OBJECTIVETo comprehensively evaluate the effect of interventions on obesity in Chinese pupils.

METHODSA literature research was carried out in China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, PubMed and the Excerpts Medica Database (EMBASE) databases to collect articles published between 1979 and 2010 concerning the effect of interventions for preventing obesity in Chinese pupils. Rate difference (RD) of the rate of obesity as the evaluation indicator was selected to Meta-analyze the effect of interventions on obesity. There are total 215 articles, in which 211 articles were written in Chinese and other articles were written in English.

RESULTS17 literatures were used for Meta-analysis by the uniform inclusion and exclusion criteria. The results showed that the RD of obesity rate for the students in the intervention group was 3% (95%CI: 1% - 5%) after the intervention. However, the RD of obesity rate for the students in the control group was -2% (95%CI: -4% - -1%) after the intervention. Results of stratified analysis for the RD of obesity rate showed that the obesity rate for the students in the intervention group were decreased significantly after the intervention of combined programs with health education, physical exercise and nutrition interventions with moderate intervention time (1 to 2 years), the RD (95%CI) of obesity rate were 5% (2% - 8%), 3% (1% - 4%), respectively. For the studies whose baseline obesity rates was insignificant difference between the intervention group and the control group, the obesity rate for the students in the intervention group was 4% (95%CI: -7% - -1%) lower than the obesity rate for the students in the control group after the intervention.

CONCLUSIONHealth-education-based comprehensive intervention is effective on obesity prevention in Chinese pupils; combined intervention programs with moderate intervention time (1 to 2 years) were effective in improving efficiency of obesity prevention in pupils.

Child ; China ; Health Education ; Humans ; Obesity ; prevention & control ; Students

OBJECTIVETo observe the changes of systemic and pulmonary hemodynamics and the plasma levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) and investigate their association in patients with hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS).

METHODSTwenty-six patients with HPS undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) were enrolled in this study with 20 patients without hypoxemia as the control group. Blood samples were taken one day before OLT to measure the plasma levels of iNOS and ET-1 using fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR) and radioimmunoassay, respectively, with 10 healthy volunteers serving as the healthy control group. Before the operation for OLT, the parameters of systemic and pulmonary hemodynamics were monitored after anesthesia induction.

RESULTSThe systemic and pulmonary hemodynamics in patients without hypoxemia was characterized by high cardiac output and low resistance, and by comparison, the patients with HPS showed even higher cardiac output and lower mean pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary artery wedge pressure, systemic vascular resistance and pulmonary vascular resistance. The two patient groups had comparable plasma iNOS and ET-1 levels, which were both higher than those in the healthy control group.

CONCLUSIONThe hemodynamics in patients with end-stage liver disease exhibit a pattern of high cardiac output and low resistance, which is more obvious in HPS patients possibly in association with elevated plasma levels of iNOS and ET-1.

Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Endothelin-1 ; blood ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; physiology ; Hepatopulmonary Syndrome ; blood ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; blood ; Pulmonary Circulation ; physiology ; Young Adult

Objective Retrospectively study of the effects of interferon-α therapy on height and weight of children with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).Methods Total of 116 hospitalized cases of CHB children in Adolescent Liver Centre, 302 Military Hospital of China from January 2010 to December 2011 were respectively studied.Heights and weights of all the subjects at baseline, 24 weeks, 48 weeks, 72 weeks and 96 weeks of treatment, and 24 weeks, 48 weeks and 96 weeks of follow-up were measured.The weight Z score (WAZ), height Z score (HAZ) and body mass index (BMI) Z score of subjects with hepatic fibrosis (S) <3 and S≥3 were compared.The differences of HAZ and WAZ between baseline and treatment or follow-up in groups of subjects aged 1-6 years and 6-16 years were also compared.T test or rank sum test was used for comparison between groups.Results Among the study of all 116 patients studied, median baseline values of HAZ, WAZ and BMI Z score were 0.76, 0.38 and-0.04, respectively.For patients with hepatic fibrosis S<3, the median HAZ and WAZ were 0.83 and 0.32, respectively.For patients with hepatic fibrosis S≥3, the median HAZ and WAZ were 0.52 and 0.15, respectively.The differences were not statistically significant (both P>0.05).At 48 weeks of treatment, the median HAZ was 0.50, and the median WAZ was 0.20;after a follow-up period of 24 weeks, the median HAZ was-0.32, and the median WAZ was-0.18;after a follow-up period of 48 weeks, the median HAZ was 0.09 and the median WAZ was 0.06.All the above median values of HAZ and WAZ were significantly different from those at baseline (all P<0.05).The difference of HAZ at baseline and 96 weeks of treatment in group aged 6-16 years was significantly different from that in group aged 1-6 years (-0.74±0.69 vs-0.53±0.35, t=1.85, P<0.05).Also, the difference of WAZ at baseline and 96 weeks of treatment in group aged 6-16 years was significantly different from that in group aged 1-6 years (-0.69±0.41 vs-0.17±0.75, t=3.74, P<0.05).The difference of HAZ at baseline and 96 weeks after treatment in group aged 6-16 years was significantly different from that in groups aged 1-6 years (-1.12±0.81 vs-0.05±0.69, t=2.06, P=0.022).Conclusions Interferon-α treatment for children with chronic hepatitis B does have influence on their height and weight, which restores to some degree after the treatment finished.Physicians should pay more attention to the influence of interferon-α treatment on height and weight in children aged 6-16 years.

Objective To evaluate the associations between polymorphisms of LEPR Gln223Arg,LEPR Pro 1019Pro and the risk on obesity.Methods A computerized search on literature was carried out in Wanfang,CNKI,VIP databases and CBM,PubMed,EMBASE databases to collect articles published between 1979 and 2010 concerning the associations between polymorphisms of LEPR Gln223Arg and/or LEPR Pro 1019Pro and risk of obesity in the Chinese population.Odds ratios (ORs) were used to assess the strength of the association,and 95％ confidence intervals (CIs) to present the precision of the estimates.Meta-analysis was performed using the STATA statistical software.Results Fifteen literature were collected for Meta-analysis by the uniform inclusion and exclusion criteria.There were 1096 obese patients and 949 controls for polymorphisms of LEPR Gln223Arg in 9 papers,together with 961 obese patients and 818 controls for polymorphisms of LEPR Prol019Pro in 8 papers.Overall,there were significant associations between decreased risk of obesity and LEPR Gln223Arg polymorphisms (-668 A→G) (G versus A,OR=0.66,95％CI:0.49-0.89; AG and GG versus AA,OR=0.50,95％CI:0.32-0.77; respectively).There were significant associations between increased risk of obesity and LEPR Prol019Pro polymorphisms (-3057 G→A) (A versus G,OR=1.61,95％CI:1.15-2.26; AG and AA versus GG,OR=1.50,95％CI:1.08-2.08; respectively).Conclusion Variant alleles at both LEPR-668 and LEPR-3057 were associated with obesity in the Chinese Han-dominated population.

BACKGROUNDStimulation of the heart beta 3-adrenoceptor (AR) may result in a negative inotropic effect. Being up-regulated, beta 3-AR plays a more important role in the regulation of cardiac function during heart failure. However, the effect of chronic blocking of beta 3-AR on heart failure has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we used a selective beta 3-AR antagonist SR59230A to treat a well defined heart failure rat model chronically, then evaluated its effect on cardiac function and investigated the mechanism.

METHODSMale Wistar rats were chosen randomly as controls (n = 8). Isoproterenol induced heart failure rats were randomly divided into ISO group (n = 10) and SR group (n = 10). The ISO group received intraperitoneal injection of 1 ml saline twice a day; the SR group received intraperitoneal injection of SR59230A 85 nmol in 1 ml saline twice a day; and the control group received no treatment. The treatment was started 24 hours after the last isoproterenol injection and continued for 7 weeks. Then we measured the following indexes: the ratio of heart weight to body weight (HW/BW) and the ratio of left ventricular weight to body weight (LVW/BW), collagen volume fraction (CVF), left ventricular end diastolic dimension (LVEDd), left ventricular end systolic dimension (LVESd), ejection fraction (EF), fractional shortening (FS) and the ratio of E wave to A wave (E/A), the mRNA and protein expression of beta 3-AR and eNOS, and cGMP level in the heart.

RESULTSThe ratios HW/BW and LVW/BW were significantly increased in the ISO group compared with the control group (P < 0.01), but they were limited in the SR group (P < 0.05 compared with the ISO group). CVF increased in the ISO group and the SR group (P < 0.01), but it was significantly attenuated in the SR group (P < 0.01). LVEDd, LVESd and E/A ratio were significantly increased in the ISO group compared with the control group (P < 0.01), while EF and FS were significantly decreased (P < 0.01). Compared with the ISO group, the SR group showed that LVEDd, LVESd and E/A ratio were significantly decreased (P < 0.01), whereas EF and FS were significantly increased (P < 0.01). beta(3)-AR and eNOS mRNA and protein in the ISO group were significantly increased when compared with the control group (P < 0.01). These increases were all attenuated in the SR group compared with the ISO group (P < 0.01). The level of cGMP in myocardial tissue was significantly increased in the ISO group compared with the control group (P < 0.01), whereas SR59230A treatment normalized this increment (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSChronic blocking of beta 3-AR could ameliorate cardiac function in heart failure rats and its mechanism involves inhibition of the negative inotropic effect and attenuation of cardiac remodeling.

Adrenergic beta-3 Receptor Antagonists ; Adrenergic beta-Antagonists ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Disease Models, Animal ; Echocardiography ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Male ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III ; genetics ; Propanolamines ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-3 ; physiology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Ventricular Function, Left ; drug effects

OBJECTIVEThe Medical Outcome Study of 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) is a well-validated generic questionnaire widely used to assess health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ) is a specific HRQOL assessment designed for patients with liver diseases. The aim of our study is to evaluate the HRQOL based on SF-36 and CLDQ (Chinese version) in patients with chronic hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis, especially in the status of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE).

METHODSThe SF-36 and CLDQ were answered by 160 healthy volunteers, 20 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 106 patients with cirrhosis. HRQOL scores of the groups with different liver disease severities and with or without MHE were compared. The SF-36 includes one multi-item scale that assesses eight health categories: physical functioning, role-physical, body pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role-emotion, and mental health. CLDQ assesses 6 categories: abdominal symptoms, fatigue, systemic symptoms, activity, emotional function and worry.

RESULTSCompared with the healthy controls, patients with chronic hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis at baseline had a lower HRQOL on all scales of the SF-36 and CLDQ (P < 0.01 for all). Increased severity of liver cirrhosis (based on the Child-Pugh score but with MHE or without) was associated with a decrease in most components, both in SF-36 and in CLDQ. However, patients with Child-Pugh B and C disease had similar HRQOL scores on both the SF-36 and CLDQ (P > 0.05), except role-physical and vitality on SF-36. There was a significant difference between patients with and without MHE on the SF-36 score (P < 0.01), and no significant difference (P > 0.05) on CLDQ scores except in abdominal symptoms.

CONCLUSIONThe Chinese version of SF-36 along with CLDQ are valid and reliable methods for testing MHE in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

Objective: To describe the epidemiological characteristics and clinical manifestations of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in pediatric patients, and to provide data support and decision-making basis for the prevention and control of COVID-19. Methods: Cases of children aged 0-17 years reported by provincial health commissions in Anhui, Shandong, Zhejiang and Henan provinces were collected to analyze their spatial, temporal, and demographic distribution. Results: By 24:00 on February 6, 2020, a total of 107 pediatric patients had been reported in the four provinces, accounting for 3.8% (107/2 808) of the total cases reported in the four provinces during the same period. Anhui, Shandong, Zhejiang and Henan provinces had 25, 25, 28 and 29 cases, respectively. Cases ranged in age from 5 days after birth to 17 years, with a median age of 8 years. Boys accounted for 58.9%. Totally 38 cases had a history of sojourn in Wuhan or Hubei, 63 cases had a history of exposure to confirmed cases, and 6 cases with unknown exposure history. A group of 52 family clustering were found in 107 cases. All cases presented mild symptoms, no serious and no death. Conclusion Children were also susceptible to the COVID-19. Before February 2, the index pediatric cases were mainly the first generation cases, and after February 3, these pediatric cases were mainly the secondary-generation cases and those who had close contact with confirmed cases. The monitoring of children with secondgeneration cases and close contact with COVID-19 cases were valued.

OBJECTIVETo study the mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion in adjusting apoptosis of colonic epithelial cells of the rat of ulcerative colitis (UC).

METHODSUC rats were randomly divided into four groups including normal control group (NC), model control group (MC), herbs-partitioned moxibustion group (HPM) and electroacupuncture group (EA). The HPM and EA groups were respectively treated with herbs-partitioned moxibustion and electroacupuncture at "Qihai" (CV 6) and bilateral "Tianshu" (ST 25). Then the colon of the rat was taken and the changes of the tissue structure and the cell apoptosis were observed by electron microscope and flow cytometer respectively.

RESULTSThe colon tissue showed histopathological changes, and apoptosis of epithelial cells increased in the model mice of UC as compared with the normal rat. Electroacupuncture and drug-separated moxibustion could significantly decrease the abnormal apoptosis of epithelial cells.

CONCLUSIONThe adjustment of the abnormal apoptosis of epithelial cells is one of the mechanisms of drug-separated moxibustion and electroacupuncture treating UC.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Colitis, Ulcerative ; therapy ; Epithelial Cells ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

BACKGROUNDTurbulent shear stress (TSS) plays an important role in the research of fluid dynamics of heart valves. This study aimed to perform a quantitative study of TSS downstream of porcine artificial mitral valves in order to verify the correlation of hot-film anemometry (HFA) and Doppler echocardiography combined with computer-aided image analysis for the detection of TSS.

METHODSA porcine model of mitral valve replacement was established. HFA and Doppler ultrasound techniques were used to directly and indirectly measure TSS-relevant parameters of the artificial mitral valve following different mitral valve replacements: different approaches were used to reserve the subvalvular apparatus of the mitral valve. A correlation analysis was then carried out.

RESULTSThere was a significant correlation between the HFA and Doppler ultrasound combined with computer-aided image analysis of the TSS at the same time and at the same site. No significant difference was found in the TSS measured by the two methods.

CONCLUSIONSCompared with HFA, Doppler echocardiography combined with computer-aided image analysis is a safe, non-invasive, and real-time method that enables accurate and quantitative detection of TSS downstream in vivo, objectively reflecting the flow field downstream of the artificial mitral valve. Doppler ultrasound combined with computer-aided image analysis can be employed for quantitatively evaluating the downstream hemodynamic performance of the mitral valve.

Animals ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; methods ; Heart Valve Prosthesis ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Mitral Valve ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Pulsatile Flow ; Rheology ; Stress, Mechanical ; Swine

BACKGROUNDExperimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) in rats is a T-cell-mediated disorder. The initiation and maintenance of autoimmune responses in EAM depend on the maturation state of dendritic cells. IL-10 is a pleiotrophic immunomodulatory cytokine that functions at different levels of the immune response, so it has emerged as a promising therapeutic factor for the treatment of autoimmune/inflammatory diseases. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that IL-10 gene modified bone marrow-derived immature dendritic cells (iDCs) ameliorate EAM and to explore the underlying mechanisms.

METHODSEAM was induced using the methods of cardiac myosin immunization on day 0 and day 7. Immature and mature bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) were generated without or with the stimulation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the phenotype was analyzed by flow cytometry. Some of the iDCs were transfected by pcDNA3-IL-10 plasmid. 2 x 10(6)/per rat mature DC (mDC), immature DC (iDC), pcDNA3 transfected iDC, pcDNA3-IL-10 transfected iDC or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) were injected intravenously for treatment 5 days after the first immunization. On day 21, HE staining was performed to detect the myocardial inflammation and T lymphocyte proliferation assay was used to determine the effects of IL-10 gene transfected iDC on autoreactive T cell proliferation. Expression of IkappaB, the inhibitor of NF-kappaB pathway, was determined by Western blot.

RESULTSBMDCs generated in a medium supplemented with granulocyte-macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were relatively immature, as determined by flow cytometry. However, stimulation with LPS induced these cells to become mature (m) DCs with higher levels of surface major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-II and costimulatory molecules. Intravenous administration of iDCs, especially pcDNA3-IL-10 transfected iDC, ameliorated the histopathological severity of the myosin induced-EAM, and the effect was lost after the DCs underwent maturation induced by in vitro exposure to LPS. IL-10 gene modified iDC inhibited the antigen specific T cell responses towards cardiac myosin. IkappaB protein was up-regulated significantly in the IL-10 gene modified iDC group.

CONCLUSIONSIL-10 gene modified iDC induced antigen-specific tolerance in EAM. The underlying mechanisms may be related to costimulatory molecules down-regulation and NF-kappaB pathway inhibition.

Animals ; Autoimmune Diseases ; immunology ; Dendritic Cells ; physiology ; Immune Tolerance ; Interleukin-10 ; genetics ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Male ; Myocarditis ; immunology ; Myosins ; immunology ; NF-kappa B ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred Lew ; Signal Transduction ; Transfection