Association of community built environment with obesity among elderly residents / 环境与职业医学

Background In the context of improving urban environment for healthy aging, it is necessary to rationally plan and provide community living space and public service facilities suitable for the elderly, and constantly optimize the built environment towards an age-friendly city. Objective To understand the relationship between community built environment and obesity in the elderly in Longgang City, and to provide a reference basis for improving the health of the elderly. Methods Elderly adults aged 60-90 years (n=6527) who completed a physical examination during the period from October 2020 to January 2021 in Longgang City were surveyed, and data on height and weight, waist circumference (WC), and other sociological demographic characteristics were obtained. Overweight was determined by 24 kg·m−2 ≤ body mass index (BMI) < 28 kg·m−2 and obesity by BMI ≥ 28 kg·m−2. Men with WC ≥ 85 cm and women with WC ≥ 80 cm were considered central obesity. Based on the participants' residential addresses, geocoding was performed using a geographic information system, and built environment indicators such as restaurants, convenience stores, and basic medical facilities were obtained using Gaode Map. A binary logistic regression model with adjusted individual-level covariates was used to evaluate the relationship between obesity and built environment indicators among elderly adults by gender and age. Results Among the 6527 community elderly, 46.93% were male and 53.07% were female, with a mean age of (73.69±0.07) years, a mean BMI of (24.32±2.84) kg·m−2, and 51.92% of the elderly were overweight or obese. The regression results showed that for elderly men, the more convenience stores and the higher mixed land use in residential areas, the higher risk of central obesity; however, the increases in street connectivity and accessibility to parks and recreational areas were associated a decreased risk of central obesity. The prevalence of overweight/obesity was higher among elderly women with more convenience stores in residential areas, while increased street connectivity was associated with a lower prevalence of central obesity among elderly women. Accessibility to primary health care facilities was negatively associated with the risk of central obesity among the 60- to 70-year-olds. For elderly residents aged 71−80 years, higher mixed land use and better accessibility to transit stations were associated with a higher prevalence of overweight/obesity, while street connectivity was negatively associated with the central obesity. Proximity to parks and recreational areas was associated with a reduced risk of overweight/obesity among the 81- to 90-year-olds. Conclusion Among the variables of a 500-m neighborhood built environment, the number of convenience stores, mixed land use, street connectivity, accessibility to primary health care facilities, accessibility to public transit stations, and accessibility to parks and recreational areas are correlated with obesity among elderly residents, and the degree of influence varies by gender and age.

Bioinformatics analysis on structure and function and expression vector construction of SARS-CoV-2 related protein TMPRSS2 / 中国药理学通报

Aim Human TMPRSS2 is a transmembrane serine protease.In this paper, the structure and func¬tion of the protein were systematically analyzed by bioinformatics, the codon was optimized and the pro- karvotie expression vector was constructed to explore the molecular mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 infecting host cells.Methods The recombinant expression vector pET-22b-TMPRSS2 was generated by molecular clo¬ning technology.The homology, functional sites, sub¬cellular localization, three-dimensional structure and evolutionary characteristics of TMPRSS2 protein were systematically analyzed by using analytical tools such as Protparam, NetPhos3.1, Blast, Clustal X2 and MEGA7.0.Results The prokarvotic expression plas- mid was constructed correctly; TMPRSS2 belongs to medium molecular weight protein, which is composed of 492 amino acid residues.The theoretical isoelectric point is 8.12, the molecular extinction coefficient is 118 145 L • mol~1 • cm"1 , and the half-life is 30 h; TMPRSS2 has 15 potential glycosylation sites and 49 possible phosphorylation sites.It is a transmembrane hydrophilie protein without signal sequenee.In addi¬tion, the protein has 13 potential B-cell epitopes and 7 T-eell epitopes.Seeondarv structure analysis showed that random coil accounted for the highest proportion of TMPRSS2 protein ( 0.453 3) , followed by extended strand (0.252 0).Sequence comparison and evolu¬tionary analysis showed that the highest sequence con¬sistency and closest genetic relationship with human TMPRSS2 was Pan troglodytes, followed by gorilla.Conclusions Human-derived TMPRSS2 protein is ev- olutionarilv conserved and functionally important.Hie results of this study can help to reveal the structure and mechanism of action of TMPRSS2 protein, provide ide¬as for the diagnosis and treatment of COYID-19, and accelerate the research and development process of new drugs targeting TMPRSS2 protein.

THZ1 suppresses human non-small-cell lung cancer cells in vitro through interference with cancer metabolism.

Cancer cells always require more nutrients, energy, and biosynthetic activity to sustain their rapid proliferation than normal cells. Previous studies have shown the impact of THZ1, a covalent inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7), on transcription regulation and cell-cycle arrest in numerous cancers, but its effects on cellular metabolism in cancer cells remain unknown. In this study we elucidated the anticancer mechanism of THZ1 in human non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. We showed that treatment with THZ1 (10-1000 nM) dose-dependently suppressed the proliferation of human NSCLC cell lines H1299, A549, H292, and H23, and markedly inhibited the migration of these NSCLC cells. Furthermore, treatment with THZ1 (50 nM) arrested cell cycle at G2/M phase and induced apoptosis in these NSCLC cell lines. More importantly, we revealed that treatment with THZ1 (50 nM) blocked the glycolysis pathway but had no effect on glutamine metabolism. We further demonstrated that THZ1 treatment altered the expression pattern of glutaminase 1 (GLS1) isoforms through promoting the ubiquitination and degradation of NUDT21. Combined treatment of THZ1 with a glutaminase inhibitor CB-839 (500 nM) exerted a more potent anti-proliferative effect in these NSCLC cell lines than treatment with THZ1 or CB-839 alone. Our results demonstrate that the inhibitory effect of THZ1 on the growth of human NSCLC cells is partially attributed to interfering with cancer metabolism. Thus, we provide a new potential therapeutic strategy for NSCLC treatment by combining THZ1 with the inhibitors of glutamine metabolism.

Chief complaints associated with mortality involving civilian transport after Wen-chuan earthquake.

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have reported that civilian transport is a mortality risk factor in low-resource communities. Few studies have analyzed the chief complaints associated with mortality involving civilian transport after an earthquake.Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine whether mortality resulting from medical professional transport differs from that involving civilian transport, and if so, the chief complaints associated with mortality involving civilian transport after the Wen-chuan earthquake. METHODS: A hospital-based case-control study was conducted. Cases included all victims transported by civilians to West China Hospital from the disaster area (n=473). Controls included all victims transported by medical professionals to West China Hospital (n=1452). We further analyze six potential chief complaints of death to clarify the specific contributing chief complaints associated with mortality involving civilian transport. RESULTS: Civilian transport is associated with significantly greater mortality compared with medical professional transport (Pearson's χ-test: P<0.05). Patients with altered mental status had the greatest risk of death [odds ratio (OR)=4.552, 95% confidence interval (CI)=2.165-9.572], followed by patients with trunk injury (OR=2.517, 95% CI=1.251-5.066), and finally patients with shortness of breath (OR=2.345, 95% CI=1.040-5.288). CONCLUSION: Altered mental status, trunk injury, and shortness of breath were the significant chief complaints associated with mortality involving civilian transport to the hospital after the Wen-chuan earthquake. Our data suggest that patients with any of these complaints should be transported by medical professionals, not civilians, to the nearest hospital for treatment.

Effect of iron concentration on the growth of carbon nanotubes on clay surface.

The successful growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on montmorillonite (MMT) precursors treated with different concentrations of ferric nitrate at 50 °C (MMT(Fe)-50) and 100 °C (MMT(Fe)-100) was achieved via the in situ chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of acetylene. The as-obtained MMT-CNTs composites were characterized using X-ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. All Fe(3+) ions were intercalated into the MMT interlayers at either 50 or 100 °C in the case of [Fe(3+)]/[clay] = 1. However, the iron content in MMT(Fe)-100 increased rapidly with the amount of ferric nitrate added, whereas the iron content in MMT(Fe)-50 did not exhibit significant changes. On the other hand, the physical and chemical adsorption of Fe(3+) onto the MMT surface was believed to be responsible for the great diversity of iron contents in MMT(Fe)-50 and MMT(Fe)-100 at the same [Fe(3+)]/[clay] ratios. Moreover, the CNT yield showed variation similar to the iron content because the CNTs yield depends primarily on the amount of catalyst available. The CNTs embedded onto MMT(Fe)-100 exhibited narrower diameter distributions than those on the MMT(Fe)-50 precursors, with more CNTs with diameters less than 50 nm on the former. It is suggested that a porous structure with many pores formed by iron species and MMT laminas is related to the morphology and structure of CNTs embedded on the surface of MMT.

Isolation and identification of reprogramming genes related to the development of the rabbit reconstructed embryos / 生物工程学报

By the method of single preimplantation embryos differential display polymerase chain reaction (SPEDDRT-PCR), 25 reprogramming cDNA fragments were obtained from single 2-cell, 8-cell embryos and blastula. After cloning and sequencing, five of them were identified by reverse-Northern and characterized with stage-specific expression during reconstructed embryo development. This results will help to isolate full length reprogramming genes and study their function during embryonic development.

Cloned goats produced from the somatic cells of an adult transgenic goat / 生物工程学报

This study was carried out to examine the effect of different donor cell type and micro-manipulation on the development of reconstituted embryos. Cultured mural cumulus cells or fibroblast cells from an adult transgenic goat expressing human erythropoietin(rhEPO) were used as the donor cells in nuclear transfer experiments. The reconstituted eggs were generated by transferring fibroblast cells or cumulus cells into the perivitelline space of enucleated M II oocytes and then followed by electrofusion and activation. After 6 days' incubation in vivo, the reconstructed embryos developed into morulae or blastocysts were transferred into 6 foster recipients. Two of the foster-mothers were pregnant and gave birth to two offspring, which were derived from the fibroblast cell and cumulus cell, respectively. Fingerprint analysis showed that the PCR-RFLP patterns of the two offspring were identical to that of donor goats. PCR results indicated that these cloned goats carried hEPO gene as same as their donor cells.

MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES OF RABBIT BLASTOCYSTS AT PREIMPLANTATION STAGE / 解剖学报

Ultrastructural changes of the inner cell mass (ICM) in rabbit blastocysts from 4 to 7 days post coitum (p.c.) were observed with transmission electron microscope. It revealed that ICM of blastocyst on day 5 p.c. began to differentiate after they were arranged into a single layer, and under which the primitive endoderm appeared. It is suggested that the primitive endodermal cells in rabbit blastocysts are derived from the scattered ICM-like cells at the inner surface of the mural trophoblast rather than delaminated from ICM proper. In this paper, disruption and disappearance of polar trophoblast are described and discussed.