Mechanisms of Lung Cancer Caused By Cooking Fumes Exposure: A Minor Review / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

Cooking fumes (CFs) are mixtures of many toxic components, such as aldehydes, heterocyclic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, fat aerosols and particulate matters. CFs exposure has been proven to be associated with many diseases. Lung cancer takes the leading place among the diseases being reported caused by CFs exposure. Molecular and biochemical studies have found that CFs exposure may lead to lung cancer by gene damage, formation of reactive oxygen species, blockage of related proteins' function, and even cell death. However, reviews about the mechanisms of how CFs exposure leads to lung cancer are still lacking. Elucidation of the mechanisms of lung cancer caused by CFs exposure may provide a new insight into the prevention of lung cancer caused by CFs exposure, as well as laying the foundation for the toxicity study of CFs. In this minor review, the mechanisms of how CFs exposure leads to lung cancer were summarized and discussed.

Examination of a Nurse-led Community-based Education and Coaching Intervention for Coronary Heart Disease High-risk Individuals in China

PURPOSE: Early detection and management of coronary heart disease (CHD) are embedded into many community health service and primary care practices in western countries. The Framingham CHD risk score has been used to predict CHD and mortality for nearly 20 years, and it has predicted CHD event risk accurately in multiethnic populations. The aim of this study was to access the effect of a 6-month community-based intervention on CHD risk in individuals at high risk. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial of individuals with a high 10-year CHD risk were recruited from two communities in China. Individuals in the intervention group (n = 53) received a 3-month group education and a 3-month coaching session. Physical examination and self-report questionnaires were used to collect both pre- and postintervention data on blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, body mass index, smoking, depression, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). RESULTS: A total of 102 participants (85.0%) completed the 6-month study. Compared with the usual care group, the intervention group had a 5 mmHg greater reduction in systolic blood pressure (t = 2.01, p = .047), larger declines in glucose (t = −2.49, p = .015), cholesterol (t = −2.44, p = .017), body mass index (t = −2.58, p = .011), and depression (t = −2.05, p = .043), and better reports of HRQoL (t = 3.36, p = .001). No significant group differences in smoking behaviors were reported. CONCLUSION: A 6-month community-based intervention in a CHD high-risk population improved disease-related risk factors, depression, and HRQoL. Results provide preliminary evidence for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease risk in a community high-risk population.

Changes in fasting serum cortisol levels in adolescents with type 1 diabetes and elevated depressive symptoms / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the changes in serum cortisol levels in adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and elevated depressive symptoms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-eight adolescents with T1DM and 31 healthy peers were assessed for depressive symptoms using a depression self-rating scale developed by the Epidemiological Survey Center. Selected subjects were classified into four groups: T1DM with elevated depressive symptoms group (n=15), T1DM without elevated depressive symptoms group (n=13), elevated depressive symptoms without T1DM group (n=15), and normal control group (n=16). Fasting blood samples were collected in the morning, and the levels of serum cortisol were compared among the four groups. The correlations of serum levels of cortisol and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) with the score of depression self-rating scale were evaluated by Pearson correlation analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The fasting serum cortisol levels in the 28 T1DM patients were significantly higher than in the 31 healthy peers (P<0.01). The fasting cortisol levels in the T1DM with elevated depressive symptoms group were significantly higher compared with those in the elevated depressive symptoms without T1DM group and normal control group (P<0.01). In adolescents with T1DM, serum HbA1c level was positively correlated with the score of depression self-rating scale (r=0.481, P=0.010).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The fasting serum cortisol levels in adolescents with T1DM and elevated depressive symptoms are significantly increased, suggesting that the patients with comorbidity of T1DM and depression develop dysfunction of the corticotropin-releasing hormone-adrenocorticotropic hormone-cortisol axis. The elevated depressive symptoms may be associated with a poor control of glucose metabolism.</p>

Relationship between brain-derived neurotrophic factor and cognitive function of obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome patients

OBJECTIVE@#To determine the relationship between the blood serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level and cognitive function deterioration in patients with obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS), and to explore the possible mechanism of cognitive impairment.@*METHODS@#Twenty-eight male OSAHS patients and 14 normal males (as controls) were enrolled in the study. Polysomnography and the Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) were conducted. The blood serum BDNF levels were measured using ELISA.@*RESULTS@#The OSAHS group had significantly decreased blood serum BDNF levels compared with the control group (t = -10.912, P = 0.000). The blood serum BDNF level of the subjects was significantly positively associated with the MoCA score (r = 0.544, P = 0.000), significantly negatively associated with the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and shallow sleep (S1+S2) (AHI: r = -0.607, P = 0.000; S1+S2: r = -0.768, P = 0.000), and significantly positively associated with the lowest SaO(2) (LSO), slow wave sleep (S3+S4), and rapid eye movement sleep (REM) (LSO: r = 0.566, P = 0.000; S3+S4: r = 0.778, P = 0.000; REM: r = 0.575, P = 0.000).@*CONCLUSIONS@#OSAHS patients have significantly decreased blood serum BDNF levels compared with the control. Nocturnal hypoxia as well as the deprivation of slow wave sleep and REM may lead to the decreased serum BDNF level of OSAHS patients. This decreased blood serum BDNF level may contribute to the cognitive impairment in OSAHS.

Application studies on the gene diagnosis and carrier detection of hemophilia A by using polymerase chain reaction-conformation sensitive gel electrophoresis / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish a simple, rapid and easy method for screening the gene mutation in hemophilia A, which was further applied to a direct diagnosis and carrier detection at gene level.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-four clinically diagnosed hemophilia pedigrees, including all the hemophilia patients and female members, were tested for the introns 22 and 1 in factor VIII gene by using inversion polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and regular PCR techniques. All the 26 exons of factor VIII gene were consecutively screened in the 17 patients manifesting non-inverted sequences in intron 22 by using PCR, subsequently all the 37 amplicons resulted from 26 exons were analyzed by conformation sensitive gel electrophoresis (CSGE), finally the mutated exons were subjected to sequencing verification. According to the mutation results, mothers and twin sisters of the hemophilia probands were tested by CSGE or subjected to nucleotide sequencing directly, to ascertain if those individuals had the same mutation or were the carriers of disease-causing gene.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Intron 22 inversion was detected in 7 hemophilia probands out of 24 hemophilia pedigrees, intron 1 inversion was not detected in these pedigrees. Single-base mutations distributed in different exons of factor VIII gene were detected in 13 pedigrees with family history and 3 sporadic pedigrees, diagnosed as non-inverted 22 intron patients. By comprehensive usage of PCR-CSGE and nucleotide sequencing, the positive rate and the diagnosable rate of gene diagnosis or carrier detection in the 24 hemophilia pedigrees was 94.12% and 100% respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>PCR-CSGE is a highly sensitive and special assay for detecting single base mutation. By integrated utilization of introns 22 and 1 of factor VIII gene detection and PCR-CSGE genotyping, combining with nucleotide sequencing, a direct diagnosis of all hemophilia pedigrees be could nearly make at gene level, including the sporadic families. This method might be used to screen new mutation theoretically and ascertain the mutation type. It is a simple, rapid and low-cost method, possessing unique advantages in direct diagnosis of hemophilia A and carrier screening. It should have important application value in hemophilia diagnosis.</p>

Correlative analysis of postpartum depression / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the incidence of postpartal depression in the south and north and to comprehensively analyze the changes of sex hormone and neurotransmitter,and their relationship with postpartum depression.@*METHODS@#All published articles on case-control studies on the changes of sex hormone and neurotransmitter,and their relationship with postpartum depression were collected by literature retrieval based on the selection criteria. Meta-analysis was applied to evaluate the data in published papers from 1994 to 2004 in China.@*RESULTS@#The incidence of postpartal depression in the south was 15.63%. The combined P-valve was 0.0874, and 95% CI was 0.14 to 0.17. The incidence of postpartum depression in the north was 7.66%. The combined P-valve was 0.0252, and 95% CI was 0.05 to 0.08. There was significant difference between the incidence of postpartum depression in the south and north (P<0.01). Estrogen and 5-HT in the plasma of the 1st week after childbirth was obviously lower than the controls. Estrogen in the plasma of the 1st week after childbirth and the 6th week after childbirth decreased more quickly than the controls. Progesterone and orphanin FQ in the plasma of the 1st week after childbirth were higher than the controls.@*CONCLUSION@#The incidence of postpartum depression in the south is higher than that of the north. Postpartum depression is related to the decrease in the plasma estrogen, 5-HT, dopamine, and noradrenaline, and to the increase in the plasma progesterone and Orphanin FQ.

Treatment compliance and health needs of rural patients with peptic ulcer / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the treatment compliance and basic health needs of rural patients with gastric ulcer.@*METHODS@#One hundred and sixteen patients with gastric ulcer were measured with treatment compliance questionnaire. The questionnaire contained 3 aspects: chemical therapy, regular callback, and improvement in life style, and had another part of questions which were designed to investigate the basic health needs of the patients.@*RESULTS@#The patient compliance rate in the aspect of improvement in life style was 4.3% (n=5). Both of the counterparts in the other 2 aspects were 7.8% (n=9). The main correlative factor with treatment compliance of the investigated patients was economic income. There were 105 patients (90.5%) needing health consultation, 98 patients (84.5%) needing diet instruction and 93 patients (80.2%) needing regular physical examination among the 116 patients investigated.@*CONCLUSION@#The treatment compliance rate of rural patients with gastric ulcer was very low. It is necessary to emphasize health education.

Possible association between 278C/A single nucleotide polymorphism of FKBP6 and idiopathic azoospermia / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate 2 polymorphism sites in exon 3 and intron 2 of FKBP6 in Chinese population, while screening the gene mutations and polymorphisms in exons 3, 4 of FKBP6, and the association of these polymorphisms with azoospermia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Possible variations of exons 3, 4 and genotypes and frequencies of 2 polymorphic loci were examined by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography(DHPLC) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP) technique in 177 azoospermia patients and 231 control individuals.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The observed allele frequencies conformed well to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The frequency of 278A allele was significantly higher in controls than that in patients (P<0.05). C/T(s7797242) polymorphism was not found in either group and variations in exons 3, 4 were not detected.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>278A polymorphism of FKBP6 gene was associated with idiopathic azoospermia, while C/T, 370G/A, 430G/C, 467T/C, 468G/A polymorphisms might be very rare in Chinese population.</p>

Screening for ZNF230 gene mutation and analysis of its correlation with azoospermia / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the possible association between ZNF230 gene and azoospermia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Screening for mutation of all 6 exons of ZNF230 gene was performed by denaturing high performance liquid chromatography(DHPLC) in 99 patients with azoospermia and in 115 healthy men as controls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>An A-->G transition at nucleotide 316 in exon 6 was identified. There were significant differences in the distribution profiles of both allele and genotype frequencies between patient group and control group (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). In addition,there was a statistically significant difference in the serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) level between the patients with GG/GA genotype and those with AA genotype (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ZNF230 gene may be associated with azoospermia, and the A316G mutation may be correlated with the serum FSH level.</p>

Advances in the molecular mechanism of RNA interference / 中华医学遗传学杂志

This paper reviews the latest development of RNA interference(RNAi). RNA interference is the process of sequence-specific degradation of homologous mRNA triggered by double-stranded RNA. As a technically simple and an effective genetic tool which can exert effect on the expression of gene and substitute for gene knock-out technique in some degree, RNAi phenomena have been broadly validated in diverse model organisms such as Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, Arabidopsis thaliana and Neurospora crassa. Simultaneously, study on molecular mechanism of RNAi, which might be involved in the level of post-transcription, translation, genome methylation or conduction of silencing signals, is now making unceasing progress. Clear elucidation of the molecular mechanism could provide important theoretical references and powerful tools for the practical application in this field where RNAi may be put into the use of systematic gene screening, the discovery of new genes and the gene therapy for human tumor or other refractory human diseases.