OBJECTIVEThe best approach for blood pressure (BP) measurement in children remains controversial, especially on the choice of Korotkoff phase 4 (K4) vs. Korotkoff phase 5 (K5) for diastolic BP (DBP) and to compare the differences between K4 and K5 in school-aged children and their predictions to hypertension in adult.

METHODSThe "Beijing children and adolescents BP study" cohort population consisted 2505 school-aged children aged 6 to 17 at baseline survey in 1987, when datum of systolic BP (SBP), DBP measured using K4 and K5, were collected respectively. Among them, 412 individuals with 220 males and 192 females at age of 23-37 years old, were successfully followed up and invited to take part in a clinical examination including anthropometric measurements, SBP and DBP recordings, and a questionnaires in 2005. Method for the BP measurements at both baseline and followed-up was by auscultation with a standard sphygmomanometer. Child hypertension at baseline was diagnosed according to the age-specific cutoffs recommended by the World Health Organization in 1996 (WHO 1996). Adult hypertension was diagnosed according to the China Guideline for Hypertension Prevention and Control issued in 2005. Partial correlation coefficients were calculated to describe the association of K4 and K5 in childhood with SBP and DBP level in adulthood. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the impact of choice of K5 and K4 as DBP in childhood on prediction to the hypertension in adulthood. Potential confounders such as gender and adult-height were controlled for.

RESULTSAt baseline, the prevalence rates of hypertension were 5.0% with DBP measured using K4, and 2.4% with DBP measured using K5, respectively. The geometric mean difference value of K4 minus K5 (K4 - K5) was (10.1 +/- 1.7 mm Hg) (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) for the 2505 school-aged children, and decreased as age increased. There was no significant difference regarding the values of K4 - K5 between males and females in all age groups except for children who at pubertal stage. The distribution of K4 - K5 value across age groups was statistically significant (P < 0.001), 59.6%, 60.5%, 56.3% and 45.1% of children who aged 6-9 years, 10-12 years, 13-15 years, and 16-17 years with their K4 - K5 value over 10 mm Hg. K4 in childhood was better correlated to both SBP and DBP in adulthood than K5. In general, K4 seemed to be superior to K5 in predicting hypertension in adulthood. The odds ratios of hypertension in adulthood were 1.69 (95% CI: 1.11-2.00), 1.45 (1.05-2.02), 2.18 (1.37-3.47), and 1.66 (1.07-2.59) with each 5 mmHg increasing of K4 measured in children aged 6-9 years, 10-12 years, 13-15 years, and 16-17 years, respectively. The agreement diagnosis between child hypertension and adult hypertension was higher for childhood DBP measured using K4 (20.2%) than that using K5 (12.8%).

CONCLUSIONThere was significant difference between K4 and K5 in Chinese children and adolescents. Choice of diastolic Korotkoff blood pressure could affect DBP tracking from childhood into adulthood. K4 seemed superior to K5 when using auscultator technique to measure DBP.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Blood Pressure ; physiology ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; Male

OBJECTIVETo observe the distribution of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in rats' respiratory tract. To study the influence of LPS and Eucalyptus globulus oil on the distribution of TMR4.

METHODThe Sprague-Dawley rats were intratracheally instilled with lipopolysaccharide (LPS,2 mg x kg(-1) per day) for two days to induce acute lung injury. The rats were sacrificed at 72 hours after LPS instillation. Lung morphology was studied. Leukocytes in Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were measured and TLR4 were detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTThe result of immunohistochemistry showed that TLR4 distributed widely in common rats' respiratory tract. In the group of acute lung injury, the number of leucocyte in BALF was increased apparently, the inflammation in bronchus and bronchioles was more apparently than that of the control group in morphology. And the expression of TLR4 was reinforced in main bronchus and bronchioles. In the group of E. globules oil (300 mg x kg(-1)), the leucocyte number was decreased apparently in BALF, the inflammation was lightened and the expression of TLR4 decreased as compared with the group of models.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of TLR4 distributes widely in rats' respiratory tract. The stimulation of LPS can reinforce the expression of TLR4. The E. globules oil can reduce the increase of TLR4 induced by LPS in bronchioles.

Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Bronchi ; metabolism ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; cytology ; Eucalyptus ; chemistry ; Leukocyte Count ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Lung ; pathology ; Male ; Oils, Volatile ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult ; chemically induced ; metabolism ; pathology ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Spearmint oil on inflammation, oxidative alteration and Nrf2 expression in rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).

METHODSCOPD model was induced by intratracheal instillation of Klebsiella pneumonia and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 12 weeks in rats, and COPD rats were treated with Spearmint oil for 3 weeks. After COPD was induced, the pathological changes, changes in leucocyte number in blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), MDA in lung homogenate and Nrf2 expression were observed. The effects of Spearmint oil on these changes were determined.

RESULTSpearmint oil 100 mg*kg(-1)significantly reduced leucocyte numbers in BALF, and attenuated bronchiolitis, pulmonary interstitial inflammation and inflammation cell infiltration. Spearmint oil 30-300 mg*kg(-1)decreased the destruction of pulmonary alveolus and the thickness of bronchioles walls, and inhibited goblet cell proliferation. Spearmint oil significantly reduced MDA in lung homogenate, and decreased the expression of Nrf2 protein in lung tissues.

CONCLUSIONSpearmint oil has protective effect on lung injury in COPD rats, since it improves pulmonary inflammation,oxidative alteration, and enhances Nrf2 protein expression.

Animals ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Male ; Mentha spicata ; chemistry ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2 ; metabolism ; Oils, Volatile ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; drug therapy ; etiology ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of synthetic drug QTY06 on chronic airway inflammation and mucoprotein expression induced by intratracheal (i.t) instillation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

METHODSChronic airway inflammation was induced by i.t instillation of LPS in rats. Phospholipids content and the number of leucocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), pathological and immunochemical changes were examined 3 weeks after LPS instillation. The effect of QTY06 on chronic airway inflammation was observed.

RESULTAfter treatment with QTY06, phospholipids in BALF was significantly increased, and the percentages of neutrophils and lymphocytes were decreased as well as the total number of leucocytes. Compared with the model group, pathological examination showed that tracheitis, bronchitis and pulmonary interstitial inflammation in QTY06 groups were significantly attenuated; epithelial damage was alleviated, infiltration of inflammatory cells reduced and the number of goblet cells decreased. QTY06 significantly decreased MUC5ac expression in trachea and bronchiole epithelium, and reduced the optical density and mucins area (%) as detected by image analysis in rats with chronic airway inflammation.

CONCLUSIONQTY06 can reduce and inhibit the chronic airway inflammation induced by LPS in rats, and increase the content of phospholipids in pulmonary surfactant and inhibit the hypersecretion of airway mucins.

Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Bronchitis ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; chemistry ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Male ; Mucin 5AC ; secretion ; Phospholipids ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Respiratory Mucosa ; drug effects ; secretion

Objective To investigate the trends and risk factors of overweight and obesity in Chinese middle school students. Methods Data from the China Education Panel Survey conducted in 2014, 2015 and 2016 were used (8 616, 8 762, 7 614; age range 11-18 years old). Overweight and obesity were defined according to Chinese sex-age-specific body mass index (BMI) cutoffs. Relationships between risk factors and BMI, overweight and obesity were tested, using linear regression and logistic regression models. Results The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity in 2016 was 15.3% (17.9% in boys, 12.6% in girls). From 2014 to 2016, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was increasing steadily. After adjusting for age and sex in 2016, being only-child, self-perceived being overweight or obese, or living in urban area were associated with higher BMI (β(SE)=0.23(0.10), β(SE)=2.83(0.14), β(SE)=0.23(0.11), respectively). Self-perceived being overweight or obese was associated with overweight and obesity (OR=4.20, 95% CI: 2.97-5.40). Conclusions Overweight and obesity rates among Chinese middle school students increased steadily from 2014 to 2016. Efforts should be made on childhood obesity prevention and control, especially target at those being only-child, living in urban areas.

OBJECTIVETo determine the current prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents (2-18 years) in Beijing and its distribution by age, gender and urban-rural residence.

METHODSAs part of the Beijing Child and Adolescent Metabolic Syndrome Study, a stratified cluster representative sample of 23,422 children aged 0-18 years was selected. Anthropometric measures including weight and height were collected from 21,198 subjects aged 2-18 years from April to October in 2004. Overweight and obesity were defined according to body mass index [BMI, weight(kg)/height(m2)] cutpoints. For national and international comparisons, three sex-age-specific BMI criteria were used:1) The BMI cutoffs recommended by the Chinese Working Group on Obesity for Children (WGOC) aged 7-18 years; 2) The US 2000 CDC Growth Charts (CDC 2000) frac 34, the 85th and 95th percentiles; 3) The International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) reference.

RESULTSThe overall combined prevalence of overweight and obesity was 18.6% with obesity as 8.1% based on the CDC 2000 criteria, The figures were 17.4% and 5.1% based on the IOTF criteria. According to the WGOC criteria, the combined prevalence of obesity was 20.9% and 8.9% in children aged 7-18 years. The combined prevalence was higher in school-age children (6-18 years) than in preschool-age children (19.8% vs. 14.8%, based on the CDC 2000 criteria). Among school-age children, the prevalence was higher in boys than in girls (26.7% vs. 16.5%), in urban than in rural areas (27.0% vs. 15.9%). However, these differences were not observed in preschool-age children. It was estimated that approximately 450 000 children from 2 through 18 years of age,were overweight or obesity in Beijing.

CONCLUSIONData from our study indicated that one fifth of the children and adolescents in Beijing were under overweight or obesity situation which was the highest in the nation. Obesity among children and adolescents in Beijing had already become a serious public health problem which deserved greater attention.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Infant ; Obesity ; epidemiology ; Overweight ; epidemiology ; Prevalence

Adult ; Biomarkers ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A, Secretory ; analysis ; Isoenzymes ; analysis ; Male ; Occupational Diseases ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Saliva ; enzymology ; immunology ; Stress, Psychological ; diagnosis ; immunology

The effect of Rhizoma curcumae oil on the learning and memory in rats exposed to chronic hypoxia and the possible mechanisms were investigated. The rats were divided randomly into 5 groups (14 animals in each group): control, chronic hypoxia, chronic hypoxia with low (5 mg/kg body weight), middle (10 mg/kg body weight) and high (20 mg/kg body weight) concentrations of Rhizoma curcumae oil injection. The animals undergoing chronic hypoxia were exposed to hypoxia in a hypoxic chamber containing 10% O(2) and 5% CO(2) for 10 h/d, lasting 28 d. Morris water maze (MWM) test was used to obtain the scores of leaning and memory. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malonaldehyde (MDA) content were determined in the serum and hippocampus as well as [Ca(2+)](i) in the hippocampus. The expression of phosphorylated Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (p-CaMKII) in the hippocampus was evaluated by using immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Compared with the control group, the chronic hypoxia group showed the following changes: (1) The escape latency to the hidden platform was remarkably prolonged (P<0.05); (2) The content of MDA and [Ca(2+)](i) were obviously higher, but the activity of SOD and the expression of p-CaMKII were significantly lower (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the chronic hypoxia group, groups with Rhizoma curcumae oil injection had the following changes: (1) The escape latency to the hidden platform was remarkably shorter in 10, 20 mg/kg body weight groups (P<0.05); (2) The content of MDA and [Ca(2+)](i) were markedly decreased in 5, 10, 20 mg/kg body weight groups (P<0.05, P<0.01), but the activity of SOD in the serum and the expression of p-CaMKII were significantly higher in 10, 20 mg/kg body weight groups (P<0.05, P<0.01). The results showed that the capacity of learning and memory was degraded following chronic hypoxia. The decrease in MDA content and [Ca(2+)](i) and (or) the increase in SOD activity and p-CaMKII expression might participate in the enhancing effect on learning and memory induced by Rhizoma curcumae oil.
Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2 ; metabolism ; Curcuma ; chemistry ; Hippocampus ; metabolism ; Hypoxia ; physiopathology ; Learning ; drug effects ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Memory ; drug effects ; Plant Oils ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the impact of menarche age (MA) on obese status in late puberty (LP) and mid-life (ML) females.

METHODS2035 girls aged 16 to 18 years were selected from a Beijing Child and Adolescent Metabolic Syndrome (BCAMS) study, which was performed from April to October in 2004, as the LP study population. 479 women aged 41 to 52 years were from the Fetal Origin of Adult Disease (FOAD) cohort, which established in 1995 to 2001, as the ML study population. Based on the 25 and 75 percentile of MA of each population, all subjects of LP and ML were divided into early, middle, and late matured groups, respectively. Overweight and obesity were defined by Chinese age-, gender-specific BMI criteria for LP girls, and Chinese BMI criteria for ML women while central obesity was defined by the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) cutoff of 0.5. Multiple linear regression was used to explore the associations between MA and BMI, waist circumference (WC) and WHtR. The impact of early menarche on obese status in late life was estimated by odds ratio (OR) using logistic regression analyses.

RESULTSThe prevalence of overweight and obesity increased with the decrease of MA in both LP and ML population. When MA had a one-year advance, a 0.58 kg/m2 increase in BMI and a 1.1 cm increase in WC during LP, and a 0.35 kg/m2 increase in BMI and a 0.6 cm increase in WC during ML were observed. After adjustment for age, residence area and life style related variables, those who experienced earlier menarche were at higher risk of suffering from obesity in LP (OR :8.740, 95% CI: 3.653-20.911) and during ML (2.498, 1.145-5.453) when compared to those with later menarche. We also noticed that the risk increased for central obesity [LP: 14.280 (3.223-63. 267), ML: 15.604 (1.821-133.679)].

CONCLUSIONMenarche age appeared to be an independent predictor for obese status in LP and ML among women.

Adiposity ; physiology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Menarche ; physiology ; Middle Aged ; Obesity ; epidemiology ; Prevalence ; Puberty ; physiology ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo study the interactive effect of job stress and genetic susceptibility (or gene polymorphism) on hypertension.

METHODSA cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted in 452 workers from a thermal power plant in China. Extrinsic effort, occupational reward, and over-commitment were measured. Hypertensive patients were defined by three phases of screening, reexamination, and final diagnosis. beta2-AR genotypes and allele frequencies at amino acid positions 16 (beta2-AR-16: Arg-->Gly) and 27 (beta2-AR-27: Gln-->Glu) were identified by PCR-RFLP.

RESULTSJob stress was related with the prevalence of hypertension in males (P < 0.05), whereas no significant relationship was found in females (P > 0.05). Differences in genotypes and allele frequencies of the beta2-AR-16 were statistically significant between the hypertension and control groups (P < 0.05), whereas those of beta2-AR-27 were not (P > 0.05). The prevalence of hypertension was higher in individuals carrying Gly16 allele than in those carrying Arg16 allele of the high job stress group (P < 0.01 or 0.05).

CONCLUSIONHigh job stress and polymorphism of beta2-AR-16 have an interactive effect on the prevalence of hypertension in male workers.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Employment ; psychology ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Male ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Power Plants ; Prevalence ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 ; genetics ; Stress, Psychological ; complications ; Young Adult