Association of menopausal status and symptoms with depressive symptoms in middle-aged Chinese women.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the association of menopausal status and symptoms with depressive symptoms. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional survey recruited 6745 women aged 40-55 years in the eastern, central and western regions of China in 2018. Menopausal status was categorized into reproductive stage, perimenopause or postmenopause according to the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop classification. Menopausal symptoms were determined by the modified Kupperman Menopausal Index and classified as none (total score < 15), mild (15 ≤ total score ≤ 24) or moderate to severe (total score ≥ 25). Logistic regression models were used to examine the associations of menopausal status and symptoms with depressive symptoms assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive symptoms among women in the reproductive stage, perimenopause and postmenopause was 15.4%, 23.9% and 22.8%, respectively. After multivariable adjustment, perimenopause (odds ratio [OR] = 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.47) and postmenopause (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.04-1.58) were associated with higher risk for depressive symptoms than during the reproductive stage. Mild (OR = 5.55, 95% CI: 4.68-6.59) and moderate-to-severe (OR = 14.77, 95% CI: 10.94-19.94) menopausal symptoms were associated with increased likelihood of depressive symptoms compared to the group reporting no menopausal symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Menopausal status and symptoms were independently associated with the risk of depressive symptoms in middle-aged Chinese women.

Inhibition of autophagy by 3-MA promotes hypoxia-induced apoptosis in human colorectal cancer cells.

OBJECTIVE: Cell autophagy reduces the sensitivity of cancer cells to therapeutic reagents in various types of human cancer. Therefore, the aim of our study was to use human colorectal cancer HCT116 cells to explore whether inhibition of autophagy by 3-Methyladenine (3-MA, an autophagy inhibitor) is able to enhance hypoxia-induced apoptosis in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HCT116 cells were treated with 3-MA, hypoxia, or 3-MA plus hypoxia, and the autophagy, apoptosis and proliferation of the HCT116 cells were investigated. Western blot analysis was used to detect autophagy specificity protein microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3) expression. Effects on apoptosis were evaluated by using flow cytometry (JC-1 staining to measure mitochondrial membrane potential) and annexin V-propidium iodide (PI) staining. RESULTS: The results showed that the treatment of HCT116 cells in vitro with hypoxia alone increased autophagy as well as apoptosis, whereas combination treatment with 3-MA and hypoxia markedly inhibited hypoxia-induced autophagy, but increased hypoxia-induced cell apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: Autophagy might play a role as a self-defense mechanism in hypoxia-treated colon cancer cells, and its inhibition could be a promising strategy for the adjuvant chemotherapy of colon cancer.

Association between NOS3 genetic variants and coronary artery disease in the Han population.

The enzyme endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS3) is an important mediator of atherosclerotic disease and is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). There is growing evidence that polymorphisms in NOS3 influence the progression of CAD; however, there is also a controversy regarding the association of polymorphisms in the gene encoding NOS3 and CAD. To determine if the NOS3 genetic variants are associated with CAD in the Han Chinese, we examined the potential association between CAD and eight single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs1799983, rs2070744, rs11771443, rs3918188, rs2853796, rs7830, rs1541861, and rs2853792) of the NOS3 using the MassARRAY system. The allelic and genotypic frequencies of the rs1799983 (promoter regions) and rs2070744 (intron 1) polymorphisms in patients with CAD were significantly different from those in healthy controls. These patients had significantly higher frequencies of the rs1799983 T allele (χ2 = 7.717, P = 0.007, OR = 1.649, 95%CI = 1.41-2.382) and the rs2070744 G allele (χ2 = 4.548, P = 0.033, OR = 1.490, 95%CI = 1.031-2.153). Strong linkage disequilibrium was observed in three blocks (D' > 0.9). In block 1, significantly more T-T-C haplotypes (χ2 = 5.537, P = 0.019, OR = 0.632, 95%CI = 0.430-0.927) were found in controls. These findings point to a role for NOS3 polymorphisms in CAD in the Chinese Han population, and may be useful for future investigations on the pathogenesis of CAD.

Polymorphisms in the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene associated with asthma.

It has been proven that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is involved in airway restoration and the development of asthma. We sought to examine the relevance of VEGF gene polymorphisms to asthma in the Chinese Han population. We extracted the whole genomic DNA from the peripheral blood of 471 participants, including 226 patients with asthma and 245 healthy controls. Seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the VEGF gene were genotyped using the MassARRAY system. The data were then analyzed using HaploView 4.0 and SPSS 20.0 softwares. When comparing the asthma and control groups, significant differences were found in the genotype frequencies of rs3025020 and rs3025039 (P = 0.001 and P = 0.011, respectively). The T alleles in rs3025020 and rs3025039 were significantly more prevalent in the asthma group than in controls (P = 0.0003, P = 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, a strong linkage disequilibrium was observed in three blocks (block1-3). In block3, the asthma group had a significantly lower C-C haplotype frequency of haplotype 1 (P = 0.000015), a higher T-C haplotype frequency of haplotype 2 (P = 0.020), and a significantly higher C-T haplotype frequency of haplotype 3 (P = 0.001). The rs3025020 genotype showed no correlation with the clinical phenotype that may cause asthma. The VEGF SNPs rs3025020 and rs3025039 may be associated with the development of asthma, indicating the role of VEGF in asthma.

Simultaneous determination of ß-agonists and psychiatric drugs in feeds by LC-MS-MS.

A method was developed for the simultaneous determination of nine ß-agonists (cimaterol, ractopamine, terbutaline, zilpaterol, salbutamol, clenbuterol, mabuterol, bambuterol and brombuterol) and six psychiatric drugs (diazepam, nitrazepam, oxazepam, chlorpromazine, promethazine and perphenazine) in animal feed by using solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). Conditions were optimized for the extraction of the target analytes from animal feed and for clean-up with MCX SPE cartridges. The eluent was evaporated to dryness under nitrogen, and the residue was dissolved in a solution of acetonitrile and 1% formic acid (2:8, v/v) and analyzed by LC-MS-MS using an isotopic internal standard for quantification. Under the optimum conditions, the recovery values of the target analytes were between 70.1 and 110%, with coefficients of variation between 1.9 and 18.4%. The method was very reliable for the simultaneous determination of nine ß-agonists and six psychiatric drugs in animal feed.

Unusual optical properties of aligned carbon nanotube mats in infrared energy region.

We studied the optical properties of aligned carbon nanotube mats for photonic device applications. We employed ab-initio density functional calculations in the linear combination of atomic orbital formalism. The calculated dielectric functions of the semiconducting carbon nanotube mats show a strong anisotropy when the electric field of the light is parallel or perpendicular to the tube axes. Especially, there are strong optical absorptions near the band edges in the infrared energy region, when the electric field of the light is parallel to the carbon nanotube axes. The unusual optical properties of the semiconducting carbon nanotube mats present a new opportunity for applications in electro-optical devices in the infrared energy region.

Synthesis and reaction mechanism of 3-(4-methoxyphenylazo)acrylic acid.

Using 4-methoxylphenylhydra zine hydrochloride (1a) as starting material, 2-[2-(4-methoxyphenyl) hydrazono] acetic acid (2a) was prepared after treatment with 1 equivalent of 2-oxoacetic acid, and 3-(4-methoxyphenyldiazo) acrylic acid (3a) was obtained with 2 equivalents of 2-oxoacetic acid through a novel reaction. The mechanism of reaction was analyzed with the help of charge distribution computation. This suggests that the novel reaction depends on the electronegativity of C9, which can be mainly affected by the substituents of the benzene ring.

Comparison between the isocratic and gradient retention behaviour of polypeptides in reversed-phase liquid chromatographic environments.

The isocratic and gradient elution behaviour of beta-endorphin and glucagon, two polypeptides known to exist in amphipathic alpha-helical conformations in lipophilic environments, have been examined under reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC) conditions with low pH, aquo-acetonitrile mobile phases. The effects of changes in the volume fraction, psi, of the organic solvent modifier and temperature, T, on the magnitudes of the S and log k(o) values of these two polypeptides, obtained from the plots of logarithmic capacity factor (log k') vs. psi using isocratic elution conditions have been determined. These data have then been compared to the corresponding S and log k(o) values, obtained from the plots of logarithmic median capacity factor (log k) versus the median volume fraction of the organic solvent modifier (psi) derived from the linear gradient elution data, using the same n-butyl silica sorbent and related aquo-acetonitrile mobile phase conditions. As apparent from these studies, substantial differences occur in the temperature-dependent trends and magnitudes of the corresponding S and S values, or the log k(o) and log k(o) values, when these parameters are derived from experimental data acquired by these two different elution methods. Moreover, when gradient elution data for beta-endorphin and glucagon are utilised, the extrapolated values of the intercept and slope of the plots of log k vs. 1/T (corresponding to an apparent change in the median enthalpy of association, deltaH(o)assoc, or an apparent change in the median entropy of association, deltaS(o)assoc) substantially deviated from the values obtained for the thermodynamic parameters, deltaH(o)assoc and deltaS(o)assoc, derived from the log k' vs. 1/T plots using the corresponding isocratic data. These findings thus have important implications for biophysical and thermodynamic investigations when gradient elution data are employed to assess the molecular basis of the interaction of polypeptides with non-polar ligates.

[Drug release kinetics of ibuprofen coated granules and their in vitro-in vivo correlation].

A sustained release of ibuprofen granules coated with ethyl cellulose has been studied both in vitro and in vivo with a selected formulation. The drug release process follows Higuchi equation when coating extent is low, and zero-order kinetics when coating extent is high. The primary factors that influence drug release include granule size, coating extent, pH of dissolution medium and pressure. The release rate decreases when either granule size or coating extent increases or pH value decreases. The release rate increases greatly when the coated granules are compressed directly into tablets in that the coating film is destroyed. The results from oral administration of coated granules by seven healthy volunteers show that the in vitro and in vivo correlation of drug release from coated granules is highly significant.

Dietary vitamin and mineral concentrations of two juvenile female giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca).

During a 7 mo exhibit loan, diets of two juvenile female giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) were monitored. Mineral [calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), zinc (Zn)] and vitamin (beta-carotene and total tocopherol) concentrations in the diet were quantified as well as in a serum sample obtained from one of these animals. Diets consumed by the pandas contained (dry matter basis): 0.82% Ca, 0.62% P, 1.05% K, 14.3 mg/kg Cu, 31.8 mg/kg Zn, 12.2 mg/kg beta-carotene, and 12 mg/kg total tocopherol. Serum values for these vitamins and minerals were within reported normal limits for the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus). This diet appeared to provide adequate nutrition for maintenance and growth.

An experimental transmission of woodchuck hepatitis virus to young Chinese marmots.

Fourteen young Chinese marmots (Marmota bobak sibirica Radde) were randomly allocated to two groups of seven each. They were injected intrahepatically with a standard woodchuck hepatitis virus challenge pool or a negative pool, prepared from sera of woodchucks with and without woodchuck hepatitis virus infection, respectively. Marmot No. 2 in the experimental group experienced an episode of seroconversion from woodchuck hepatitis surface antigen to anti-woodchuck hepatitis antibody. Woodchuck hepatitis virus DNA was detected, and woodchuck hepatitis surface antigen particles of both spherical and filamentous forms and intact woodchuck hepatitis virus virions were found in its serum. By contrast, none of the control group animals (receiving the negative pool) produced any marker of woodchuck hepatitis virus. This suggests that young Chinese marmots can get woodchuck hepatitis virus infection.

A model of capillary networks for the exchange of substances.

A mathematical model of substantial exchange between three capillaries and the surrounding tissue is presented. We suppose that three capillaries, which are parallel to each other and have the same radius and circular section, are arranged in equilateral triangle. Fluid movement across the capillary walls is assumed to be governed by the generalized Starling's law. The motion of the interstitial fluid obeys Darcy's law. The calculated result obtained in this paper shows that in order to study the effect of capillary networks on the tissue space, as a whole, we have found a concept of equivalent pressure, concentration and source strength for the networks.