Expression of miR-181b-5p in peripheral blood from patients with esophageal cancer is down-regulated / 基础医学与临床

Objective To investigate the expression of miR-181b-5p in peripheral blood of patients with esophageal cancer and to develop a guidance for the diagnosis and prognosis of esophageal cancer.Methods Blood samples were collected from 34 cases of esophageal cancer and 26 cases of healthy volunteers.The single candidate miRNA from WBC was selected by RNA miRNAs chip screening analysis.Then the expression of the candidate miRNA was detected by RT-qPCR.Results Compares with the normal group,the expression of miR-181b-5p was down-regula-ted in esophageal cancer group.Conclusions The expression of miR-181b-5p in esophageal cancer is down regula-ted,which may be related to the occurrence and development of esophageal cancer.

Effect of parent training in combination with methylphenidate treatment on family relationships for children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of parent training combined with methylphenidate treatment on family relationships in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty-nine parents of children with ADHD under methylphenidate treatment participated in a modified 5-week training program. The intervention effect was evaluated using the Conners Parent Symptom Questionnaire, ADHD Rating Scale-IV Home Version (ADHD-RS-IV Home Version), Caregiver Strain Questionnaire, Parent-Child Relationship Self-rating Scale and Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale. Parents also completed the training satisfaction survey before and after the intervention.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After the 5-week parent training, compared with the baseline values, total scores of Conners Parent Symptom Questionnaire and scores of conduct problems and anxiety significantly decreased, and scores of attention deficit, hyperactivity, impulsivity and oppositional defiant behaviors of ADHD-RS-IV Home Version, and Caregiver Strain Questionnaire total scores were all significantly decreased (P<0.05), while total scores of the Parent-Child Relationship Self-Rating Scale and Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale were significantly increased (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Modified 5-week parent training program may improve parent-child relationship and reduce parenting stress in ADHD families.</p>

Klotho gene attenuates the progression of hypertension and heart damage in spontaneous hypertensive rats / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the effect of Klotho gene transduction on the progression of hypertension and heart damage in spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHRs).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>An adeno-associated virus (AAV) carrying full-length mouse Klotho cDNA (rAAV.mKL) was constructed for in vivo expression of Klotho. Three different groups of male SHRs and a control group of sex and age-matched Sprague Dawley (SD) rats (5 rats per group) were used. The experimental groups of SHRs received an IV injection of phosphate buffered saline (PBS), rAAV.mKL and rAAV.EGFP, respectively. The control group only received equal-volume of PBS. The whole study has spanned 12 weeks. Plasma levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and insulin were measured with ELISA. The weight of whole heart was measured to calculate the heart weight index (HWI). EGFP expression of heart frozen sections was observed by fluorescence microscopy. Expression of mRNA and protein of Klotho, IGF-1, IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) and p-Akt were determined with RT-PCR, immunohistochemical analysis, and Western blotting. Hypertrophic myocardial cell and collagen fiber were observed by histological examination following Haematoxylin-Eosin and Masson staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Transduction of rAAV.mKL can significantly prevent the increase of blood pressure in SHRs. Compared with the control group, the levels of Klotho mRNA and protein have both increased, and the plasma levels of IGF-1, insulin and glucose were elevated, whereas the expression of phosphor-Akt (also called Protein Kinase B, PKB) was decreased in the rAAV.mKL group. Furthermore, a decrease of hypertrophic myocardial cells and collagen fibers was noticed in the rAAV.mKL group compared with the control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The Klotho gene can attenuate the progression of hypertension and abolishes myocardial hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis. The protective effect observed in the rAAV.mKL group of SHRs may be attributed to increased Klotho protein and suppression of insulin and IGF-1 signaling pathways through inhibition of Akt phosphorylation.</p>

Evaluation on the accuracy of obese indexes in predicting obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome in male adults / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the best cutoff value and reference standard of obese indexes and to compare their diagnostic value in screening, predicting and diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) in male adults by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 1110 male adults were included and cross-sectional study was adopted. Four parameters including: body mass index (BMI), neck circumference (NC), waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were studied. The correlativity between apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and BMI, NC, WC and WHR were analyzed by pearson correlation test. ROC curve was used to assess the diagnostic value and determine their best cutoff value to predict OSAHS and reference standard to screen/diagnose it. Their conformity in predicting OSAHS was analyzed by area under curve (AUC). SPSS software version 13.0 was used for statistical analysis and P< or =0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) All of the fourindexes (BMI, NC, WC and WHR) showed a significantly positive correlation with AHI in adult male patients, with their Pearson coefficients as 0.373, 0.276, 0.291 and 0.127, respectively, and their P value were all below 0.001; (2) The best cutoff value of BMI, NC and WC in predicting OSAHS were 26.5 kg/m2 , 39 cm, 95 cm, and their corresponding sensitivity rates were 54%, 57% and 64% while rates of specificity as 73%, 65% and 53%; (3) BMI was better than other two indexes in predicting OASHS in adult male patients; (4) The value of BMI, NC and WC in screening OSAHS among adult male patients with 90% sensitivity and 10% rate of missed diagnosis as 23 kg/m2, 35 cm, 85 cm; (5) The value of BMI, NC and WC in screening OSAHS in adult male patients with 90% specificity and 10% misdiagnosis rate as 29 kg/m2, 43 cm, 105 cm, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>BMI seemed better in predicting OSAHS in male adults than NC, WC and WHR. The best cutoff values to predict OSAHS of BMI, NC and WC were 26.5 kg/m2, 39 cm and 95 cm, respectively. Their reference standards to screen OSAHS were 23 kg/m2, 35 cm and 85 cm while 29 kg/m2, 43 cm and 105 cm to predict OSAHS.</p>