Objective To investigate the correlation between augmentation index (AI) of the radial artery and diastolic heart function in patients with hypertension.Methods Echocardiographs were obtained for 305 patients with hypertension.AI,pulse wave velocity (PWV) of peripheral arteries and serum pro-brain natriuretic peptide (proBNP) levels were determined.Correlations and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn between AI values and impaired diastolic function.Results AI levels were significantly increased in patients with impaired diastolic function diagnosed by ultrasound.Assessment of diastolic heart function based on proBNP levels revealed that AI and aortic pulse wave velocity were significantly elevated in patients with impaired diastolic function.The operating curve indicated that AI may be a more accurate and efficient index for the evaluation of impaired diastolic function compared to pWV.Correlation analysis also showed that proBNP levels had altered in parallel with changes in AI and PWV.After adjusting for various factors including age,gender,blood pressure and blood lipid,a positive correlation was observed between proBNP and AI with a correlation coefficient of 0.3697 (P =0.003).However,no correlation between proBNP and aortic PWV was seen after adjustment.Conclusions Changes in radial AI levels may reflect parallel changes in diastolic cardiac function in patients with hypertension,suggesting that AI may be utilized as a non-invasive clinical indicator of diastolic heart function.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism on endothelial dysfunction of spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR).MethodsThe animals were divided into two groups: SHRs (n=8) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats (n=7) all aged 17 months. Blood pressure was measured by the tail-cuff method. NO3- concentration in serum was assayed by activated cadmium reduction method; endothelin (ET) and cGMP levels were assayed by RIA.ResultsCompared with WKY rats, blood NO3- concentration, ET level and vascular cGMP level of SHRs were all reduced significantly (P<0.01); vascular ET level was only uplifted slightly with no significant difference (P>0.05).ConclusionIt indicates that the vascular endothelial dysfunction in SHR is induced possibly by a diminished synthesis or release of NO, not by changes of ET level.

Endothelin (ET) is an endothelium-derived vasoconstrictive peptide. We have developed a sensitive and selective radioimmunoassay for porcine/human endothelin (ET-1). 126I-labled ET was perpared by lodogen method and was purified by HPLC. Its specific activity was about 64.75 TBq(1750Ci)/mmol. The assay has a detection limit of 0.17pg/tube and the assay range was 0.25-1000pg/tube. The procedure was developed for extraction of endothelin from human plasma using C18 Sep-pak extraction cartridges. Human plasma samples were extracted, assayed and the plasma ET values of 17 healthly volunteers was found to be 2.81 ?0.60pg/ml. Both patients with uraemia(n = 20) and acute myocardial infarction(n= 11) had significantly higher plasma values than normal subjects.

Animals ; Male ; Particle Size ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; chemically induced ; Silicon Dioxide ; chemistry ; toxicity

Objective:To investigate the prevenlence of insomnia on workers and related influcecing factors in chip manufacturing industry.Methods:By using cluster sampling method, 2 251 workers in chip manufacturing industry were selected as study subjects. The simple Job Demand-Control model Questionnnaire (JDC) , Effort-Reword Imbalance (ERI) Questionnnaire and Insomnia Symptoms Scale were used to evaluate JDC occupational stress, ERI occupational stress and insomnia symptoms respectively.Results:22.6% (509/2251) workers were found high level of insomnia. The risk factors of insomnia symptoms were high score of effort and overcommitment ( P< 0.05) . The risk of insomnia symptoms in high effort was 1.689 times that of low score (95% CI: 1.334-2.138) . The risk of insomnia symptoms in high overcommitment was 1.835 times that of low score (95% CI: 1.461-2.305) . The protective factors for insomnia symptoms were women, monthly income of more than 3000 yuan, college dregree or above, high work control and high reward ( P<0.05) . Conclusion:The high scores of effort and overcommitment are the risk factors for insomnia symptoms of employees in manufacture electronic devices. Enterprises should take comprehensive measures to pay attention to the occurrence of insomnia symptoms among employees with high score of effort and overcommitment.

Objective:To investigate the prevenlence of insomnia on workers and related influcecing factors in chip manufacturing industry.Methods:By using cluster sampling method, 2 251 workers in chip manufacturing industry were selected as study subjects. The simple Job Demand-Control model Questionnnaire (JDC) , Effort-Reword Imbalance (ERI) Questionnnaire and Insomnia Symptoms Scale were used to evaluate JDC occupational stress, ERI occupational stress and insomnia symptoms respectively.Results:22.6% (509/2251) workers were found high level of insomnia. The risk factors of insomnia symptoms were high score of effort and overcommitment ( P< 0.05) . The risk of insomnia symptoms in high effort was 1.689 times that of low score (95% CI: 1.334-2.138) . The risk of insomnia symptoms in high overcommitment was 1.835 times that of low score (95% CI: 1.461-2.305) . The protective factors for insomnia symptoms were women, monthly income of more than 3000 yuan, college dregree or above, high work control and high reward ( P<0.05) . Conclusion:The high scores of effort and overcommitment are the risk factors for insomnia symptoms of employees in manufacture electronic devices. Enterprises should take comprehensive measures to pay attention to the occurrence of insomnia symptoms among employees with high score of effort and overcommitment.

OBJECTIVETo observe effects of phytoestrogens quercetin (QC), Genistein (GEN), coumestrol (COM), and enterolactone (ENL) on gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) in HaCaT cells.

METHODSHaCaT cells were exposed to QC, GEN, COM, and ENL at 0.1, 1.0, 10.0 and 100.0 micromol/L for 24 hours. The effects of phytoestrogens on GJIC were determined by fluorescence redistribution after photobleaching (FRAP) technique of using a laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM).

RESULTSQC did not affect the GJIC at 0.1-10.0 micromol/L, whereas, GEN, COM, and ENL exhibited inhibition on the GJIC in some extent at 0.1-10.0 micromol/L without showing significant cytotoxicity. The ratio of fluorescence recovery were between 31.77% to 37.06%, which were significantly decreased compared the vehicle control (44.74%).

CONCLUSIONThe phytoestrogens GEN, COM, and ENL, but not QC, could inhibit the GJIC function in HaCaT cells at concentrations could be reached in human serum in some instance, indicating they could, under certain conditions, be cancer promoters. Therefore, it should be prudent to use these chemicals as pharmaceuticals or dietary supplements.

Cell Communication ; drug effects ; physiology ; Cell Line ; Coumestrol ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Gap Junctions ; drug effects ; physiology ; Genistein ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Phytoestrogens ; pharmacology ; Quercetin ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo study the phenotypes and genotypes of a protein C (PC) deficiency pedigree.

METHODSImmunoassay (ELISA) was used for PC antigen and activated PC (APC) detection, PCR for amplification of the fragment of protein C gene exon II to exon IX, single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) for difference of denatured cDNA and DNA sequencing for gene mutation.

RESULTSFour members in the pedigree were found to be PC antigen levels between 34.3% - 67.8% and PC activity between 22% - 49% which are lower in comparison with normal references (80% - 120% and 70% - 130%, respectively). A G-to-A mutation in exon VII of the protein C gene at 6 219 position was identified in 9 members. This mutation resulted in the substitution of Arg for Gln at 169 amino acid.

CONCLUSIONThe proband is of heterozygosity. The G6219 A mutation in exon VII of the protein C gene leads to the substitution of Arg 169 Gln. This mutation is reported for the first time in China.

Adult ; DNA Mutational Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pedigree ; Point Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Protein C ; genetics ; metabolism ; Protein C Deficiency ; congenital ; genetics

Objective: To investigate the effects of ethylbenzene on growth morphology、proliferation ability and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) of cochlear progenitor cells (CPCs) , and to lay a foundation for the mechanism of hearing loss induced by ethylbenzene. Methods: We can use the fluorescence microscopy to identify the original CPCs isolated from the newborn rats, and followed by the addition of different concentrations of ethylbenzene (0, 15, 30, 45 μmol/L) for 24 hours. The morphological changes of cell injury were observed by inverted optical microscope. The proliferation ability of cells was detected by MTT colorimetry, and the change of MMP was detected by fluorescent probe JC-1. Results: The results of CPCs identification showed the expression of Myosin VIIa and Epsin positive; The results observed by inverted optical microscope showed all groups of CPCs morphological changes compared with the control group; MTT results showed that the decreased significantly proliferation ability of CPCs groups compared with the control group and a dose effect relationship with statistically significant difference (P<0.05) ; JC-1 test results showed the decreased significantly mitochondrial membrane potential in the treated group compared with the control group, and there was a statistically significant difference (P<0.05) . Conclusion Ethylbenzene may cause damage to CPCs, inhibition of cell proliferation and decrease of MMP in rats.

Objective: To construct a recombinant short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) lentiviral vector targeting the β-catenin gene in cochlear precursor cells (CPCs) in mice, and to investigate its inhibitory effect. Methods: PCR was used for the multiplication of the β-catenin gene, and shRNA oligo was designed based on the β-catenin gene to construct an interference vector. Gateway Technology was used to construct shRNA lentiviral vector which carried the β-catenin gene, and then 293FT cells were transfected with the constructed lentiviral vector and helper plasmids pLV/helper-SL3, pLV/helper-SL4, and pLV/helper-SL5. The virus supernatant was collected to obtain viral particles, and then mouse CPCs were transiently infected with the recombinant lentivirus with four different concentrations (0, 5, 10, and 20 μl) . The shRNA control group was established. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot were used to investigate the inhibitory effect of shRNA β-catenin lentiviral vector on β-catenin. Results: The recombinant shRNA β-catenin lentiviral vector was successfully constructed, and the virus titers of shβ-catenin and shβ-catenin-control were 5.05×10⁷ and 4.34×10⁷, respectively. The results of in vitro experiments showed that in CPCs transfected with four different concentrations of recombinant lentivirus, the content of β-catenin protein gradually decreased with the increase in concentration, and there was a significant difference between groups (P<0.05) ; the CPCs transfected with shβ-catenin had significantly lower mRNA expression of β-catenin than those in the shβ-catenin-control group (P<0.05) . Conclusion The constructed lentiviral vector targeting the β-catenin gene has a high infection efficiency, and the successful construction of lentiviral vectors provides a technical support for analyzing the role of β-catenin in the differentiation of CPCs into auditory hair cells.