Enhanced stability and catalytic performance of laccase immobilized on magnetic graphene oxide modified with ionic liquids.

Graphite oxide (GO) is an excellent laccase immobilization material. However, the electrostatic interaction between graphene leads to the accumulation of GO, as well as the interaction with the surface of enzyme molecules causing protein denaturation and deactivation, which limits its further industrial application. In this study, the ionic liquids (ILs) modification strategy was proposed to improve the stability and catalytic performance of immobilized laccase. The laccase-ILs-MGO exhibited remarkable enzymatic properties, with significant enhancements in organic solvent tolerance, thermal and operational stability. The laccase-ILs-MGO system exhibited a remarkable removal efficiency of 95.5% towards 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) within 12 h and maintained over 70.0% removal efficiency after seven reaction cycles. In addition, the efficient elimination of other phenolic compounds and recalcitrant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons could also be accomplished. Molecular dynamics simulation and molecular docking studies demonstrated that immobilized laccase exhibited superior structural rigidity and stronger hydrogen bond interactions with substrates compared to free laccase, which was beneficial for the stability of both the laccase and substrate degradation efficiency. Therefore, this study proposed a simple and practical strategy for modifying GO with ILs, providing novel insights into developing efficient enzyme immobilization techniques.

Can vitamin E ester derivatives be excellent alternatives of vitamin E: state of art.

Vitamin E (VE) is a natural antioxidant which is widely used in the food fields, while the shortcomings of easy oxidative inactivation and poor water solubility limit its application. Vitamin E esters' (VEEs) derivatives, such as vitamin E acetate (VEA), are more stable and easier to be absorbed while have similar biological activities and physiological functions compared with VE. In this systematic review, the digestion, absorption and physiological function of VEEs were summarized. To promote their further industrial applications, the synthesis strategies of VEEs were also summarized in-depth. In particular, as a new generation of green solvents, ionic liquids (ILs) have been widely used in enzymatic reactions due to the stabilization and activation of enzymes. Their applications in enzymatic synthesis of VEEs were summarized and discussed. Finally, several future perspectives for developing more efficiency strategies of VEEs synthesis, such as enzyme engineering and design of novel ILs, were also discussed.

Immobilization of Candida antarctica lipase B on ILs modified CNTs with different chain lengths: Regulation of substrate tunnel "Leucine gating".

Ionic liquids (ILs) have been widely used as chemical modifiers to modify the carriers and thus improve the efficiency, activity and stability of the enzymes. However, as thousands of ILs have been found up to date, it's a huge work for screening and designing suitable ILs for immobilization of enzymes. Moreover, the mechanism of improving enzymes catalytic performance is still remain ambiguous. Thus, this study investigated the impact of ILs with different chain lengths on the enzymatic properties of Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB). Molecular dynamics simulations were employed to examine the interaction between ILs modified CNTs and CALB, as well as their effects on CALB's structure. The results revealed that ILs with different chain lengths significantly influenced the absorption orientation of CALB. Tunnel analysis identified a key role for Leu278 in regulating the open or closed state of Tunnel 2 during CALB's catalytic cycle. The weak interaction analysis demonstrated that ILs with suitable chain lengths provided spatial freedom and formed strong interactions with CNTs and ILs (vdW and hbond). This led to a conformational flip of Leu278, stabilizing the open state of Tunnel 2 and improving the activity and stability of immobilized CALB. This study provides novel insights into the design of new green modifiers to modulate carrier performance and obtain immobilized enzymes with better performance, and establishes a theoretical basis for the design and selection of modifiers for ILs in future work.

Laccase immobilized on nanocomposites for wastewater pollutants degradation: current status and future prospects.

The bio-enzyme degradation technology is a promising approach to sustainably remove pollution in the water and laccase is one of the most widely used enzymes in this area. Nevertheless, the further industrial application of laccase is limited by low stability, short service, low reusability and high price. The immobilization technology can significantly improve the stability and reusability of enzymes and thus promoting their industrial applications. Nanocomposite materials have been developed and applied in the efficient immobilization of laccase due to their superior physical, chemical, and biological performance. This paper presents a comprehensive review of various nanocomposite immobilization methods for laccase and the consequent changes in enzymatic properties post-immobilization. Additionally, a comprehensive analysis is conducted on the factors that impact laccase immobilization and its water removal efficiency. Furthermore, this review examines the effectiveness of common contaminants' removal mechanisms while summarizing and discussing issues related to laccase immobilization on nanocomposite carriers. This review aims to provide valuable guidance for enhancing laccase immobilization efficiency and enzymatic water pollutant removal.

Selective and Efficient Synthesis of Pine Sterol Esters Catalyzed by Deep Eutectic Solvent.

Phytosterol esters have attracted widespread academic and industrial interests due to their advantages in lowering cholesterol, as antioxidants, and in preventing or treating cancer. However, the generation of by-products limits the application of phytosterol esters in food fields. In this study, deep eutectic solvents (DESs), a series of green, nontoxic, low-cost and biodegradable solvents, were adopted as the catalyst for the synthesis of pine sterol esters. The results showed that the acidic DES which was prepared with choline chloride (ChCl) and p-toluene sulfonic acid monohydrate (PTSA) with a molar ratio of 1:3 performed best in the prescreening experiments. To further improve the efficiency of the pine sterol ester, the molar ratio of substrates, the amount of catalyst, the reaction temperature and the reaction time were optimized, and its yield was improved to 94.1%. Moreover, the by-products of the dehydration side reactions of the sterol can be efficiently inhibited. To make this strategy more universal, other fatty acids were also used as the substrate for the synthesis of pine sterol esters, and a yield of above 92.0% was obtained. In addition, the reusability of DES was also investigated in this study, and the efficiency of DES was well maintained within five recycled uses. Finally, DFT calculations suggested that the suitable H-bonds between ChCl and PTSA decreased the nucleophilic capacity and increased the steric hindrance of the latter, and further prevented the attack on ßH and reduced the generation of by-products. This study developed a reliable and eco-friendly strategy for the preparation of high-quality phytosterol esters with low-dosage catalyst usage and high selectivity.

CG and CHG Methylation Contribute to the Transcriptional Control of OsPRR37-Output Genes in Rice.

Plant circadian clock coordinates endogenous transcriptional rhythms with diurnal changes of environmental cues. OsPRR37, a negative component in the rice circadian clock, reportedly regulates transcriptome rhythms, and agronomically important traits. However, the underlying regulatory mechanisms of OsPRR37-output genes remain largely unknown. In this study, whole genome bisulfite sequencing and high-throughput RNA sequencing were applied to verify the role of DNA methylation in the transcriptional control of OsPRR37-output genes. We found that the overexpression of OsPRR37 suppressed rice growth and altered cytosine methylations in CG and CHG sequence contexts in but not the CHH context (H represents A, T, or C). In total, 35 overlapping genes were identified, and 25 of them showed negative correlation between the methylation level and gene expression. The promoter of the hexokinase gene OsHXK1 was hypomethylated at both CG and CHG sites, and the expression of OsHXK1 was significantly increased. Meanwhile, the leaf starch content was consistently lower in OsPRR37 overexpression lines than in the recipient parent Guangluai 4. Further analysis with published data of time-course transcriptomes revealed that most overlapping genes showed peak expression phases from dusk to dawn. The genes involved in DNA methylation, methylation maintenance, and DNA demethylation were found to be actively expressed around dusk. A DNA glycosylase, namely ROS1A/DNG702, was probably the upstream candidate that demethylated the promoter of OsHXK1. Taken together, our results revealed that CG and CHG methylation contribute to the transcriptional regulation of OsPRR37-output genes, and hypomethylation of OsHXK1 leads to decreased starch content and reduced plant growth in rice.

Enhancing the Catalytic Performance of Candida antarctica Lipase B by Chemical Modification With Alkylated Betaine Ionic Liquids.

Various betaine ionic liquids composed of different chain lengths and different anions were designed and synthesized to modify Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB). The results showed that the catalytic activity of all modified lipases improved under different temperature and pH conditions, while also exhibiting enhanced thermostability and tolerance to organic solvents. With an increase in ionic liquid chain length, the modification effect was greater. Overall, CALB modified by [BetaineC16][H2PO4] performed best, with the modified CALB enzyme activity increased 3-fold, thermal stability increased 1.5-fold when stored at 70°C for 30 min, with tolerance increased 2.9-fold in 50% DMSO and 2.3-fold in 30% mercaptoethanol. Fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic analysis showed that the introduction of an ionic liquid caused changes in the microenvironment surrounding some fluorescent groups and the secondary structure of the CALB enzyme protein. In order to establish the enzyme activity and stability change mechanisms of the modified CALB, the structures of CALB modified with [BetaineC4][Cl] and [BetaineC16][Cl] were constructed, while the reaction mechanisms were studied by molecular dynamics simulations. Results showed that the root mean square deviation (RMSD) and total energy of modified CALB were less than those of native CALB, indicating that modified CALB has a more stable structure. Root mean square fluctuation (RMSF) calculations showed that the rigidity of modified CALB was enhanced. Solvent accessibility area (SASA) calculations exhibited that both the hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity of the modified enzyme-proteins were improved. The increase in radial distribution function (RDF) of water molecules confirmed that the number of water molecules around the active sites also increased. Therefore, modified CALB has enhanced structural stability and higher hydrolytic activity.

Chemical modification for improving catalytic performance of lipase B from Candida antarctica with hydrophobic proline ionic liquid.

In this study, a series of proline ionic liquids with different lengths of hydrophobic alkyl on the side chain were used to modify the Candida Antarctic lipase B (CALB). The catalytic activity, thermal stability and tolerance to methanol and DMSO of the modified enzyme were all improved simultaneously. The optimum temperature changed from 55 to 60 â„ƒ. The hydrophobicity and anion type of the modifier have important influence on the catalytic performance of CALB. CALB modified by [ProC12][H2PO4] has a better effect. Under the optimal conditions, its hydrolysis activity was 3.0 times than that of the native enzyme, the catalytic efficiency Kcat/Km improved 2.8 times in aqueous phase, and the tolerance to organic solvent with strong polarity (50% methanol 2 h) was increased by 6.8 times. Fluorescence spectra and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy showed that the introduction of ionic liquids changed the microenvironment near the fluorophores of the enzyme protein, the α-helix decreased and ß-sheet increased in the secondary structure of the modified enzymes. The root mean square deviation (RMSD), residue root mean square fluctuation (RMSF), radius of gyration (Rg), and solution accessible surface area (SASA) of [ProC2][Br]-CALB, [ProC12][Br]-CALB and native CALB were obtained for comparison by molecular dynamics simulation. The results of dynamics simulation were in good agreement with enzymology experiment. The introduction of ionic liquids can keep CALB in a better active conformation, and proline ionic liquids with long hydrophobic chains can significantly improve the surface hydrophobicity and overall rigidity of CALB. This research offers a new idea for rapid screening of efficient modifiers and provision of enzymes with high stability and activity for industrial application.

One-pot cascade synthesis of benzopyrans and dihydropyrano[c]chromenes catalyzed by lipase TLIM.

Lipase TLIM was reported to be an efficient, commercially available and reusable catalyst for the Knoevenagel-Michael cascade reactions of aldehydes, malononitrile/ethyl cyanoacetate and 4-hydroxycoumarin/1, 3-cyclohexanedione/dimedone in aqueous DMSO. This methodology presents many superiorities such as simple procedure, mild reaction conditions, commercially available and reusable catalyst, high substrate applicability, the ability to be scaled up, and good to excellent yields.

Enzymatic approach to cascade synthesis of bis(indolyl)methanes in pure water.

A mild, efficient, and green protocol was developed for the synthesis of bis(indolyl)methanes catalyzed by lipase TLIM through the cascade reactions of indole with aldehydes in pure water. This methodology offers many superiorities such as excellent yields, wide substrate range, simple procedure, reusable and minimal amount of catalyst, and the ability to be scaled up.

Promiscuous enzyme-catalyzed cascade reaction in water: Synthesis of dicoumarol derivatives.

Lipase RMIM was firstly used as a promiscuous biocatalyst to catalyze the Knoevenagel-Michael cascade reactions of 4-hydroxycoumarin with aromatic, heterocyclic or aliphatic aldehydes to synthesize dicoumarol derivatives in water. Results showed that the adopted methodology could offer many advantages, such as mild reaction conditions, pure aqueous reaction system, wide substrate applicability, recyclable catalyst, excellent yields (81-98%), operational simplicity, and environmentally friendly reactions.

[Treatment strategy for flail foot with sensory disorder of spina bifida sequela in adult].

Objective: To summarize the main methods and comprehensive effects of limited surgery combined with external fixation for the treatment of flail foot with sensory disorder of spina bifida sequela in adult. Method: The clinical data of 22 cases (30 feet) of the adult spina bifida sequela who suffered from flail foot with sensory disorder and treated by limited surgery combined with external fixation were retrospectively analysed between January 2005 and December 2015. There were 14 males and 8 females with an age of 8-38 years (mean, 21.5 years). All 30 feet were distal ankle sensory loss, including 2 cases (2 feet) on the left side, 2 cases (2 feet) on the right side, and 18 cases (26 feet) on both sides. There was 1 foot accompanied by ulcerative plantar ulcers, and 3 feet lost their toes due to foot osteomyelitis in the weight-bearing area. Combined with 3 cases of hip dislocation, 3 cases of scoliosis, 4 cases of knee deformity, and 3 cases of ptosis. There were 5 cases of normal control of urine and stool, 10 cases of partial control of urine and stool, 6 cases of overflow urinary incontinence, and 1 case of cystostomy. According to X-ray film, the lesion of spina bifida was evaluated, the laminar insufficiency was located at L 3-L 5 in 8 cases, L 5, S 1 in 9 cases, and L 3-S 3 in 5 cases. In the patients, 12 feet were performed ankle joint arthrodesis, 10 feet subtalar arthrodesis, and 8 feet tibia-talus-calcaneus arthrodesis. Ilizarov external fixator was used in 18 feet, Hybrid fixator in 8 feet, Hybrid fixator and cannulate screws in 3 feet, and Ilizarov fixator and cannulate screws in 1 foot. Results: All 22 patients were followed up 10-80 months (mean, 48.5 months). All ankle deformities were corrected effectively after operation, the middle and hind feet were stable, the plantar foot was restored, the whole foot was loaded, and the ulcer healed without recurrence. There were 2 cannulate screws ruptured in the subtalar arthrodesis, bone healed after screws break; no complication such as surgical infection, neurovascular injury, and so on happened. At last follow-up, based on the evaluation criteria of QIN Sihe lower limb deformity correction, the results were excellent in 15 feet, good in 9 feet, and fair in 6 feet, with an excellent and good rate of 80.0%. Conclusion: The treatment of flail foot with sensory disorder of spina bifida sequela is more demanding. The limited surgeries combined with external fixation play an important role for recovering the stability of foot and ankle, better clinical results, and less complications.

Photoselective green-light laser vaporisation vs. TURP for BPH: meta-analysis.

This study sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of photoselective vaporisation (PVP) vs. transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Eligible studies were identified from electronic databases (Cochrane Library, PubMed and EMBASE). The database search, quality assessment and data extraction were performed independently by two reviewers. Efficacy (primary outcomes: maximum urinary flow rate (Q(max)), international prostate symptom score (IPSS), postvoid residual urine (PVR) and quality of life (QoL); secondary outcomes: operative time, hospital time and catheter removal time) and safety (complications, such as transfusion and capsular perforation) were explored by using Review Manager 5.0. Six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and five case-controlled studies of 1398 patients met the inclusion criteria. A meta-analysis of the extractable data showed that there were no differences in IPSS, Q(max), QoL or PVR between PVP and TURP (mean difference (MD): prostate sizes <70 ml, Q(max) at 24 months, MD=0.01, P=0.97; IPSS at 12 months, MD=0.18, P=0.64; QoL at 12 months, MD=-0.00, P=0.96; PVR at 12 months, MD=0.52, P=0.43; prostate sizes >70 ml, Q(max) at 6 months, MD=-3.46, P=0.33; IPSS at 6 months, MD=3.11, P=0.36; PVR at 6 months, MD=25.50, P=0.39). PVP was associated with a shorter hospital time and catheter removal time than TURP, whereas PVP resulted in a longer operative time than TURP. For prostate sizes <70 ml, there were fewer transfusions, capsular perforations, incidences of TUR syndrome and clot retentions following PVP compared with TURP. These results indicate that PVP is as effective and safe as TURP for BPH at the mid-term patient follow-up, in particular for prostate sizes <70 ml. Due to the different energy settings available for green-light laser sources and the higher efficiency and performance of higher-quality lasers, large-sample, long-term RCTs are required to verify whether different energy settings affect outcomes.

Tamsulosin for ureteral stones: a systematic review and meta-analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate the efficacy of tamsulosin as a medical expulsive therapy of ureteral stones. METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and ISI-Science Citation Index up to December 2011. All randomized controlled trials were identified in which patients were randomized to receive either tamsulosin or standard therapy with/without placebo for ureteral stones. Outcome measures assessed were overall stone expulsion rate (primary) and expulsion time, and the number of pain episodes (secondary). Three authors independently assessed study quality and extracted data. All data were analyzed using RevMan 5.0. RESULTS: Twenty-nine trials with a total of 2,763 patients met the inclusion criteria. The pooled analysis showed a 19% improvement in stone clearance with tamsulosin. According to the doses of tamsulosin, the pooling effects of tamsulosin were analyzed, with a higher expulsion rate obtained than in controls. Compared with calcium channel blockers, there was a higher stone expulsion rate in tamsulosin. In addition, a shorter expulsion time, fewer colic episodes and adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Tamsulosin is a safe and effective medical expulsive therapy choice for ureteral stones. It should be recommended for most patients with distal ureteral stones before stones are 10 mm in size. In future, high-quality multicenter, randomized and placebo-controlled trials are needed to evaluate the outcome.

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein TaqIB polymorphism and its association with serum lipid levels and longevity in Chinese Bama Zhuang population.

BACKGROUND: TaqIB polymorphism in the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) gene has been reported to be associated with serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and longevity in several populations, but controversial results also arose probably due to racial/ethnic diversity. Bama is a remote and mountainous county located in the northwest of Guangxi, People's Republic of China, which has been well known for its longevity for centuries. The current study was to investigate the possible association of CETP TaqIB polymorphism with serum lipid levels and longevity in the Bama Zhuang population. METHODS: The CETP TaqIB genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism in 523 long-lived inhabitants (long-lived group, LG; aged 90-107 years) and 498 healthy controls without longevity family history (non-long-lived group, non-LG; aged 40-69 years) residing in Bama County. RESULTS: The levels of total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were higher but TG, HDL-C/LDL-C ratio and the prevalence of dyslipidemia were lower in LG than in non-LG (P < 0.001 for all). There were no differences in the allelic and genotypic frequencies between the two groups (P > 0.05). Serum HDL-C levels and HDL-C/LDL-C ratio in LG were different among the genotypes (P < 0.01 for each), the subjects with B2B2 and B1B2 genotyes had higher HDL-C levels and HDL-C/LDL-C ratio than the subjects with B1B1genotye, whereas the levels of TC and HDL-C in non-LG were different among/between the genotypes (P < 0.01 for each), the B2 allele carriers had lower TC and higher HDL-C levels than the B2 allele noncarriers. Serum TG and HDL-C levels and HDL-C/LDL-C ratio were correlated with genotypes in LG, whereas serum TC and HDL-C levels were associated with genotypes in non-LG (P < 0.05-0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The association of CETP TaqIB polymorphism and serum lipid profiles is different between LG and non-LG in the Chinese Bama Zhuang population. CETP TaqIB polymorphism might be one of the longevity-related genetic factors in this population.

Microsomal triglyceride transfer protein gene -493G/T polymorphism and its association with serum lipid levels in Bama Zhuang long-living families in China.

BACKGROUND: The -493G/T polymorphism in the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) gene is associated with lower serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride (TG) levels and longevity in several populations, but the results are inconsistent in different racial/ethnic groups. The current study was to investigate the plausible association of MTP -493G/T polymorphism with serum lipid levels and longevity in Zhuang long-lived families residing in Bama area, a famous home of longevity in Guangxi, China. METHODS: The MTP -493G/T was genotyped by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism in 391 Bama Zhuang long-lived families (BLF, n = 1467, age 56.60 ± 29.43 years) and four control groups recruited from Bama and out-of-Bama area with or without a familial history of exceptional longevity: Bama non-long-lived families (BNLF, n = 586, age 44.81 ± 26.83 years), Bama non-Zhuang long-lived families (BNZLF, n = 444, age 52.09 ± 31.91 years), Pingguo long-lived families (PLF, n = 658, age 50.83 ± 30.30 years), and Pingguo non-long-lived families (PNLF, n = 539, age 38.74 ± 24.69 years). Correlation analyses between genotypes and serum lipid levels and longevity were then performed. RESULTS: No particularly favorable lipoprotein and clinical phenotypes were seen in BLF as compared to general families in the same area. Instead, the levels of total cholesterol (TC), TG, LDL-C, and the prevalence of dyslipidemia were significantly higher in the three Bama families as compared to the two non-Bama families (P < 0.01 for all). There were no differences in the allelic and genotypic frequencies among the tested cohorts (P > 0.05 for all), but the TT genotype tended to enrich in the three long-lived cohorts from both areas. In addition, the individuals harboring TT genotype exhibited lower LDL-C and TC levels in the overall populations and Bama populations with a region- and sex-specific pattern. Multiple linear regression analyses unraveled that LDL-C levels were correlated with genotypes in Bama combined population, BNLF, and the total population (P < 0.05 for each) but not in Pingguo populations; TC and HDL-C levels were correlated with genotypes in Bama combined population and BLF, respectively (P < 0.05 for each). CONCLUSIONS: MTP -493G/T polymorphism may play an important role in fashioning the serum lipid profiles of Bama populations, despite no direct association between MTP -493G/T and longevity was detected.

Detection of nuclear matrix protein 22 and survivin baseline level in patients after radical cystectomy.

We investigated the baseline levels of urine nuclear matrix protein 22 (U-NMP22) and survivin in urine after radical cystectomy for primary invasive bladder cancer. We measured U-NMP22 and survivin values in 72 patients with four types of urinary diversion (Indiana bladder, Bricker bladder, Mainz bladder and orthotopic bladder) after radical cystectomy and 25 healthy volunteers. We also analyzed the relation between the U-NMP22 and survivin level and other variables among patients with continent urinary diversion and incontinent urinary diversion as well as healthy controls, and found that the U-NMP22 and survivin values were not associated with postoperative interval or gender. The U-NMP22 values (mean ± standard error) for continent urinary diversion, incontinent urinary diversion and healthy controls were 12.08 ± 0.10, 16.62 ± 0.15 and 0.01 ± 0.00 U/ml, respectively. The survivin values (mean ± standard error) for continent urinary diversion, incontinent urinary diversion and healthy controls were 0.47 ± 0.06, 0.69 ± 0.16 and 0.02 ± 0.03 U/ml, respectively. The U-NMP22 and survivin values in the Bricker bladder group were significantly higher than the values in the other three groups. We noted that increased levels of U-NMP22 and survivin after radical cystectomy varied according to different predictors, which may be useful for designing strategies to follow these cases.

[Study on the risk of age-related diabetes mellitus among 8280 cases with metabolic syndrome patients and normal persons in Beijing.].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of age on patients with metabolic syndrome (MS) and normal persons. METHODS: Data was gathered from 8280 persons including 4873 males and 3407 females who were randomly selected. All subjects were divided into normal group and MS group. According to the interval of ten years, the subjects were divided into seven age groups, to calculate the difference of impaired fasting glycaemia (IFG) between patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and normal people, as well as the related portions. RESULTS: (1) The risk of IFG and DM appeared to be different among age groups among the target subjects as well as in the normal and the MS groups (P < 0.05). (2) Among the whole subjects, the overall prevalence of IFG was increasing with age. The prevalence of DM had an increasing trend with age augment in 20 - 79 years group, whereas a decreasing trend appeared in people over 80 years of age. (3) For normal persons, the prevalence of IFG and DM were all increasing with age augment in 20 - 79 years group, and then decreasing with age augment in the over-80-years group. (4) For MS patients, the prevalence of IFG had an increasing trend with age augment in 20 - 69 years group, whereas a decreasing trend appeared in people over 70 years of age. There was no tendency of variation with age augment in DM. CONCLUSIONS: (1) For normal persons, high prevalence rates of IFG and DM were correlated to age augment, especially in senior persons. (2) For MS patients, high prevalence of IFG was also correlated to age augment, but no association between prevalence of DM and age augment was seen. (3) Age from 70 to 79 years appeared to be in high risk with MS.

HSPG2 gene C/A polymorphism does not confer susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease in Chinese.

Human HSPG2 participates in the formation of amyloid and tau aggregation in Alzheimer's disease (AD). HSPG2 gene is located on a susceptibility region to late-onset AD (LOAD), and considered as a candidate gene for LOAD because of its function and location. We performed an association study between the HSPG2 BamH I polymorphism C/A of intron 6 and LOAD on 104 patients and 127 healthy controls of Chinese origin. The C allele was more prominent in LOAD patients than in controls, though the difference was not statistically significant. Likewise with the stratification of APOE epsilon4 status, no statistical difference was observed between cases and controls. Our findings suggest that this polymorphism may not represent an additional genetic risk factor for LOAD.

[Progress in the research of genes related to human longevity].

Human longevity is the result of combined actions by many factors including genetics, environment and so on. Although longevity can take its natural course, it can be extended with social and scientific advances. This review presents the recent progress in longevity studies, especially on the research of longevity related genes in model species. It also summarizes the research of longevity related genes in humans in both the nuclear and mitochondrial genome. The prospect and strategy of human longevity research is also discussed.