Association between monocyte lymphocyte ratio and abdominal aortic calcification in US adults: A cross-sectional study

Abstract Background This study aimed to evaluate the association between Monocyte Lymphocyte Ratio (MLR) and Abdominal Aortic Calcification (AAC) in adults over 40 years of age in the United States. Methods Data were collected from the 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). AAC was quantified by the Kauppila score system based on dual-energy X-Ray absorptiometry. Severe AAC was defined as a total AAC score > 6. The lymphocyte count and monocyte count can be directly obtained from laboratory data files. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the association between MLR and the AAC score and severe AAC. Results A total of 3,045 participants were included in the present study. After adjusting for multiple covariates, MLR was positively associated with higher AAC score (β = 0.21, 95% CI 0.07, 0.34, p = 0.0032) and the odds of severe AAC increased by 14% per 0.1 unit increase in the MLR (OR = 1.14, 95% CI 1.00, 1.31, p = 0.0541). The Odds Ratio (OR) (95% CI) of severe AAC for participants in MLR tertile 3 was 1.88 (1.02, 3.47) compared with those in tertile 1 (p for trend = 0.0341). Subgroup analyses showed that a stronger association was detected in the elderly compared with non-elderly (p for interaction = 0.0346) and diabetes compared with non-diabetes (borderline significant p for interaction = 0.0578). Conclusion In adults in the United States, MLR was associated with higher AAC scores and a higher probability of severe AAC. MLR may become a promising tool to predict the risk of AAC.

Juglone induces proliferation inhibition and apoptosis of cervical cancer cells via promoting c-Myc ubiquitination / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the expression of c-Myc protein in cervical cancer HeLa cells and explore the effect of juglone on the proliferation and apoptosis of HeLa cells by affecting c-Myc ubiquitination.@*METHODS@#HeLa cells treated with different concentrations (0, 10, 20, or 50 μmol/L) of juglone or with 20 μmol/L juglone for different time lengths were examined for expression of c-Myc protein with Western blotting. The half-life of c-Myc protein was determined using cycloheximide (CHX) and c-Myc protein degradation was detected using coimmunoprecipitation. We also assessed the effects of 20 μmol/L juglone combined with 0, 1.0 or 2.0 μmol/L MG132 (a proteasome inhibitor) on c-Myc expression. The effects of 20 μmol/L juglone on the proliferation and apoptosis of HeLa cells with RNA interference-mediated knockdown of c-Myc were evaluated with MTT assay and flow cytometry.@*RESULTS@#Treatment with juglone significantly lowered c-Myc protein expression in HeLa cells in a concentration-and time-dependent manner (P < 0.05). Juglone obviously shortened the half-life of c-Myc protein, and the addition of MG132 significantly up-regulated the expression level of c-Myc protein (P < 0.05). Juglone treatment also promoted ubiquitination of c-Myc protein in HeLa cells. Compared with the cells transfected with a negative control construct, the cells transfected with si-c-Myc showed significantly decreased proliferation inhibition and a lowered cell rate with early apoptosis after juglone treatment (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Juglone inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis of HeLa cells by affecting the ubiquitination of c-Myc protein.

Challenges and countermeasures of thoracic surgery in the epidemic of novel coronavirus pneumonia / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Since December 2019, a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV, SARS-CoV-2) pneumonia (COVID-19) outbreak has occurred in Wuhan, Hubei Province, and the epidemic situation has continued to spread. Such cases have also been found in other parts of the country. The spread of the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic has brought great challenges to the clinical practice of thoracic surgery. Outpatient clinics need to strengthen the differential diagnosis of ground glass opacity and pulmonary plaque shadows. During the epidemic, surgical indications are strictly controlled, and selective surgery is postponed. Patients planning to undergo a limited period of surgery should be quarantined for 2 weeks and have a nucleic acid test when necessary before surgery. For patients who are planning to undergo emergency surgery, nucleic acid testing should be carried out before surgery, and three-level protection should be performed during surgery. Patients who are planning to undergo emergency surgery in the epidemic area should be confirmed with or without novel coronavirus pneumonia before operation, and perform nucleic acid test if necessary. Surgical disinfection and isolation measures should be strictly carried out. Among postoperative patients, cases with new coronavirus infection were actively investigated. For the rescue of patients with novel coronavirus infection, attention needs to be paid to prevention and treatment and related complications, including mechanical ventilation-related pneumothorax or mediastinal emphysema, and injury after tracheal intubation.

Surgical treatment of latent infection of 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) with esophageal foreign body perforation: A case report / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#This study reports the surgical treatment of a female patient at age of 64 years with novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) latent infection complicated with esophageal foreign body perforation with no significant changes in the lung CT. The patient was confirmed as SARS-CoV-2 infection on the 4th day after surgery and then was transferred into the Department of Infectious Disease in our hospital for treatment. This case has guiding value for the operation of thoracic surgery during the outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia.

Polymorphism and Forensic Application Value of 71 Y-SNP Loci in Han Population of Northwest China / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To analyze the polymorphism of 71 SNP loci on Y chromosome in Han population of Northwest China, to assess its forensic application value, and to screen out Y-SNP loci for forensic examination of Han population in East, South, and Northwest China based on the integration of previous research results.@*METHODS@#Multiplex polymerase chain reaction （PCR） and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry （MALDI-TOF-MS） were performed on 71 Y-SNP loci of 202 unrelated Han male individuals in Northwest China. Gene diversity （GD） and haplotype diversity （HD） values were calculated, and then Y-SNP loci of Han population in East, South, and Northwest China were screened with the combination of data from previous research.@*RESULTS@#Among the detected 71 loci, 67 loci were polymorphic in the Northwest Han male population, with GD values 0.010 0-0.502 2. There were 22 and 25 loci with a moderate （0.2≤GD<0.3） and high （GD≥0.3） amount of genetic information, respectively. There were 26 loci for the Han communities in Northwest, South, and East China.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Y-SNP loci are potential in paternity testing and individual identification, as well as the judgement of population distribution and migration.

Sixty-six Biallelic Genetic Markers on Y chromosome by MALDI-TOF-MS / 法医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To analyse the genetic polymorphisms of 66 biallelic genetic markers on Y chromosome in Eastern Chinese Han population, and evaluate their values in forensic application.@*METHODS@#Genotyping of 66 biallelic genetic markers on Y chromosome was studied in 205 unrelated males of Eastern Chinese Han population by multiplex PCR combined matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry （MALDI-TOF-MS）. The allele frequencies on the loci to be tested were calculated by direct counting method, and the gene diversity （GD） and haplotype diversity （HD） were calculated by corresponding formulas. The haplotypes of this system were tested by software Arlequin v3.5.2.2 and the comparison of population genetics were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#A total of 60 biallelic genetic markers on Y chromosome were polymorphic in males of Eastern Chinese Han population, and the ranges of GD were from 0.038 5 to 0.501 9. Eighty-five different haplotypes were observed and the HD was 0.970 3. The differences of partial SNP loci between the Han population of Eastern China and that of Xinjiang and Guangdong were statistically significance.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Sixty biallelic genetic markers and the detection system can complementally provide genetic information in kinship testing and individual identification. The MALDI-TOF-MS technology is able to type biallelic genetic markers.

Quantitative detection of DD3 mRNA in prostate cancer tissues by real-time fluorescent quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyze the expression of DD3 mRNA in the prostate tissues.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>DD3 mRNA was detected by realtime fluorescent quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (FQ-RT-PCR) based on the Taqman technique in the tissues of 27 patients with non-prostate cancer( NPCa), 21 prostate cancer( PCa), 39 benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and 15 normal prostate (NP). The ROC curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of DD3 mRNA.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>DD3 mRNA expression was not detected in the NPCa tissues. The median expressions of DD3 mRNA in PCa, BPH and NP tissues were 7. 2 x 10(6), 2. 5 x 10(4) and 1.5 x 10(4) copies/mg tissue, respectively. The DD3 mRNA expression levels were significantly different between nonmalignant and malignant tissues (P < 0.01). No significant differences in DD3 mRNA expression were detected between the NP and BPH tissues and no significant correlation was found between the DD3 mRNA expression and clinical pathological parameters. The AUC-ROC was 0.937 (95% CI: 0.879 - 0.995) at cutoff value 1.4 x 10(5) copies/mg tissue. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio for DD3 were 90.5%, 85.0%, 86.7%, 76.0%, 94.3%, 6.03 and 0.11 respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The DD3 mRNA expression is confined to prostate tissues and highly upregulated in PCa tissues. It has a potential application value in the early diagnosis of prostate cancer and the follow-up of the patient.</p>

Effect of aging on expression of nitric oxide synthase I and activity of nitric oxide synthase in rat penis / 亚洲男科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>AIM</b>To investigate the effect of aging on the expression of nitric oxide synthase I (NOS I) and the activity of NOS in rat penis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty male rats from 3 age groups (adult, old and senescent) were investigated. The expression of NOS I protein and mRNA in rat penis were detected by Western blot and RT-PCR respectively and the NOS activity, with ultraviolet spectrophotometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the old and senescent group, NOS I protein expression was significantly decreased as compared with the adult. NOS I mRNA expression was well correlated with the protein expression. NOS activity was not statistically different between the adult and old groups, but it was significantly reduced in the senescent compared with the adult group (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The aging-induced decreases in NOS I expression and NOS activity may be one of the main mechanisms leading to erectile dysfunction in the senescent rats.</p>