Objective: To explore the association between cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) and quality of life, the association between CMD and perceived stress, and the mediation effect of perceived stress on the association between CMD and quality of life, and to provide evidence for the prevention and treatment of CMD and the improvement of quality of life in these patients. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Data were collected by the employees' physical examination of a company in Xi'an in 2021. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the association between the status of CMD (divided into three categories: no CMD, presence of one kind of CMD, and with≥2 kinds of CMD (≥2 kinds of CMD were defined as cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM)), quality of life, and perceived stress. Mediation analysis with a multi-categorical independent variable was conducted to determine the mediation effect of perceived stress on the association between CMD and quality of life. Results: Among all 4 272 participants, 1 457 (34.1%) participants had one kind of CMD and 677 (15.8%) participants had CMM. The average scores for quality of life and perceived stress were (57.5±15.7) and (16.9±7.9), respectively. Compared with participants without CMD, after adjusting for demographic and lifestyle factors, no statistically significant associations were observed between one kind of CMD and perceived stress or quality of life (both P>0.05). Perceived stress did not mediate the association between one kind of CMD and quality of life. However, participants with CMM had lower quality of life and higher perceived stress than participants without CMD. The relative total effect coefficient c (95%CI) and the relative direct effect coefficient c' (95%CI) between CMM and quality of life were -3.71 (-5.04--2.37) and -2.52 (-3.81--1.24) (both P<0.05), respectively. The relative indirect effect coefficient a₂b (95%CI) of perceived stress on the association between CMM and quality of life was -1.18 (-1.62--0.77) (P<0.05). The mediation effect size was 31.8%. Conclusions: CMM is negatively associated with quality of life and positively associated with perceived stress. Perceived stress partially mediates the association between CMM and quality of life. Our results suggest that, in addition to preventing and treating CMM actively, efforts should be taken to relieve the perceived stress of people with CMM to improve their quality of life.
Humans ; Quality of Life ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Cardiovascular Diseases/complications* ; Stress, Psychological

Antrodia camphorata, a well-known and highly valued edible medicinal mushroom with intriguing activities like liver protection, has been traditionally used for the treatment of alcoholic liver disease. A. camphorata shows highly medicinal and commercial values with the demand far exceeds the available supply. Thus, the petri-dish cultured A. camphorata (PDCA) is expected to develope as a substitute. In this paper, nineteen triterpenes were isolated from PDCA, and thirteen of them were the unique anthroic acids in A. camphorata, including the main content antcin K, which suggested that PDCA produced a large array of the same anthroic acids as the wild one. Furthermore, no obvious acute toxicity was found suggesting the edible safety of PDCA. In mice alcohol-induced liver injury model, triglyceride (TG), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) had been reduced by the PDCA powder as well as the main content antcin K, which indicated that the PDCA could protect alcoholic liver injury in mice model and antcin K could be the effective component responsible for the hepatoprotective activities of PDCA against alcoholic liver diseases.
Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Aldehyde Dehydrogenase ; blood ; Animals ; Antrodia ; chemistry ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Biological Products ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Cholestenes ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Cholesterol, VLDL ; blood ; Disease Models, Animal ; Ethanol ; toxicity ; Female ; Fruiting Bodies, Fungal ; chemistry ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic ; prevention & control ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; blood ; Mice ; Molecular Structure ; Triglycerides ; blood ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

BACKGROUNDDihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD), a key enzyme involved in the catabolism of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), is the attractive candidate for pharmacogenetic research on efficacies and toxicities of 5-FU. The aim of this study is to explore the association between polymorphisms of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase gene (DPYD) and clinical outcomes of gastric cancer patients treated with fluorouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy in the Chinese population.

METHODSThree hundred and sixty-two patients with gastric cancer in the Chinese population were treated with fluorouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy. The single nucleotide polymorphic genotypes of DPYD were determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) using DNA samples isolated from peripheral blood collected before treatment.

RESULTSThe average response rate for chemotherapy was 46.7%. A significantly different distribution of the rs1801159 (c2=8.76, P=0.012) genotypes was observed. Homozygous genotype rs1801159A/A was over-represented in responsive patients. Conversely, carriers of the rs1801159A/G genotype were prevalent in non-responsive patients. In the haplotype association analysis, there was significant difference in global haplotype distribution between the groups (c2=3.96, P=0.0465).

CONCLUSIONSThese results suggest that polymorphisms of rs1801159 in DPYD may be used as valuable predictors of the response to fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for gastric cancer patients in the Chinese population. Well-designed, comprehensive, and prospective studies on determining these polymorphisms of DPYD as predictive markers for gastric cancer in response to fluorouracil-based therapies are warranted.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; methods ; Dihydrouracil Dehydrogenase (NADP) ; genetics ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; therapeutic use ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; genetics ; Stomach Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDThe cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C)-based chemotherapy is the major remedial measure for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Deoxycytidine kinase (DCK) and cytidine deaminase (CDA) are the key enzymes in the metabolism of Ara-C. Many single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and haplotypes of DCK and CDA, which contribute to susceptibility to Ara-C, have been identified in Africans and Europeans. However, there has been no report about the relation among three SNPs in DCK (rs115543896, rs72552079, and rs111454937) and two SNPs in CDA (rs2072671 and rs60369023), and their clinical response to Ara-C for a Chinese population. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether these five SNPs are associated with the therapeutic outcomes of Ara-C-based chemotherapy regimens in patients with AML.

METHODSA total of 151 Chinese patients with AML were enrolled in our study. SNPs genotyping were performed using the MassARRAY system by means of the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) method.

RESULTSThe results illustrated that DCKrs111454937 AA genotype was more frequent in patients with higher platelet count, and A allele frequency was significantly higher in the group £40 years, lower white blood cell (WBC) count patients group and the group with platelet counts > 60'10(9)/L. Meanwhile, both DCKrs72552079 TC (OR = 1.225, 95%CI = 1.225 - 9.851, P = 0.0192) and CDArs60369023 GA (OR = 9.851, 95%CI = 1.31 - 77.93, P = 0.0263) significantly improved Ara-C-based chemotherapy response. While DCKrs11554389 AA (OR = 0.147, 95%CI = 0.027 - 0.801, P = 0.0267) was associated with the decrease of Ara-C-based chemotherapy response.

CONCLUSIONIt is evident that the DCK and CDA polymorphisms might be the important markers for the AML patients' therapy outcomes in a Chinese population.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cytarabine ; therapeutic use ; Cytidine Deaminase ; genetics ; Deoxycytidine Kinase ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; genetics ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; genetics ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

ObjectiveTo observe the thyroid status of pregnant women during the 1st and 2nd trimester of gestation,and its role in brain and neural development of their offspring's.MethodsFrom 2008 to 2009,pregnant women from nine townships of two counties in Wushi and Baicheng in Aksu prefecture of Xinjiang were selected as research subjects according to the survey standard.After informed consent signed,their urinary iodine,serum thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH) and free thyroxin(FT4) were analyzed.The value of thyroid hormone of normal pregnant women was used in diagnosis of subclinical hypothyroidism and hypothyroxinemia in pregnant women.From 2010 to 2011, The brain and neural development status among offspring born by those pregnant women were evaluated with DDST.In accordance with the results of Denver Development Screen Test (DDST) screening,pregnant women were classified into survey and control groups,and the survey group was the suspicious and abnormal of the result of DDST screening(delay),the control group was normal of the result.According to gestational age,pregnant women were divided into 4 gestation groups:G1(6 to 13 weeks),G2(14 to 18 weeks),G3 ( 19 to 23 weeks) and G4(24 to 28 weeks).ResultsA total of 396 cases of pregnant women during the 1st and 2nd trimester of gestation were investigated(survey group 102 cases,control group 294 cases).The median value of urinary iodine concentration among pregnant women in survey group was 152.4 μg/L The prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism and hypothyroxinemia among pregnant women was 10.78％(11/102) and 3.93％(4/102),respectively.In control group,the median value of urinary iodine concentration was 180.0 μg/L The prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism and hypothyroxinemia among pregnant women was 7.48％ (22/294) and 4.42％ (13/294),respectively.During the pregnant period from G1 to G3,the median serum TSH of pregnant women in DDST survey group (2.24,3.49,2.85 mU/L) was higher than that of DDST control group( 1.59,2.70,2.28 mU/L).Especially,the difference of TSH between the two groups during the period of G3 was statistically significant (t =4.906,P ＜ 0.05 ).ConclusionsHypothyroidism tendency of pregnant women during the period from gestation week 19th to 23rd may be an important factor in the development of brain abnormalities of their offsprings.

ObjectiveTo study the role of alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) positive cells (pericytes)in early myocardial ischemia.MethodsThirty healthy female Wistar rats were randomly divided by body weight into normal control group and subcutaneous multi-point injection of isoprenaline(Isp) group.Five rats were anesthetized after 0,2,4,6,12,24 and 48 h in each group.Blood was taken in eyeballs and,serum was separated,heart was taken and fixed in 4％ paraformaldehyde solution.The myocardial enzymes [serum apartate aminotransferase ( AST ),lactate dehydrogenase (LDH),creatine kinase (CK),creatine kinase isoenzymes (CK-MB)] were determined by biochemical automatic analyzer,the expression of α-SMA and vimentin in myocardial tissue was detected by immunohistochemical staining and changes of pericytes in early myocardial ischemia was observed by morphometric analysis.ResultsThe level of myocardial enzymes AST[(160.25 ± 3.86),(172.60 ± 8.82),(192.20 ± 25.35)U/L],and LDH[(1466.25 ± 643.38),(1645.20 ± 326.83),(1701.60 ± 640.06)U/L],12,24 and 48 h after subcutaneous injection of Isp,were higher than that[(129.18 ± 19.65),(849.45 ± 248.54)U/L,all P ＜ 0.05] of the control group.The level of CK[(1097.60 ± 301.57),(1247.20 ± 243.84),(1263.75 ± 271.22),(1448.00 ± 647.00),(1268.40 ± 479.81)U/L],and CK-MB[(217.12 ± 35.89),(229.08 ± 97.11),(251.70 ± 46.82),(318.80 ±77.76),(249.04 ±:98.54)U/L],4,6,12,24 and 48 h after subcutaneous injection of Isp,were higher than that [(713.45 ± 146.30),(147.05 ± 25.75)U/L,all P ＜ 0.05] of the control group.The number of α-SMA positive cells(61.00 ± 17.25),4 h after Isp injection,was significantly increased compared with that(28.20 ± 5.81,18.20 ± 2.17) of 24 and 48 h after Isp injection.The number of α-SMA positive cells in 48 h group was less than that(50.00 ± 3.61,P ＜ 0.05) of 6 h group.The number of vimentin positive cells in 6,12,24,48 h groups (4.17 ± 2.49,5.24 ± 2.84,8.37 ± 2.18,7.73 ± 2.49) were higher than that(1.88 ± 1.85,2.21 ± 1.54) of the control group and 4 h group(all P ＜ 0.05).Compared with 24 and 48 h groups,the level of vimentin protein was increased in 6 and 12 h groups(P ＜ 0.05).ConclusionThe number of pericytes in early myocardial ischemia is higher than that of other mesenthymal cells,and pericytes may be the main effector cells in the generation and development of myocardial fibrosis.

Objective Take alkaline ashing method as golden standard to explore the accuracy of chloric acid digestion method in determination of human milk iodine. Methods Sixty one breast milk samples collected in Hexi district of Tianjin was measured by the method for determination of iodine in foodstuff by As3+-Ce4+ catalytic spectrophotometry (referred to as the alkaline ashing method) published in 2008 and the method for determination of iodine in urine by As3+-Ce4+ catalytic spectrophotometry(referred to as acid digestion) published in 1999, respectively. were highly correlated(r = 0.960, t = 26.3, P < 0.01), and the regression equation was (Y) = - 28.1 + 0.808X, in which X was independent variable, that is the results of alkaline ashing method; (Y) was dependent variable, that is the estimated data of chloric acid digestion method. The average difference of the results measured by the two methods was 68.3 μg/L, and the results from chloric acid digestion was 38.9% which lower than that of alkaline samples were diluted by 3,4 and 5-fold and then digested by chloric acid, the liquid clarification rates were 80.3% ashing and chloric acid digestion method were, respectively, 165.4, 110.0 μg/L. Conclusions Compared with alkaline ashing method, the results determined by chloric acid digestion method are significantly lower. It is suggested that there are systemic errors in chloric acid digestion method, which means that alkaline ashing method can not be replaced by the chloric acid digestion method.

Objective To observe the effects of iodine deficiency and iodine excess on the lipid metabolism in an experimental hypothyroid model of mice and to explore the roles of iodine independent of its role in thyroid hormones. Methods Female Balb/c mice were randomly divided into 6 groups: control, severe iodine deficiency (SID), mild iodine deficiency(MID), normal iodine (NI), 10-fold high iodine (10HI) and 50-fold high iodine(50HI), 10 in each group. The mice in control group were fed with low iodine forage, other mice were fed with low iodine forage containing 0.2% methylthiouracilum. All mice drank deionic water containing different concentrations of potassium iodide(KI). The iodine content in water was 326.79, 0, 196.08,326.79, 385621, 19 542.50 μg/L, respectively. After three months, thyroid hormones in the serum were determined by radioimmunoassay.Also, the blood samples were analyzed for total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesteiol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and measured enzymatically by automatic analyzer. Results①The levels of Tr4 in SID[(21.27 ± 9.63)μg/L], MID[(23.41 ± 3.93)μg/L], NI[(22.57 ±4.66)μg/L], 10HI [(21.07 ± 5.03) μg/L] and 50HI groups [(21.46 ± 5.90) μg/L] were distinctively decreased compared with control group[(42.15 ± 8.26)μg/L, all P ＜ 0.01]. There were no statistical significant differences of TT3 between different groups (F = 0.99, P > 0.05 ). ②The level of TG in 10HI group [ ( 1.17 ± 0.16)mmol/L ] was obviously decreased compared with control [(1.39 ± 0.22 )mmol/L] and NI groups[(151 ± 0.22)mmol/L, all P＜ 0.05].Both TG and TC in 50HI group[(1.18 ± 0.22), (1.78 ± 0.15)mmol/L] were significantly decreased compared with control [( 1.39 ± 0.22), (2.14 ± 0.37)mmol/L] and NI groups [(1.51 ± 0.22), (2.00 ± 0.15)mmol/L, all P ＜ 0.05].The difference of serum HDL-C and LDL-C between the groups was not significant(F = 0.55,0.54, all P ＞ 0.05 ).Conclusions Dietary iodine plays a role in the metabolism of serum lipids independent of thyroid hormones.Thus, monitoring the amount of iodine intake during sodium restriction should also be taken extremely important for effectively prevention and cure of cardiovascular disease.

Objective To explore the effect of short-term iron deficiency on thyroid function of rat and its mechanism, and to provide new clues and ideas for prevention and control of iodine deficiency disorders. Methods Twenty-two healthy SPF/VAF level weaning male SD rats were randomly divided into control group(iron content in diet was 65 mg/kg) and iron deficiency group(iron content in diet was 15 mg/kg) by body weight, and 11 in each group respectively. After 4 weeks feeding, body weight and thyroid glands weight were measured, and the relative weight of thyroid gland was calculated. Rat whole blood was collected and serum was separated. Hemoglobin, serum iron levels and total iron binding capacity were tested using biochemical assay;serum free iodine thyroid three original acid (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were detected by chemiluminescence;after thyroid were fixed in formalin, embedded with paraffin and sectioned regularly, and immunohistochemical stained, the protein expression of thyroid peroxidase(TPO) was observed. Results Compared with control group [(243.8 ± 16.4)g], iron deficiency group of animals had less body weight[(214.3 ± 18.1 )g, t = 4.002, P ＜ 0.01];there was a lower absolute thyroid weight in iron deficiency group[(11.9 ± 1.6)mg]than in control group[(13.4 ±1.3)mg, t = 2.369, P ＜ 0.01], but no significant changes of the relative weight of thyroid gland between the two groups[(0.055 ± 0.004),(0.055 ± 0.006)g/kg, t = 0.162, P ＞ 0.05]. Hemoglobin and serum iron in iron deficiency group were ( 100.4 ± 8.9)g/L and (7.0 ± 0.8)μmol/L, which were less than that in control group[( 146.5 ±16.3)g/L, (26.1 ± 5.1 )μmol/L, t = 8.233,12.277, all P ＜ 0.01]. Total iron binding capacity in control group was (74.0 ± 4.6)μ mol/L and that in iron deficiency group[(124.8 ± 6.3)μmol/L], and the difference was significant (t = 21.531, P＜ 0.01). At the same time, their serum hormones FT3, FT4 and FT3/FT4[(4.71 ± 0.53), (29.69 ±2.63)pmol/L, 0.16 ± 0.02]were lower than that in control group[(5.69 ± 0.61),(31.98 ± 2.49)pmol/L, 0.18 ±0.01, t = 4.044,2.096,3.255, P ＜ 0.01 or ＜ 0.05]. The expression of TPO protein decreased in iron deficiency group than in control group. Conclusions Iron deficiency reduces thyroid function, which perhaps is due to the reduction of TPO activity. Combined supplementation of iodine and iron will possibly improve the prevention effect on iodine deficiency disorder in iron deficiency areas.

Objective The present study has been designed to investigate the impact of dietary iodine/sodium intake on blood lipid metabolism in mice. Methods According to body weight and gender, two hundred and sixty Balb/c mice were randomly divided into 2 groups including normal sodium group(Na) and low sodium group(LNa), with 130 animals per group. Each group were then randomly further divided into 5 sub-groups according to the amount of iodine intake: ① severe iodine deficiency(SID); ② mild iodine deficiency(MID); (③normal iodine (NI); ④ 10-fold high iodine ( 10HI ); (⑤ 50-fold high iodine (50HI), 10 groups in total, 26 per group.Eight months later, the body weight and the levels of urinary iodine, thyroid hormones and total cholesterol (TC),Results In Na group, the levels of TG and TC in male mice of SID group[ (1.64 ± 0.35), (3.88 ± 0.35 )mmol/L]and MID group[ ( 1.67 ± 0.31 ), (3.41 ± 0.66)mmol/L] were significantly higher than that of NI group[ ( 1.49 ± 0.42), (3.25 ± 0.47)mmol/L] and the levels of TG in female mice of SID group[(1.52 ± 0.22)mmol/L] were significantly higher than that of NI group[ (1.23 ± 0.22)mmol/L]. In addition, the levels of TG in male mice of 10HI and 50HI groups [ ( 1.16 ± 0.23 ), ( 1.21 ± 0.27 ) mmol/L ] were significantly lower than that of NI group [ ( 1.49 ± 0.42)mmol/L, all P ＜ 0.05], the levels of TC in female mice of 10HI and 50HI groups[(2.37 ± 0.49), (2.48 ± 0.37)mmol/L] were significantly lower than that of NI group[ (2.84 ± 0.37) mmol/L, all P ＜ 0.05 ]. In LNa group,the levels of TG and TC in male mice of SID group[ (1.39 ± 0.40), (3.33 ± 0.46 )mmol/L] were significantly lower than that of NI group [(1.30 ± 0.28), (3.00 ± 0.53) mmol/L, all P ＜ 0.05], the levels of TG, TC and LDL in female mice of SID group[ (1.48 ± 0.26), (2.76 ± 0.43), (0.62 ± 0.22)mmol/L], the levels of LDL in female mice of MID group[ (0.60 ± 0.17 )mmol/L] were significantly lower than that of NI group[(l.22 ± 0.36), (2.51 ± 0.38),(0.48 ± 0.08), (0.48 ± 0.08)mmol/L, all P ＜ 0.05], the levels of TG in male mice of 10HI and 50HI group [ (1.12 ± 0.22), (0.90 ± 0.11 )mmol/L] were significantly lower than that of NI group (all P ＜ 0.05 ), the levels of TC in female mice of 10HI and 50HI groups[ (2.35 ± 0.34), (2.37 ± 0.37)mmol/L], the levels of LDL in female mice of 50HI group[(0.65 ± 0.18)mmol/L], were significantly lower than that of NI group(all P ＜ 0.05). In Na group, the levels of thyroid hormones were distinctively decreased in SID group[TT4(0.00 ± 0.00)nmol/L, FT4 (0.93 ± 0.42)pmol/L, TT3(0.49 ± 0.07)nmol/L, FT3(2.86 ± 0.37)pmol/L] and MID group [TT4 (17.15 ± 15.26)nmol/L, FT4( 18.46 ± 4.31 )pmol/L, TT3(0.67 ± 0. 10)nmol/L, FT3(3.18 ± 0.24)pmol/L] compared with that of the NI group [TT4 (37.15 ± 15.26)nmol/L, FT4(28.46 ± 4.31)pmol/L, TT3(0.85 ± 0.10)pmol/L, FT3(3.87 ± 0.24)pmol/L, all P ＜ 0.05 ]. In LNa group, the levels of thyroid hormones were distinctively decreased in SID group [TT4 (0.00 ± 0.00) nmol/L,FT4(1.03 ± 0.78)pmol/L, TT3(0.51 ± 0.05)nmol/L, FT3(3.01 ± 0.17)pmol/L] and MID group[TT4(19.76 ± 12.22)nmol/L, FT4(21.46 ± 5.37)pmol/L, TT3(0.71 ± 0.21)nmol/L, FT3(3.56 ± 0.23)pmol/L] compared with that of the NI group[TT4(36.23 ± 14.72)nmol/L, FT4(30.96 ± 6.33)pmol/L, TT3(0.89 ± 0.20)nmol/L, FT3(4.05 ± 0.24)pmol/L, all P ＜ 0.05]. Conclusions Dietary iodine intake plays an important role in the blood lipid metabolism. Iodine deficiency could increase while iodine excess could decrease the levels of serum TG, TC or LDL in mice. Monitoring the amount of iodine intake during sodium restriction should have an important role in effective prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.