Frailty is more prevalent in advanced aged people.Rehabilitation instruction based on combined aerobic exercise and resistance training can ameliorate the frail state in these elder patients according to different individual characteristics.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the promoter methylation of p16, FHIT and RASSF1A gene and telomere damage in the workers exposed to coal tar pitch, and to explore the effective biomarker of occupational exposure to coal tar pitch.

METHODS180 cases of workers exposed to coal tar pitch in a certain carbon plant named as exposure group, and 145 healthy cases with a medical examination in the first affiliated hospital of Zhengzhou University were selected as control group. Relative telomere length in peripheral blood DNA was detected using real-time quantitative PCR, and the promoter methylation rate of p16, RASSF1A and FHIT gene in peripheral blood DNA were determined by real-time quantitative methylation specific PCR. The relative telomere length and gene promoter methylation in two groups were compared, and influencing factors were analyzed.

RESULTSRelative telomere length in exposed group was lower than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (Z = -5.395, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the promoter methylation rate of p16, FHIT and RASSF1A gene between the two groups (P > 0.05). Stratification analysis by gender, age, and smoking, we found that when the age was less than or equal to 40, the promoter methylation rate of p16 in exposed group was more than that in control group, and the difference was statistically significant (Z = -1.914, P = 0.011).

CONCLUSIONOccupational exposure to coal tar pitch may induce leukocyte DNA telomere length of human peripheral blood shortened, and may not change the promoter methylation rates of p16, FHIT and RASSF1A gene.

Acid Anhydride Hydrolases ; genetics ; Coal Tar ; adverse effects ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 ; genetics ; DNA Methylation ; Humans ; Leukocytes ; drug effects ; Neoplasm Proteins ; genetics ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Telomere ; drug effects ; ultrastructure ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; genetics

Objective To investigate clinical significance and the correlation between oxygen uptake efficiency slope(OUES) measured by the cardiopulmonary exercise test(CPET) and echocardiographic left ventricular function in elderly patients with coronary heart diseases after the percutaneous coronary intervention.Methods Patients aged 65 years and over after PCI and CPET were enrolled to collect relevant parameters including the peak oxygen consumption(VO2peak),oxygen pulse(VO2/HR),OUES and cardiorespiratory fitness(CRF) index,also mitral annulus systolic peak speed(Sm),early diastolic mitral flow velocity Em and mitral annular early diastolic peak velocity Em ratio(E/Em) using the echocardiography.Patients with systolic velocity of mitral annulus(Sm)≥8 cm/s were assigned to the normal Sm group,while the rest were selected into the lower Sm group.The correlation between the cardiopulmonary fitness and cardiac function was analyzed.Results Four hundred and two patients were enrolled,with an average age of 71 ± 5 years,283 males(70.40％),and 119 females(29.60％).Among them,111 (27.61％) were 75 years of age or older,202(50.25％) ranging from 65 to 69 and 89 (22.14％) between 70 and 74.Totally 227 patients were diagnosed as angina pectoris(56.47％),62 as acute myocardial infarction (15.42％),and 113 patients with old myocardial infarction (28.11％).It was found that the heart systolic function was associated with CRF:Sm and OUES were positively correlated independently(r=29.220,P=0.001);Em was positively related to VO2peak(r=0.176,P＜0.001) andOUES (r=0.151,P=0.003).However,E/Em was negatively correlated with VO2peak (r=-0.199,P＜0.001),VO2/HR (r=-0.118,P=0.018) and OUES (r=-0.201,P＜0.001).The left atrial pressure was negatively correlated with VO2peak (r=-0.187,P＜0.001),VO2/HR (r=-0.108,P=0.030) and OUES (r=-0.185,P＜ 0.001).Left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular end diastolic diameter were not found to be related to cardiorespiratory fitness parameters (P＞0.05).Conclusion The cardiopulmonary exercise test can be used as a practical method to evaluate and guide the rehabilitation exercises.The CRF parameters can evaluate the heart function exercise and is significantly correlated to the resting cardiac systolic and diastolic function parameters.

Mucor infection is rarely reported in non-immunocompromised population, especially in isolated gastrointestinal tracts. IgG₄-related diseases (IgG₄-RD) have been recognized in recent years, but secondary causes of IgG₄ elevation should be differentiated. We reported a young man with duodenal mass and ulcer and high serum IgG₄ level. Histological biopsy of the mass revealed positive mucor mycelium and infiltration of IgG₄ positive plasma cells. Serum IgG₄ decreased to normal range after surgical resection and systemic antifungal treatment. This case suggests that isolated mucor mycosis infection can develop in the digestive tract and mimics as IgG₄-related disease.