Congenital Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation Volume Ratio in Prenatal Assessment of Prognosis of Fetal Pulmonary Sequestrations.

This study aimed to evaluate the prognosis of pulmonary sequestration (PS) by measuring congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation volume ratio (CVR) value in fetal congenital PS. The fetal CVR in 49 cases of fetal PS diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound in Xiangyang No. 1 People's Hospital from March 2010 to June 2017 were measured, and the clinical outcomes were observed. According to the prenatal ultrasound CVR value, 49 fetuses diagnosed with PS were divided into 2 groups: group 1 with CVR≥1.26, and group 2 with CVR<1.26. The incidence rate of fetal edema, respiratory distress symptoms and survival rate were compared between the two groups. The risk factors of the fetal PS were evaluated by single and multiple Logistic regression analysis. The correlation between CVR and fetal prognosis was analyzed. Of the 49 fetuses, there were 34 cases of PS (ILS) type (69.39%, 34/49), 10 cases of PS (ELS) type I (20.41%, 10/49) and 5 cases of PS (ELS) type II (10.20%, 5/49). Forty-six cases (93.88%, 46/49) were born alive, there was 1 case (CVR ≥1.26) (2.04%, 1/49) of induced abortion, and 2 cases (CVR ≥1.26) (4.08%, 2/49) of stillbirths. In group 1 (n=24), 21 cases were born alive, and the incidence rate of newborn respiratory distress and fetal edema was 100% (21/21) and 79.17% (19/24) respectively. In group 2 (n=25), there were 3 cases (12%,3/25) of newborn respiratory distress, 3 cases (12%, 3/25) of fetal edema, and the rate of live birth was 100%. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups in the incidence of fetal edema, postpartum respiratory symptoms and survival rate. CVR was a risk factor for PS and was associated with fetal prognosis. CVR in the midtrimester of pregnancy is an effective index to evaluate the prognosis of fetal PS. CVR ≥1.26 is associated with an increased risk of fetal edema, infant respiratory distress and intrauterine or postnatal death.

Fas-associated factor 1 inhibits tumor growth by suppressing Helicobacter pylori-induced activation of NF-κB signaling in human gastric carcinoma.

Loss of Fas-associated factor 1 (FAF1) may act as a pro-survival signal in diseased cells, but whether this is true in gastric carcinoma remains unclear. Here we report that FAF1 was expressed at low levels in gastric carcinoma tissues and cell lines, and its expression correlated with larger tumors, higher histology grade, higher TNM stage, tumor infiltration, and lymph node metastasis. Univariate analysis and survival curve analysis identified low FAF1 expression as a predictor of poor prognosis. FAF1 overexpression in HGC-27 gastric cancer cells induced cell apoptosis and inhibited cell proliferation and growth. It also reduced colony formation in vitro and tumor growth in mice. We found that Helicobacter pylori, a risk factor for gastric cancer, down-regulated FAF1 expression via NF-κB signaling. Knock-down of IKKß or p65 expression in gastric cancer cells reversed H. pylori-induced down-regulation of FAF1 expression and partially blocked H. pylori-induced secretion of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-8. Our results suggest that loss of FAF1 contributes to human gastric carcinogenesis by allowing H. pylori to activate NF-κB signaling.

Upregulated dynamin 1 in an acute seizure model and in epileptic patients.

Dynamin 1 is a neuron-specific guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) that is an essential component of membrane fission during synaptic vesicle recycling and endocytosis. This study evaluated the dynamin 1 expression pattern in the acute lithium-pilocarpine rat model and in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and investigated whether altering the dynamin 1 expression pattern affects epileptic seizures in vivo and in vitro. The immunofluorescence, western blot analysis, and reverse transcription-PCR results show that the dynamin 1 expression level increased significantly in experimental rats from day 1 to day 7 after the onset of seizures and was significantly higher in TLE patients. The behavioral study revealed that inhibiting dynamin 1 increased the latency time of the first seizure and decreased the frequency and severity of the seizures. In addition, electrophysiological recordings from brain slices showed that inhibiting dynamin 1 reduces the frequency of Mg-free induced seizure-like activity. The anticonvulsant effect of dynasore was more effective at 10 µM than at 1 µM or 160 µM. These results indicate that the altered level of dynamin 1 may contribute to the development of epileptic seizures and that the targeted regulation of dynamin 1 activity may control epileptic seizures.

[Changes in the prevalence of obesity and abdominal obesity in middle-aged Chengdu residents during 1992 and 2007].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the changes in the prevalence of obesity and abdominal obesity in the middle-aged Chengdu residents during 1992 and 2007. METHODS: In 1992, a cohort of 1365 Chengdu residents were selected using a combination of nonrandom cluster sampling and intra-cluster random sampling stratified by age and gender for cardiovascular disease risk factor surveys. In 2007, 1061 of the selected residents completed a second survey. We analyzed the changes in the prevalence of obesity and abdominal obesity in the middle-aged residents using BMI and waist circumference as indicators. RESULTS: From 1992 to 2007, the BMI, waist circumference, prevalence of obesity and abdominal obesity of this cohort of respondents increased significantly (P < 0.05). The 2007 survey found significant higher BMI, waist circumference, and prevalence of obesity and abdominal obesity in the residents of 50-64 years old than those with the same age in 1992 (P < 0.05). The female respondents had consistently greater standardized prevalence of obesity and abdominal obesity than their male counterparts except for the abdominal obesity in the 2007 survey. CONCLUSION: Both prevalence of obesity and abdominal obesity are increasing in Chengdu residents, even after adjustment of age.

[Changes of prevalence of hypertension and blood pressure levels in 1061 adults in Chengdu from 1992 to 2007].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes of blood pressure (BP) levels of a general population in Chengdu, China from 1992 to 2007. METHODS: A baseline survey on CVD risk factors was carried out in a general population of Chengdu in 1992. A total of 1365 adults aged 35-64 years were recruited randomly. In 2007, 1061 of the participants completed a follow up survey. RESULTS: 1) The systolic blood pressure (SBP) levels increased with age in both men and women, and larger increase was found in older people. The diastolic blood pressure (DBP) levels also increased with age, however, the smallest increase was found in the age group of 45 to 54 years. 2) People of 50-64 years old in 2007 had higher SBP than those of the same age in 1992. Similar changes were also found for DBP in men, but not in women. 3) From 1992 to 2007, the prevalence of hypertension increased in all of the age groups. The greater increase occurred in the younger population. 4) During the 15 years, the prevalence of hypertension increased from 13.2% to 51.2% in men, and from 14.0% to 45.1% in women. People of 50-64 years old had higher prevalence of hypertension in 2007 than those of the same age in 1992. CONCLUSION: SBP and DBP increase with age, and younger people have larger increase than older people. The prevalence of hypertension increases with age, and the greater increase also occurred in younger people. In people with the same age of 50-64 years, the prevalence of hypertension and SBP and DBP levels are higher in 2007 than in 1992, except for DBP in women.

[Association between serum uric acid and early kidney damage in middle-aged and elderly].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between serum uric acid (UA) and early kidney damage and the prevalence of early kidney damage [89 >or= GFR >or= 60 ml * min(-1) * (1.73m(2))(-1)] in the middle-aged and elders with normal serum creatinine. METHODS: A survey of cardiovascular risk factors, including serum UA and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) [according to MDRD (modification of diet in renal disease) equation], was carried out in a local general population of Chengdu. A total of 1023 subjects with normal serum creatinine [mean age: (63 +/- 6) years; male: female = 52.7%: 47.3%] were recruited by random sampling method. The subjects were divided into 4 groups (A, B, C, D) according to the quartiles of serum UA levels (A: UA < 282 micromol/L, B: 282 micromol/L or= 379 micromol/L). RESULTS: In the group, the prevalence of early kidney damage was 28.1% (men: 35.8% > women: 19.5%, P < 0.01). In men and women, serum UA and mild kidney dysfunction were negatively correlated, and the prevalence of early kidney damage significantly increased with the elevated level of serum UA. The prevalence of early kidney damage was higher in men than women (P < 0.01). According to the logistic regression analysis adjusting for age, gender, waist, body mass index, triglyceride, HDL-C, total cholesterol, history of hypertension and diabetes type 2, the odds ratio of the prevalence of early kidney damage were 1.0 [B: 1.740 (P = 0.151), C: 3.599 (P = 0.01) and D: 5.488 (P < 0.01) respectively]. CONCLUSION: In the middle-aged and elders with normal serum creatinine, serum UA and eGFR are negatively correlated. And serum UA level is independently associated with early kidney damage.

[Association of PPARgamma2 Pro12Ala polymorphism and cognitive dysfunction in hypertension patients].

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between PPARgamma2 Pro12Ala polymorphism and cognitive function in patients with primary hypertension. METHODS: This study enrolled 502 hypertensive patients of Chinese Han population from Jan 2008 to Feb 2009 in West China Hospital of Sichuan University. We collected the general data and applied the mini mental state examination (MMSE) to test the cognitive function and computed score. Total cholesterol (TC), triglyeride (TG), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and postprandial blood sugar (PPBS), fasting insulin (FINS) and postprandial plasma insulin (PINS) were measured. PCR-RELP method was used to analysis the PPARgamma2 Pro12Ala gene polymorphism. RESULTS: Pro12Pro genotype was present in 88.6% of the patients and Prol2Ala genotype was present in 11.4% of the population. Allele frequencies were 94.3% for Pro allele and 5.7% for Ala allele. In cognitive normal group, the frequencies of PP and PA genotype were 328 (87.2%) and 48 (12.8%), while the frequencies of PP and PA genotypes in the cognitive dysfunction group were 126 (92.9%), 9 (7.1%) respectively. Analyzed by chi2 test, both the genotype frequency and the allele frequency of PPARy2 Pro12Ala polymorphism did not display statistical variability between the cognitive normal group and the cognitive dysfunction group, even eliminating the influence of age and sexuality. CONCLUSION: Pro12Ala polymorphism in PPARgamma2 with primary hypertension may not associate with cognitive impairment.