The combined effect of serum cystatin C and dyslipidemia on hypertension in a large health check-up population in China.

OBJECTIVE: Some studies have reported that both serum cystatin C (Cys C) and dyslipidemia are independently associated with hypertension. However, the combined effect of the two factors is still unknown. The present study was aimed at investigating the effect of Cys C combined with dyslipidemia on hypertension in a large health check-up population in China. METHODS: A total of 203 233 health check-up subjects from January 2011 to July 2016 were recruited into this cross-sectional study. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to evaluate the combined effect of Cys C and dyslipidemia on hypertension.RESULTS: In univariate analysis, Cys C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, and triglycerides were independently correlated with hypertension (p < 0.001). A concentration-dependent combined effect of serum Cys C and dyslipidemia on hypertension was observed in multivariate regression analysis. When compared with Cys C of <0.82 mg/L, the risk of hypertension in Cys C of <0.82 mg/L with dyslipidemia, Cys C  of 0.82-0.94 mg/L with dyslipidemia, Cys C  of 0.94-1.08 mg/L with dyslipidemia, and Cys C  of ≥1.08 mg/L with dyslipidemia was increased 1.946 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.827-2.074), 1.973 (95% CI: 1.864-2.088), 2.047 (95% CI: 1.941-2.158), and 2.038 (95% CI: 1.937-2.143) folds, respectively, after adjustment.CONCLUSION: There was an association between hypertension and the combined effect of Cys C with dyslipidemia.

Effect of Tai Chi Exercise on Balance Function of Stroke Patients: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND Tai Chi is an ancient form of physical activity that has been shown to improve cardiovascular function, but to date there had been no comprehensive systematic review on the effect of Tai Chi exercise on balance function of patients with stroke. This study evaluated the effect of Tai Chi exercise on balance function in stroke patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS PubMed, Cochrane library, and China National Knowledge Information databases and the Wan Fang medical network were searched to collect the articles. The random-effects model was used to assess the effect of Tai Chi exercise on balance function of stroke patients. RESULTS Six studies were chosen to perform the meta-analysis according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. There were significant improvements of balance on Berg Balance Scale score (MD=4.823, 95% CI: 2.138-7.508), the standing balance with fall rates (RR=0.300, 95%CI: 0.120-0.770), functional reach test and dynamic gait index in Tai Chi intervention group compared to the control intervention group. However, the short physical performance battery for balance (SPBB) showed Tai Chi did not significantly improve the ability of balance for stroke patients (MD=0.293, 95%CI: -0.099~0.685). CONCLUSIONS Tai Chi exercise might have a significant impact in improving balance efficiency by increasing BBS score and reducing fall rate.

Staphylococcus aureus ST6-t701 isolates from food-poisoning outbreaks (2006-2013) in Xi'an, China.

The aim of the study was to investigate the molecular epidemiologic of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from seven staphylococcal food-poisoning (SFP) outbreaks between 2006 and 2013 in Xi'an, northwest China. A total of seven S. aureus isolates associated with seven SFP outbreaks were obtained and characterized by determining the multilocus sequence typing, spa typing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), antimicrobial susceptibility, toxin and resistant genes. The results showed that S. aureus ST6-t701 (71.4%) was the most predominant clone, followed by ST5-t002 and ST59-t172 (each 14.3%). Seven different PFGE patterns were obtained. Moreover, resistance was most frequently observed to trimethoprim and penicillin (each 71.4%), followed by erythromycin (28.6%), ampicillin, clindamycin, and tetracycline (each 14.3%). All strains were susceptible to chloramphenicol, cefoxitin, oxacillin, amikacin, and vancomycin. Three of seven strains displayed resistance to three or more antimicrobials. Resistance genes were found as follows: linA/linA' (100%), blaZ (85.7%), tet(K), ermC, ermT, and ermB (each 14.3%). Other resistant genes were not detected. In addition, the most frequently identified exotoxin genes were seu, lukED, hla, hlb, hld (each 100%), followed by hlg and hlgv (each 85.7%), lukPV (71.4%), sea (57.1%), see (42.9%), etd (28.6%), and seb, sec, sed, sej, and sek (each 14.3%). The results indicated that S. aureus ST6-t701, with a high prevalence in the northwest of China, exhibited multidrug resistance and harbored multiple toxin and resistance genes. Therefore, strict hygienic and preventative measures should be taken in order to avoid the contamination of food by S. aureus and toxin production in foods.

[Tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate induced oligodendrocyte vacuolation and process degeneration in cultured hen oligodendrocytes].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate (TOCP) and organophosphate compound that could produce organophosphate-induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN) in hen and other sensitive species, directly affect oligodendrocytes, the myelin-forming cell of the central nervous system. METHODS: This was achieved by a combination of measurements of cell viability (MTT) cell pathological observation in the presence and absence of the compound cultured hen brain oligodendrocytes were prepared and treated with various concentrations of TOCP. RESULTS: In a time-course experiment TOCP showed a cytotoxic effect to oligodendrocytes and led to the oligodendrocyte processes disintegrated and membranous blebs, cytoplasmic vacuolation following exposure time of 24 h or longer, it showed a dose-depended and time-depended manner cytotoxic effect to oligodendrocytes at dose levels of 0.5 approximately 1.5 microg/ml (1.35 approximately 4.05 mol/L) concentrations of TOCP for 24 - 72 h exposure. MTT experiment indicated that TOCP inhibited cell viability by dose-depended manner at dose levels of 0.5 approximately 1.5 microg/ml (1.35 approximately 4.05 mol/L) concentrations of TOCP for an 24 h exposure. CONCLUSIONS: TOCP is cytotoxic to oligodendrocytes and leads to the oligodendrocyte processes disintegrated and membranous blebs, vacuolar degeneration, which suggests that this oligodendrocyte degeneration may involve in the pathogenesis mechanism for OPIDN.

[Induction of growth-associated protein-43 expression in airway afferent nerves of guinea pigs by allergic airway inflammation].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanisms underlying sensitization of airway sensory nerves induced by allergic airway inflammation. METHODS: Thirty-nine guinea pigs were divided randomly into three groups including group A (saline sensitized/challenged guinea pigs, n = 9), group B [ovalbumin (OVA) sensitized/saline challenged guinea pigs, n = 9], group C (OVA sensitized/challenged guinea pigs, n = 21). In group C, animals were subdivided into three groups with group C1 (treated by one OVA challenge, n = 6), group C2 (treated by 3 consecutive days OVA challenges, n = 6), group C3 (treated by 5 consecutive days OVA challenges, n = 9). The guinea pigs were sensitized by intraperitoneal injection of 0.5 ml saline (group A) or 0.5 ml 10% OVA (group B and C) on day 0 and challenged via the airway with saline (group A and B) or 1% OVA (group C) for 30 min on days 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 by ultrasonic nebulization. The expression patterns of growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) in the airway nerve endings, the nodose and jugular ganglion neurons and the distribution relationships of GAP-43 with substance P (SP) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) receptor components c-RET in the nodose and jugular ganglion neurons in guinea pig after allergic airway inflammation were studied using immunofluorescence double-labeling with laser confocal scanning microscopy, and Western blot. RESULTS: By morphological study, after 2 hours following 5 consecutive days OVA challenge, GAP-43 immunoreactivity (IR) positive nerve endings were observed in the large bronchi, distributing network-like in the submucosa, a few nerve endings extending between the epithelia in the guinea pig airways. A substantial amount of GAP-43 IR neurons were found in the nodose and jugular ganglion, and GAP-43 IR co-localized with SP were predominantly in the nodose ganglion neurons, but in the jugular ganglion neurons, GAP-43 IR and c-RET IR were co-localized predominantly. By Western blot, GAP-43 protein levels (A) were 0.38 +/- 0.04, 0.41 +/- 0.03, 0.49 +/- 0.05, 0.79 +/- 0.08, 0.76 +/- 0.04 in group A, B, C1, C2, C3 respectively, after 2 hours following 1, 3, 5 d challenged. GAP-43 protein levels were increased significantly in the nodose and jugular ganglion after 2 hours following the first OVA challenged (0.49 +/- 0.05, P < 0.05) when compared with that in group B, after 3 consecutive days OVA challenge treatment, GAP-43 protein expression levels (0.79 +/- 0.08) were increased more significantly (P < 0.01), compared with that in group B and reached the levels of GAP-43 of group C3 (0.76 +/- 0.04, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: These data indicate that GAP-43 protein expression in airway afferent neurons including SP peptidergic neurons in the nodose ganglion and GDNF responsive neurons in the jugular ganglion in guinea pigs can be induced by allergic airway inflammation.