalassemia fetus was higher than that of β-thalassemia or mixed α- and β-thalassemia fetus but difference was not significance. Further studies are needed to explore the possible correlation between Down syndrome and biochemical markers of thalassemia.

OBJECTIVETo preliminarily study the changes in CD4CD25regulatory T cells (Tregs) in children with severe purulent meningitis at the early stage and its possible implications.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 39 children with severe purulent meningitis who were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit from August 2014 to December 2015. According to whether Tregs count was decreased within 12 hours of hospitalization (considering Tregs count <410/mmas decreased), they were divided into two groups: decrease group and non-decrease group. The associations between the changes in Tregs cells and the clinical manifestations, laboratory marker levels, and prognosis were analyzed.

RESULTSOf the 39 cases, 13 (33%) showed a decrease in the proportion of Tregs cells (<31%) and 18 (46%) showed a decrease in the absolute Tregs cell count (<410/mm). Four deaths were all in the Tregs decrease group. Compared with the non-decrease group, the decrease group showed a significantly higher proportion of children with a peripheral blood leukocyte count lower than the normal range and a significantly greater increase in the level of serum procalcitonin (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTregs might be suppressed in children with severe purulent meningitis at the early stage. And its suppression could be related to the severer inflammation reaction and higher mortality in those patients.

C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Calcitonin ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Leukocyte Count ; Male ; Meningitis ; immunology ; Suppuration ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; immunology