Association of myocardial bridge of the left anterior descending coronary artery with coronary atherosclerotic stenosis in the segment proximal to the site of bridge / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate whether myocardial bridging (MB) is independently associated with coronary atherosclerosis proximal to MB in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) identified by computed tomographic coronary angiography (CCTA).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From March 2011 to December 2012, patients (n=9 862) with suspected coronary disease underwent CCTA using dual-source CT scanner. The baseline clinical characteristics (age, gender, smoking history, presence of hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, family history of heart attack, and body mass index) and the results of CCTA were reviewed. Two radiologists evaluated the coronary artery for MB and coronary atherosclerosis stenosis (CAS) in LAD and made a diagnosis by consensus. Significant independent risk factors for CAS were investigated by multivariate logistic regression analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 3 182 (32.3%) cases of MB and 3 359 cases of CAS of LAD were identified. No patient with CAS in the tunneled segment was found. The mean length of bridges and the mean thickness of the overlying myocardium was (17.3±5.2) mm and (1.2±0.9) mm, respectively. There were 1658 MB cases in 3 359 cases of LAD stenosis and 1 524 MB cases in 6 503 cases of no LAD stenosis (χ(2)=681.12, P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that MB in the LAD were significantly associated with CAS in the proximal LAD (OR=3.07, 95%CI=2.81-3.37, P<0.001), and after final adjustment for age, gender, body mass index, family history of heart attack, smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and resting heart rate (OR=2.86, 95% CI=2.60-3.16, P < 0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>MB in the LAD is independently associated with CAS in the proximal segment to MB.</p>

Value of coronary computed tomography angiography in ruling out coronary artery disease before intermediate- and high-risk non-cardiac surgery / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the value of preoperative coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) in the detection of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients planned to undergo non-cardiac surgery at intermediate or high risk to avoid unnecessary invasive coronary angiography (ICA).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The study protocol was approved by our institutional review board and informed consent was given. In this prospective study, 157 consecutive patients who underwent CCTA before undergoing non-cardiac surgery at intermediate or high risk was involved. The non-cardiac surgery included high-risk surgery (17 patients) and intermediate-risk surgery (140 patients). Follow-up was performed in 6-11 months to define cardiac events described as acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or death secondary to ASC, arrhythmias, cardiac revascularization, or cardiac failure. χ(2) test was performed to compare the differences in incidence of cardiac events among patients who had undergone or who had not undergone preoperative ICA.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>CCTA was of diagnostic value in 145 of 157 patients. Thirty-seven of 145 had no CAD, and 88 of 145 had no significant CAD (<50% stenosis), and non-cardiac surgery was performed in them without preoperative ICA. No patients in those patients had postoperative ischemic events at follow-up; 20 had significant CAD (≥50% stenosis) and underwent surgery after preoperative ICA. CCTA was non-diagnostic in 12 patients who were referred for preoperative ICA, and 4 of 12 underwent surgery after PCI or CABG. There were no differences in cardiac events between patients who had undergone preoperative ICA and those who had not (P=0.45).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>In patients with planned non-cardiac surgery at medium or high risk of cardiovascular events, preoperative CCTA is an effective diagnostic tool for detecting CAD. Preoperative ICA can be safely avoided in patients with normal findings or with stenosis<50% in CCTA.</p>

Relationship between FAS/FASL gene polymorphisms and susceptibility of coal worker's pneumoconiosis / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of FAS and FASL gene polymorphisms on genetic susceptibility of coal worker's pneumoconiosis and their relationship to the pulmonary fibrosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>340 with coal worker's pneumoconiosis (CWP) and 312 coal mine workers (controls) exposed to the coal dusts were selected. FAS-1377G > A, FAS-670A > G and FASL-844T > C gene polymorphisms were analyzed by PCR-RFLP techniques.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The distribution frequencies of genotypes of FAS-1377, FAS-670, FASL-844 genotypes in CWP had no significant differences compared to the control. Compared to CWP patients with exposure year > or = 25, the risk of pneumoconiosis with FAS-1377 GA/AA genotype was significantly higher than those with FAS-1377GG in the patients working age < 25 years (P = 0.098, 95% CI: 0.932 approximately 2.298); the risk of CWP in those with FAS-670AG genotype was higher than those with FAS-670GG genotype (P = 0.098, 95% CI: 0.928 approximately 2.404) the risks of CWP in those with FASL-844TT genotype and FASL-844TC genotype were respectively higher than those with FASL-844CC genotype (P = 0.039, 95% CI: 1.088 approximately 27.358, P = 0.089, 95% CI: 0.852 approximately 2.101). The frequencies of genotypes of FASL-844T > C were significantly different between CWP patients with exposure year > or = 25 and < 25. The risk of CWP with FASL-844TT genotype was significantly higher than that of FASL-844TT + TC (P = 0.054, 95% CI: 0.971 approximately 23.833). The risk of CWP patients with FASL-844TT/CT + FAS-1377GA genotype was 1.810-fold than the patients with FASL-844CC + FAS-1377GG genotype. The risk of CWP patients with FASL-844TT/CT + FAS-670AG genotype was 2.117-fold than the patients with FASL-844CC + FAS-670AA genotype. The risk of CWP patients with FASL-844TT/TC + FAS-1377GA/AA + FAS-670AG/GG genotype was 2.043-fold than the patients with FASL-844CC + FAS-1377GG+FAS-670AA genotype.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>FAS-1377G > A, FAS-670A > G and FASL-844T > C gene polymorphisms may not be associated with the susceptibility of CWP in Han nationality, but these three gene polymorphisms and their joint actions may influence on the progression of CWP.</p>

A case-control study on JWA promoter -76G-->C polymorphism and the susceptibility of bladder cancer / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>This case-control study was aimed to detect the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in JWA promoter region, to assess the effect of SNP on transcriptional activity, and to probe the relationship between SNP and the risk of bladder cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The design of one control per case was adopted. The JWA gene promoter region in 155 patients with bladder cancer and in 155 cancer-free controls was amplified by PCR-SSCP technique, and the SNP were confirmed by direct DNA sequencing. The recombinant plasmids of JWA promoter fragment which contain the SNP were constructed as CAT reporter gene and were transfected transiently into NIH 3T3 cells for disclosing whether SNP changes the transcriptional activity of the promoter.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A novel SNP -76 G-->C at promoter region of JWA gene was found. The frequencies of the C allele and GC genotype at JWA promoter -76G-->C in bladder cancer group (10.00% and 20.00% respectively) were significantly higher than those in control group (5.16% and 10.32% respectively) (P < 0.05). The transcriptional activity of -76GC allele genotype was significantly down-regulated as compared with that of -76GG allele genotype (P < 0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that JWA polymorphism at promoter -76G-->C is an independent novel risk factor for bladder cancer.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The JWA -76G-->C variant genotype may play an important role in transcription regulation of JWA gene and in the susceptibility to bladder cancer.</p>

The role of reactive oxygen species in N-4-hydroxyphenyl retinamide induced apoptosis in bladder cancer cell lineT24 / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the mechanism of the apoptosis induced by N-[4-hydroxyphenyl] retinamide (4-HPR) in bladder cancer cell line T24, and the involvement of DNA damage and repair.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>T24 cells were treated with 4-HPR at the concentration of 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 micromol/L, and the cell grow inhibition was measured by cell counting assay. The fluorescent intensity of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was determined by spectrofluorometer. The apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry and DNA fragment assay. The expression of XRCC1 protein and activation of caspase-3 were detected by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>4-HPR induced apoptosis in T24 cell. A dose-dependent increase in the percentage of apoptosis cells was observed (1.8%, 4.0% and 10.5% respectively at 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 micromol/L 4HPR). In the meantime, ROS level in the cell was increased (peaked at 3 fold). It also caused down-regulation of the expression of XRCC1, and activation of caspase-3. Vitamin C effectively inhibited ROS rise induced by 4-HPR, and also partially inhibited cell growth, apoptosis, and down-regulation of the expression of XRCC1.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The generation of ROS and DNA damage may be the major mechanism of the apoptosis of bladder cancer cell line T24 induced by 4-HPR.</p>