[Stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia in adults outside Hubei province during the COVID-19 pandemic].

Objective: To investigate the severity of stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia during the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in adults outside Hubei Province, China. Methods: An online survey of psychological and sleep by using Questionnaire Star program from 5th to 19th February 2020 was conducted. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised was used to assess COVID-19 outbreak-related stress symptoms. Meanwhile, Questionnaires of Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Insomnia Severity Index were respectively used to assess the severity of anxiety, depression and insomnia symptoms prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: A total of 3 134 subjects were included. Among the included subjects, 15.5% (487), 24.9% (779), 28.7% (899) and 30.9% (968) of the subjects had COVID-19-related stress symptoms, anxiety, depression and insomnia after the COVID-19 outbreak, respectively. The severity levels of anxiety, depression and insomnia were significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to prior to the outbreak (all P<0.01). Furthermore, the subjects' stress response to the COVID-19 outbreak was an independent risk factor for increased anxiety, depression and insomnia after the outbreak. Conclusion: The COVID-19 outbreak resulted in related stress response and widespread increase in anxiety, depression, and insomnia outside Hubei Province, China in the general population. The aggravation of anxiety, depression and insomnia is associated with stress levels. Our data demonstrate that the widespread psychological and insomnia problems in the general population need to be addressed at the early phase of the pandemic.

Association of polymorphism in ICAM-1 (K469E) and cytology parameters in patients' initial blood test with acute ischemic stroke.

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) has become a serious health problem in many countries because of its poor outcome and worsening epidemic trend. Early identification of genetic risk factors and physiological indicators for stroke occurrence may help to reduce the incidence of stroke. Therefore, we conducted a case-control study including 50 AIS patients and 50 healthy individuals from a Chinese population to explore the association between AIS and patient complete blood profiles and the association between AIS and the genetic polymorphism K469E in intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). Compared to the control group, AIS patients showed a high percentage of mononuclear cells, low platelet count, low ratio of platelet to lymphocyte count, high frequency of the 469K allele, and low frequency of the 469E allele. White blood cell count, percentage of neutrophils, percentage of lymphatic cells, platelet distribution width, mean platelet volume, and platelet hematocrit levels showed no significant differences between the 2 groups and between different genotypes. Our results suggested an association of elevated levels of mononuclear cells and reduced platelet count with higher AIS risk. Our results also supported the hypothesis that the KK genotype at the K469E locus in ICAM-1 is a risk factor for AIS.

SLC30A8 polymorphism and type 2 diabetes risk: evidence from 27 study groups.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Intense research has been performed to identify the genetic risk factors in type 2 diabetes, and a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in SLC30A8 (rs13266634) was reported to be associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, published data on the association between SLC30A8 polymorphism and the risk of type 2 diabetes were inconsistent. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis to derive a more precise estimation of the relationship. METHODS AND RESULTS: We searched PubMed through October 2009 to identify all relevant papers. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted under an additive genetic model. In the current meta-analysis, we identified a total of 27 groups including 42,609 cases and 69,564 controls. In analyses of the case-control studies by ethnicity, the results indicated that SLC30A8 polymorphism was related to elevate risks of type 2 diabetes both in Europeans (OR=1.15, 95% CI 1.11-1.18, P<0.001) and Asians (OR=1.15, 95% CI 1.11-1.19, P<0.001). Next, we separated hospital-based case-control studies from population-based case-control studies, however, there was no apparent difference between population-based case-control study groups (OR=1.15, 95% CI 1.12-1.17, P<0.001) and hospital-based case-control study groups (OR=1.16, 95% CI 1.07-1.25, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Our present meta-analysis provided evidence that SLC30A8 (rs13266634) C allele carriers could elevate the risk of type 2 diabetes, especially in Europeans and Asians.

Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 G-418C polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer in a Chinese population.

AIMS: To examine the effect of the TIMP-2 G-418C polymorphism on gastric cancer risk. METHODS: We conducted a hospital-based, case-control study using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method in 412 individuals (206 gastric cancer patients and 206 age, sex matched cancer-free controls). RESULTS: The genotype and allele frequencies were significantly different (P = 0.007 and 0.005, respectively) between cases and controls. Further analysis showed that the variant TIMP-2 genotypes (CC+GC) had a 51% increased risk of gastric cancer compared with GG [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00-2.26, P = 0.049]. The elevated gastric cancer risk was especially evident in younger individuals (age < 58 years old) (adjusted OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.18-4.16) and smokers (adjusted OR 2.61, 95% CI 1.01-6.72). However, no significant association was observed between the variant genotypes and clinicopathological features of gastric cancer. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the TIMP-2 G-418C polymorphism is a genetic predisposing factor for gastric cancer.

Efficient intranasal immunization of newborn mice with recombinant adenovirus expressing rotavirus protein VP4 against oral rotavirus infection.

Efficacy of passive protection of newborn mice against rotavirus infection by the rotavirus VP4 protein expressed by an adenoviral vector in mice was studied. The VP4 gene was inserted into the E1 region of adenoviral vector pJM17. Recombinant adenovirus Ad5N/VP4 was grown in 293 cells. Intramuscular (i.m.), oral or intranasal (i.n.) immunization of newborn mice with Ad5/VP4 resulted in appearance of VP4-specific antibodies. Specific IgG antibodies were detected in the serum and intestine specimens of i.m. vaccinated mice. Oral immunization elicited serum IgG antibodies and intestinal IgG and IgA antibodies. Compared with i.m. and oral applications, i.n. immunization led to higher levels of serum IgG and intestinal IgG and IgA antibodies. Pups were challenged twice with simian rotavirus SA11 strain orally at the days 7 and 8 after birth. Pups born to i.n. immunized dams achieved 100% protection from rotavirus-induced diarrhea after both challenges. The protection of pups born to orally immunized dams was 80%, while only 30% of pups born to i.m. immunized dams were protected after both challenges. I.n. immunization was most efficient in inducing rotavirus VP4-specific serum, intestinal and milk IgG or IgA in mice that protected newborn mice completely.

[Construction and expression of huGM-CSF (9-127)-IL-6(29-184) fusion protein gene].

OBJECTIVE: To construct and express huGM-CSF(9-127)-IL-6(29-184) fusion protein with high purity and both huGM-CSF and huIL-6 biologic activities. METHODS: The novel gene coding for the fusion protein of huGM-CSF(9-127)-IL-6(29-184) was constructed by strategy of step by step cloning in pBV220 expression vector. The amino acids 1-8 of huGM-CSF and the amino acids 1-28 of huIL-6 were deleted by PCR technique. The mutant huGM-CSF (9-127) and huIL-6 (29-184) cDNAs were linked via a linker sequence coding 15 amino acid residues (G-G-S-G-S)3. Fusion protein was expressed in E.coli host strain DH5 alpha. To obtain the fusion protein, Q Sepharose H.P. ion exchange chromatography and Sephacryl S-200 gel filtration were performed. The biologic activities were detected by MTT method. RESULTS: Fusion protein was expressed in E.coli host strain DH5 alpha in the form of inclusion body. The expression level was more than 25% of the total cell lysate. Through Q Sepharose H.P. ion exchange chromatography and Sephacryl S-200 gel filtration, huGM-CSF(9-127)-IL-6(29-184) fusion protein with high purity was obtained. The protein showed both huGM-CSF and huIL-6 biologic activities. The specific activity of huGM-CSF was 1.08 x 10(8) U/mg, and for huIL-6, it reached 1.95 x 10(7) U/mg. CONCLUSION: huGM-CSF(9-127)-IL-6(29-184) fusion protein with high purity and both huGM-CSF and huIL-6 biologic activities was obtained.