Objective To study the effect of hypoxia on proliferation of cultured bovine retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells and expression of the antiapoptotic protein bcl-2. Methods The bovine RPE cells were cultured under normal and hypoxic chamber respectively. After 24 hours, the proliferation of RPE cells was evaluated by[3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide, MTT]-test. At the same time, anti-bcl-2 protein antibody was examined by immuno-histochemistry method. Results The A value in the hypoxia group was higher than that in the normal group after 24 hours (P

Objective To explore the association between the polymorphism rs671 site of the acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) gene and H-type hypertension in the elderly in Han nationality in Qingdao.Methods Totally 406 patients aged 60-90 years with primary hypertension were randomly selected in the study.Serum levels of homocysteine(Hcy),folate and vitamin B12 were determined and all patients were divided into H-type hypertension group and non H-type hypertension group.Gene chip technology was used to analyze the ALDH2 (rs671) polymorphism,and the association between ALDH2 gene and H type hypertension was evaluated.Results Of all hypertensive participants,82.0％ (333/406) were in H-type hypertension,87.4％ (221/253) in male and 73.2％ (112/153) in female.The GA/AA genotype and A allele frequency were higher in H-type hypertension group than in non H-type hypertension group [37.2 ％ (124/333) vs.16.4 ％ (12/73) and 21.3％(71/333) vs.9.6％(7/73),P=0.001and 0.021].Serum Hcyleveland the prevalence of H type hypertension were higher in GA/AA genotype group than in GG genotype group(both P＜ 0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that GA/AA genotype,gender (male),drinking,folate deficiency and increased systolic pressure were the risk factors for H-type hypertension (OR=3.17,2.14,2.37,0.75,1.03,respectively,all P＜ 0.05).Conclusions The genetic variation of ALDH2(rs671) may increase Hcy level by decreasing the levels of folate and vitamin B12.GA/AA genotype is a risk factor for H-type hypertension,and it contributes to H-type hypertension together with gender,drinking history,folate levels and systolic pressure.

Objective To explore the related factors with plasma neuropeptide Y in 180 normal healthy people by stepwise regression analysis. Methods Right ventricular end-diastolic diameter(RVDD),inter-ventricular septum end-diastolic thickness(IVST),left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVDD),left ventricular posterior wall end-diastolic thickness(LVPWT),ejection fraction(EF),strole volume(SV),cardiac output(CO),cadiac output index(CI),stroke volume index(SI) and plasma neuropeptide Y were measured respectively by echocardiography and immunoradioassay in all subjects. In addition,we examined the height,weight,blood pressure,heart rate and subcutaneous fat thickness in every subjects. Results The plasma neuropeptide Y wasn't significant difference in different gender and age(P≥0.05). The plasma neuropeptide Y of healthy population was normal distribution and the 95% of confidence interval 70.27 to 190.61,and 99% of confidence interval was 51.23 to 209.65. Conclusion The EF,height,LVST,diastolic blood pressure,CO,SV and subcutaneous fat thickness were the major related-factors of neuropeptide Y in plasma. The EF and height were negatively correlated with plasma neuropeptide Y,and other five factors were postive correlated with it.

Objective Metabonomics method based gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS)were used to analyze the urine samples of patients with hyperlipidemic pancreatitis (HLP) to describe the characteristics of metabolism changes of HLP,identify potential biomarkers,and investigate the role of metabonomics study in the management of AP.Methods 24 patients of HLP and 40 age,sex matched volunteers were enrolled and their urine samples were collected.The urine samples underwent preparation,derivation and GC/MS analysis,Orthogonal-Projection to Latent Structures-Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA)were performed to detect the metabolic profile difference between the HLP and control group.Results HLP patients can be precisely distinguished from healthy controls.21 metabolites (credibility ＞ 700 ) were identified using the reference compounds available in the libraries of NIST and Wiley.It was identified that levels of nicotinic acid,aconitie acid,citric acid,hippurie acid,hydroxyphenylacetic acid,hydroxyphenylpropionicacid were decreased,while the levels of tryptophan,tyrosine,tyramine,16-hexadecanoic acid,18octadecanoie acid were increased.It was also suggested that there was change in tricarboxylic acid cycle and gut bacterial flora,as well as fat metabolism and metabolism of amino acid.Conclusions There are differences between healthy controls and HLP patients in the term of GC/MS metabolic profiling,and the biomarkers in the metabolites could be found through metabonomics analysis,and the mechanisms of the metabolic changes could be explored.It was noted that the research of metabolites in the urine samples may be a useful tool to help diagnose and understand the pathogenesis of HLP.Metabonomics analysis is a promising research method.

OBJECTIVETo study the acute effects of dimethoate on the muscarinic-receptors(M1, M2) in the brain of rats.

METHODS24 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups randomly. They were administered subcutaneously with 0, 25, 50, 100 mg/kg dimethoate, respectively. Brains were removed after 48 hours of administration. Radioligand binding assay was used to determine the density and affinity of M1 and M2 receptors.

RESULTSRats in the treated group showed low density of M1 and M2 receptors compared with the control rats. The brain M1 receptor density of the rats in the highest dosage group was significantly lower than that in the control group while brain M2 receptors density had a decrease trend with increasing dosage, but the difference showed no significance. However, there were no differences of the affinity of both M1 and M2 among different treated groups. Correlation analysis showed there is positive relationship between cholinesterase activity and density of M1 receptors(r = 0.583, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONM1 and M2 receptors density decreased with the increasing dosage of dimethoate. It is suggested that the alleviating of cholinergic symptoms may be due to the decrease of M1 and M2 receptors in rat brain.

Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Cholinesterases ; metabolism ; Dimethoate ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Radioligand Assay ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptor, Muscarinic M1 ; analysis ; drug effects ; Receptor, Muscarinic M2 ; analysis ; drug effects

Objective To study the association between reasons for smoking and results related to successful smoking cessation. Methods A community-based case-control study was conducted with 642 male adults recognized as successful spontaneous smoking quitters being the subject cases while another 700 male adults who had failed to quit smoking were served as the controls. Russell Reason for Smoking Questionnaire(RRSQ)was used to investigate the reasons for smoking. Dominance logistic regression was performed to determine the relative importance of reasons for starting smoking and the endpoint of successful quit smoking. Results After adjusting the potential confounders of age,age of smoking initiation,marital status,profession,and education,the adjusted means of sedative and stimulation of RRSQ in the successful quitters were significant lower than that in the failed quitters. Results from the dominance logistic regression showed that the first two important factors for smoking cessation were sedative and stimulation of RRSQ,followed by psychological image,automatic,hand-mouth activity,indulgence,and addiction. Conclusion This study demonstrated that factors as dependence-addiction showed more important impacts than the social-psychological ones on the endpoint of successful smoking cessation.

OBJECTIVEA Meta-analysis was performed to assess the association of defective hepatic cytochrome P450 2A6 (CYP2A6) gene with smoking behaviors.

METHODSAll eligible studies published up to 2014 were searched out from PubMed, China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI), ISI Web of knowledge (ISI), vip citation databases (VIP), Chinese BioMedical Literature (CBM) and Elsevier Science Direct, searching words were "smok*","nicotine dependence","CYP2A6","cytochrome P450 2A6","polymorphism","mut*"and"varia*", while 436 articles were concluded. Meta-analysis was performed using Statal 3.1.

RESULTSA total of ten studies were finally included. We didn't find a significant effect of defective CYP2A6 gene on smoking initiation (fixed effect model (FEM): OR = 0.90, 95%CI: 0.78-1.03, I(2) = 25.8%), smoking persistence (random effect model (REM): OR = 0.85, 95%CI: 0.59-1.23, I(2) = 66.3%) and smoking cessation (REM: OR = 0.89, 95%CI: 0.57-1.40, I(2) = 67.1%). But it showed a significant protective effect of CYP2A6*4 on smoking initiation (FEM: OR = 0.78, 95%CI: 0.61-0.99, I(2) = 28.2%), smoking persistence (FEM: OR = 0.53, 95%CI: 0.36-0.77, I(2) = 41.0%) and smoking cessation (REM: OR = 0.49, 95%CI: 0.31-0.80, I(2) = 0.0%).

CONCLUSIONSThis Meta-analysis suggested that there was not a protective effect of defective CYP2A6 gene against smoking behaviors. But smokers with whole CYP2A6 gene deletion would be less likely to start smoking, less smoking persistence and more likely to quit smoking successful than smokers with wild CYP2A6 gene.

Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; China ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2A6 ; Gene Deletion ; Humans ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Protective Factors ; Smoking ; Smoking Cessation ; Tobacco Use Disorder

OBJECTIVE: To compare the difference in intraocular pressure (IOP) readings as well as the tolerability between Icare rebound tonometer (Icare RBT) and Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT), and to evaluate the application of Icare RBT in monitoring the intraocular pressure in children after congenital cataract surgery. METHODS: The IOP was measured with the Icare RBT and GAT respectively in 150 children (262 eyes) after congenital cataract surgery by two experienced ophthalmologists. Correlation and Bland-Altman analysis were used to assess the agreement in IOP readings between the two instruments. The influence of the central corneal thickness (CCT) adjusted for age on IOP readings was analyzed by linear regression analysis. The tolerance of the patients to Icare RBT and GAT measurement were surveyed. RESULTS: The mean age was (44.82 ± 11.56) months in 150 children, including 81 boys and 69 girls. The mean IOP readings by the Icare RBT and GAT were (16.08 ± 5.72) mmHg and (14.17 ± 5.05) mmHg, respectively. The mean difference between the Icare RBT and GAT was (1.91 ± 2.04) mmHg, which was significantly correlated with CCT (r=0.409, P<0.001). The IOP readings by Icare RBT was significantly correlated with that measured by GAT(r= 0.936, P<0.001). The 95% confidence interval of the difference between the two instruments was ?2.10 to 5.91 mmHg. The Icare RBT examination was well tolerated by the children compared to the GAT examination. CONCLUSION The Icare RBT is easy to use and well tolerated by the children after congenital cataract surgery. Compared to GAT, the value measured by the IOPs trends to be overestimated. The difference in readings between the 2 tonometers will magnify with the increase in CCT.
Cataract ; congenital ; Cataract Extraction ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Intraocular Pressure ; Male ; Tonometry, Ocular ; instrumentation

Objective:To investigate the effect of digoxin on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice, and investigate its possible mechanism through in vitro and in vivo experiments. Methods:① In vivo experiment: 60 C57/BL6J mice were randomly divided into control group, pulmonary fibrosis model group (model group), pirfenidone (300 mg/kg) group, digoxin 1.0 mg/kg and 0.2 mg/kg groups, with 12 mice in each group. The pulmonary fibrosis model of mice was reproduced by single intratracheal infusion of bleomycin (5 mg/kg). The control group was given the same amount of sterile normal saline. From the next day after modeling, each group was received corresponding drugs by intragastric administration once a day for 28 days. Control group and model group were given the same amount of normal saline. The mice were sacrificed and the lung tissue was collected to detect the lung coefficient. After hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Masson staining, the lung tissue morphology and collagen changes were observed under light microscope. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the positive expressions of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and extracellular matrix (ECM) collagen (COL-Ⅰ and COL-Ⅲ) in lung tissue. The protein expressions of ECM fibronectin (FN), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and phosphorylation of Smad3 (p-Smad3) in lung tissue were detected by Western blotting. ② In vitro experiment: human embryonic lung fibroblast-1 (HFL-1) cells were cultured and divided into blank control group, fibroblast activation model group (model group), pirfenidone (2.5 mmol/L) group and digoxin 100 nmol/L and 50 nmol/L groups when cell density reached 70%-90%. After 3-hour treatment with corresponding drugs, except blank control group, the other groups were treated with TGF-β for 48 hours to establish fibroblast activation model. The expressions of α-SMA, FN and p-Smad3 proteins and the phosphorylations of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway proteins PI3K and Akt (p-PI3K, p-Akt) were detected by Western blotting. Results:① In vivo, compared with the control group, the alveolar structure of mice in the model group was significantly damaged, a large number of inflammatory cells infiltrated, collagen deposition in the lung interstitium was increased, the deposition of ECM in the lung tissue was also increased, and the expressions of α-SMA, FN, TGF-β and p-Smad3 protein were increased, indicating that the model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice was successfully prepared. Compared with the model group, digoxin significantly inhibited airway inflammation and collagen fiber deposition, reduced ECM deposition, and decreased the protein expressions of α-SMA, FN, TGF-β and p-Smad3, while the effect was better than that of the pirfenidone group, and the digoxin 1.0 mg/kg group had a better effect except FN [α-SMA ( A value): 5.37±1.10 vs. 9.51±1.66, TGF-β protein (TGF-β/GAPDH): 0.09±0.04 vs. 0.33±0.23, p-Smad3 protein (p-Smad3/GAPDH): 0.05±0.01 vs. 0.20±0.07, all P < 0.01]. ② In vitro, compared with the blank control group, the expressions of FN, α-SMA, p-Smad3 and PI3K/Akt signaling proteins in the model group were increased, indicating that the fibroblast activation model induced by TGF-β was successfully reproduced. Compared with the model group, digoxin significantly inhibited fibroblast activation, and decreased the expressions of FN, α-SMA, p-Smad3, and PI3K/Akt pathway proteins, moreover, the effect was better than that of the pirfenidone group, and decreased FN, SMA and p-Akt protein expressions were more obvious in digoxin 100 nmol/L group [FN protein (FN/GAPDH): 0.21±0.15 vs. 0.88±0.22, α-SMA protein (α-SMA/GAPDH): 0.20±0.01 vs. 0.50±0.08, p-Akt protein (p-Akt/GAPDH): 0.30±0.01 vs. 0.65±0.10, all P < 0.01]. Conclusion:Digoxin could suppress the pulmonary fibrosis in mice induced by bleomycin, which might be associated with the regulation of fibroblast activation via suppressing PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in a dose-dependent manner.

OBJECTIVETo study the association between reasons for smoking and results related to successful smoking cessation.

METHODSA community-based case-control study was conducted with 642 male adults recognized as successful spontaneous smoking quitters being the subject cases while another 700 male adults who had failed to quit smoking were served as the controls. Russell Reason for Smoking Questionnaire (RRSQ) was used to investigate the reasons for smoking. Dominance logistic regression was performed to determine the relative importance of reasons for starting smoking and the endpoint of successful quit smoking.

RESULTSAfter adjusting the potential confounders of age, age of smoking initiation, marital status, profession, and education, the adjusted means of sedative and stimulation of RRSQ in the successful quitters were significant lower than that in the failed quitters. Results from the dominance logistic regression showed that the first two important factors for smoking cessation were sedative and stimulation of RRSQ, followed by psychological image, automatic, hand-mouth activity, indulgence, and addiction.

CONCLUSIONThis study demonstrated that factors as dependence-addiction showed more important impacts than the social-psychological ones on the endpoint of successful smoking cessation.

Adult ; Behavior, Addictive ; Case-Control Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Smoking ; psychology ; Smoking Cessation ; statistics & numerical data ; Smoking Prevention ; Surveys and Questionnaires