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The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum SCS4 (L. plantarum SCS4) on oxidative stress in streptozocin-induced hyperglycemic mice. After establishment of the hyperglycemic model, control group mice were gavaged daily with phosphate-buffered saline, while different experimental groups (AG, BG, and CG) mice were gavaged with L. plantarum SCS4 suspension, cellular inclusion suspension, and inactivated inclusion suspension for 10 weeks, respectively. Compared with the model group (MG) group, the results showed that fasting blood glucose levels in BG and CG groups decreased, and postprandial 2-h blood glucose levels in BG groups decreased, whereas glucose tolerance improved. Meanwhile, ROS and MDA levels in serum of AG mice were decreased significantly (P 0.05). Compared with the MG group, serum levels of GPx, HO-1, and NQO1 were increased in the BG group, whereas serum levels of CAT, HO-1, and GSH were increased in the CG group. Our results indicate that L. plantarum SCS4 can alleviate oxidative stress induced by hyperglycemia, and there may be synergistic effects among the different treatments.

For thousands of years, the roots of Paeonia lactiflora Pall (PLP) has been considered by traditional Chinese medicine as a drug that can improve mental or emotional disorders, including depression, anxiety and affective disorders. Unfortunately, the research on the mechanism of action and active ingredients of this beneficial drug is not comprehensive. This study focused on the activity of essential oil from PLP (EOP), systematically studied the antidepressant effect of EOP for the first time, and discussed the potential mechanism of its antidepressant effect. In this study, we used a mouse model of corticosterone (CORT)-induced depression, and found that EOP had a significant antidepressant effect on the symptoms of CORT-induced depression in mice, and significantly down-regulated the levels of CRH, ACTH and cortisol in the brain tissues of mice. In addition, we found that EOP treatment alleviated CORT-induced hippocampal neuron injury in mice In vitro experiments. It was also found that EOP could inhibit CORT-induced apoptosis and improve the proliferation ability and cell viability of PC12 cells. Further, with the help of network analysis, it was revealed that PI3K-Akt might be one of the main signaling pathways of EOP against CORT-induced hippocampal neuron apoptosis. In this study, we also found that EOP up-regulated the phosphorylation of PI3K and Akt in CORT-induced mouse hippocampal neurons and PC12 cells, and promoted the nuclear transcription of Nrf2 in CORT-induced PC12 cells. In conclusion, with the integrated approach, we demonstrated that EOP exerted anti-apoptotic effects on hippocampal neurons through PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Cicadae Periostracum (CPM), a commonly used animal traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), possesses antifebrile, spasmolytic, antiasthmatic, and antiphlogistic effects. In our present paper, we aimed to systemically investigate the antiepileptic effects of CPM in epileptic mice and explore the related molecular mechanism. Pentylenetetrazole- (PTZ) and strychnine-induced convulsion mice were established, and the results showed CPM could prolong the latency of convulsion and death and improve the neuronal damage in the hippocampus of PTZ-induced mice. Furthermore, the H2O2-treated PC12 cells were prepared to explore the possible mechanisms for the antiepileptic effects of CPM. CCK-8 results showed that CPM significantly improved the cell viability of H2O2-treated PC12 cells. Results of the acridine orange- (AO-) ethidium bromide (EB) staining, cell mitochondrial membrane potential (MOMP) analysis, and flow cytometry analysis showed that CPM significantly suppressed the H2O2-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells. In addition, CPM also downregulated the proapoptosis proteins, including Bax, cleaved- (C-) caspase-3, and C-caspase-9, and upregulated Bcl-2. Furthermore, CPM reduced the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels via increasing antioxidative enzyme activities, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Importantly, CPM could increase the phosphorylation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (Akt) in H2O2-induced PC12 cells and can promote the nuclear transfer of the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and increase the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in the cytoplasm. In conclusion, our present study suggested CPM possessed antiepileptic effects through antiapoptosis of neuron cells via regulation of the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway.

For thousands of years, the roots of

Background:. Cumulative blood pressure (BP), a measure incorporating the level and duration of BP exposure, is associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the level at which cumulative BP could significantly increase the risk remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association of 15-year cumulative BP levels with the long-term risk of CVD, and to examine whether the association is independent of BP levels at one examination. Methods:. Data from a 26-year follow-up of the Chinese Multi-provincial Cohort Study-Beijing Project were analyzed. Cumulative BP levels between 1992 and 2007 were calculated among 2429 participants free of CVD in 2007. Cardiovascular events (including coronary heart disease and stroke) occurring from 2007 to 2018 were registered. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for CVD incidence associated with quartiles of cumulative systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were calculated. Results:. Of the 2429 participants, 42.9% (1042) were men, and the mean age in 2007 was 62.1 ± 7.9 years. Totally, 207 CVD events occurred during the follow-up from 2007 to 2018. Participants with higher levels of cumulative SBP or DBP exhibited a higher incidence rate of CVD (P

This study aimed to investigate the effect of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum SCS4 in alleviating oxidative stress in the pancreatic tissue of hyperglycemic mice. A total of 90 six-week-old specific pathogen-free male Kunming mice were randomly divided into six groups [normal group (NG), blank control group (MG), phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) control group (CG), SCS4 first control group (DT1), SCS4 second control group (DT2), and SCS4 third control group (DT3)]. Except the NG group, in the other five groups, streptozotocin (STZ) was intraperitoneally injected for five consecutive days to establish a hyperglycemia model; the concentration of STZ was 50 mg/kg (bw). After successful modeling, DT1, DT2, and DT3 mice were administered 0.2 ml of L. plantarum SCS4 bacterial solution (10

Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) ion channel is a classic analgesic target, but antagonists of TRPV1 failed in clinical trials due to their side effects like hyperthermia. Here we rationally engineer a peptide s-RhTx as a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of TRPV1. Patch-clamp recordings demonstrate s-RhTx selectively potentiated TRPV1 activation. s-RhTx also slows down capsaicin-induced desensitization of TRPV1 in the presence of calcium to cause more calcium influx in TRPV1-expressing cells. In addition, our thermodynamic mutant cycle analysis shows that E652 in TRPV1 outer pore specifically interacts with R12 and K22 in s-RhTx. Furthermore, we demonstrate in vivo that s-RhTx exhibits long-lasting analgesic effects in noxious heat hyperalgesia and CFA-induced chronic inflammatory pain by promoting the reversible degeneration of intra-epidermal nerve fiber (IENF) expressing TRPV1 channels in mice, while their body temperature remains unaffected. Our results suggest s-RhTx is an analgesic agent as a PAM of TRPV1.

The development of intelligent industrialization has gradually increased the demand for industrial robots, and it has also promoted the emergence and development of industrial robot protective clothing. At this stage, the design methods of sewing patterns are limited to planes and lack simulation stitching and try-on in three-dimensional space. In this study, the virtual try-on of protective clothing for industrial robots was realized in the CLO3D environment, and the fabric was simulated using tools in the software. First, import the digital model of the industrial robot into CLO3D, and copy the AUTO CAD template in CLO3D. Then, input the results of the fabric test to simulate the fabric. Use the software’s virtual stitching and virtual wearing to observe the wearing effect of protective clothing and the data-based fabric pressure, directly modify the model and observe the modification effect. After research, the three-dimensional simulated fitting can clearly show the characteristics of looseness or tightness and whether it is convenient to put on and take off. The model can be adjusted appropriately in time, which can reduce costs and improve production efficiency. It is an important exploration for the development of industrial robot protective clothing.

The use of bone-filling material to repair bone defects and fix implanted bone grafts is a developing area in medicine. Investigators can evaluate bone-filling materials through use of several indices to make comparisons and to determine suitability for application in humans1 . However, it is quite difficult to transform their discovery into practical use, because the viability of the studied material might require examination of all aspects of properties. In addition, for a material to become a product, a complete procedure involving a declaration, registration, and approval is necessary. This article introduces the technical indices that the investigators and reporters should provide in their declaration and registration data to meet the relevant standards in China. The indices include physical and chemical properties, biocompatibility, biosecurity, pre-clinical animal model tests, sterilization and disinfection, product duration, and packaging. Full consideration of all possible indices is crucial to realize the transformation from a designed product to a commercial medical device, which requires effective interaction between clinicians and engineers.

This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant effect of Lactobacillus plantarum SCS2 (L. plantarum SCS2). After 1 week of acclimation, 120 male KM mice were divided into normal group (NG), model group (MG), solvent control group (KG), and different test groups (TG1, TG2, TG3) (n = 20/group) randomly. In the second week, except NG mice, other mice were given 0.2 ml 50 mg/kg (body weight) streptozocin (STZ) through intraperitoneal injection for 5 days. After successful modeling, NG and MG mice were fed normally, KG mice was given 0.5 ml 0.1 mol/L phosphate buffer saline (PBS) per day, TG1, TG2, and TG3 mice were given 0.5 ml suspension, intracellular content and heat-killed intracellular content of L. plantarum SCS2 per day for 9 weeks. Body weight and blood glucose were observed and recorded during intragastric administration. Glucose tolerance levels were measured at the twelfth week, then mice were sacrificed and the serum was collected to measure insulin (INS), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant enzymes. The results showed that the reduction of weight loss in TG1 and TG2 mice was observed, which was consistent with the blood glucose. At the same time, the INS level of TG1, TG2, and TG3 mice were increased and the HbA1c levels were decreased. Otherwise, the MDA and ROS content in the serum of TG1, TG2, and TG3 mice were decreased and the level of antioxidant enzymes was increased. Interestingly, the activity and content of antioxidant enzymes in TG2 group was the highest in the three test groups. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The results of this study showed that L. plantarum SCS2 could effectively reduce blood glucose, relieve weight loss, improve INS deficiency, and also improve oxidative stress by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes. The findings suggest that L. plantarum SCS2 could improve diabetes-related symptoms by alleviating oxidative stress. In the future, people could promote the application of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) which is found in traditional foods with the ability of improving oxidative damage in food nutrition and related fields, so as to guide residents to form good dietary habits, and effectively prevent type 2 diabetes. Meanwhile, it also can enhance the edible value of traditional foods.

Cicadae Periostracum (CPM), a commonly used animal traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), possesses antifebrile, spasmolytic, antiasthmatic, and antiphlogistic effects. In our present paper, we aimed to systemically investigate the antiepileptic effects of CPM in epileptic mice and explore the related molecular mechanism. Pentylenetetrazole- (PTZ) and strychnine-induced convulsion mice were established, and the results showed CPM could prolong the latency of convulsion and death and improve the neuronal damage in the hippocampus of PTZ-induced mice. Furthermore, the H2O2-treated PC12 cells were prepared to explore the possible mechanisms for the antiepileptic effects of CPM. CCK-8 results showed that CPM significantly improved the cell viability of H2O2-treated PC12 cells. Results of the acridine orange- (AO-) ethidium bromide (EB) staining, cell mitochondrial membrane potential (MOMP) analysis, and flow cytometry analysis showed that CPM significantly suppressed the H2O2-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells. In addition, CPM also downregulated the proapoptosis proteins, including Bax, cleaved- (C-) caspase-3, and C-caspase-9, and upregulated Bcl-2. Furthermore, CPM reduced the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels via increasing antioxidative enzyme activities, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Importantly, CPM could increase the phosphorylation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (Akt) in H2O2-induced PC12 cells and can promote the nuclear transfer of the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and increase the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in the cytoplasm. In conclusion, our present study suggested CPM possessed antiepileptic effects through antiapoptosis of neuron cells via regulation of the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Cardio-oncology is an emerging field that mainly focuses on a series of cardiovascular diseases caused by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In the history and culture of human nutrition, spices have been emphasized for their wide range of economic and medical applications in addition to being used as a food-flavoring agent and food preservative. Currently, an increasing number of studies have focused on the health benefits of spices in preventing cardiovascular diseases, particularly their antioxidant effects against cardiovascular damage. This review summarizes the cardioprotective effects of black pepper, cardamom, clove, garlic, ginger, onion, and other spices against chemotherapeutic drug-induced cardiotoxicity and the potential mechanisms. Here, we recommend dietary adjustments with spices for patients with cancer to prevent or mitigate the cardiotoxicity induced by chemotherapeutic agents.

Qing Zhang,1 Hu-Xinyue Duan,1 Ruo-Lan Li,1 Jia-Yi Sun,2 Jia Liu,1 Wei Peng,1 Chun-Jie Wu,1 Yong-Xiang Gao3 1School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611130, People’s Republic of China; 2Innovation Research Institute, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Chun-Jie WuSchool of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-28-61801001Email wucjcdtcm@163.comYong-Xiang GaoSchool of Basic Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-28-61801001Email gaoyxcdtcm@126.comBackground and Objectives: Guizhi-Shaoyao-Zhimu decoction (GSZD) is often applied to control rheumatoid arthritis (RA), gout, osteoarthritis, etc. In this study, bioinformatic analysis and experimental verification were used to uncover the integral mechanism profile of GSZD against RA.Materials and Methods: The chemical compositions of GSZD were identified by UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. MH7A cell model was established to screen active compounds in GSZD, and potential targets of these compounds were predicted through online database retrieval. The differential expression genes (DEGs) in synovial tissue of RA patients and normal controls were retrieved from the GEO database. DEGs and the predicated compounds targets were overlapped, and the overlapped genes were subsequently enriched by GO and KEGG analysis. The pathways with significant enrichments were further experimentally verified.Results: A total of 19 constituents were identified from GSZD, and 11 compounds showed obviously antiproliferative effects on MH7A cells with IC50 < 100 μg/mL. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that IL-1β, IL-6, MAPK8, JAK2, CXCL8, and CASP3 were the main targets of GSZD, and the integral pharmacological mechanisms profile of GSZD might be related to anti-inflammation and proapoptosis. GSZD can promote the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MOMP) and induce apoptosis in MH7A cells. Furthermore, in vitro experiments showed GSZD can not only downregulate mRNA expressions of IL-1β (p< 0.05), IL-6 (p< 0.05), MMPs (p< 0.05) and CCL5 (p< 0.05) but also inhibit the nuclear transcription of NF-κB. GSZD also reduced the expressions of Bcl-2 (p< 0.05), JAK2 (p< 0.05), STAT-3 (p< 0.05), whereas increase Bax (p< 0.05), Caspase-3 (p< 0.05) and caspase-9 (p< 0.05).Conclusion: Collectively, inducing synovial fibroblast apoptosis and inhibiting inflammatory response are two important ways for GSZD to RA, and our study proved bioinformatic analysis combined with experimental verification is a feasible method to explore the drug targets and mechanism of actions of TCMs.Keywords: apoptosis, anti-inflammatory, bioinformatic analysis, rheumatoid arthritis, Guizhi-Shaoyao-Zhimu decoction

The absence of historical education in the history of the Anti-Japanese War reflects the lack of historical identity to the War. Based on empirical analysis, the status quo of vocational college students' historical identity with the War is even more worrying. Historical identity of the Anti-Japanese War is an important national consciousness, and the key to its cultivation lies in the strengthening of education in the history of the War. Education on the history of the Anti-Japanese War is essentially ideological & political education, with the ultimate goal of strengthening the political values of the younger.

The “Thirteenth Five-Year Plan” National Tourism Public Service Plan promoted the revolution of public toilets in tourist attractions across the country. Although the size of the toilet is small, it affects each tourist's impression of a scenic spot and the review of service quality. This article selects three 5A-level scenic spots with large passenger traffic in Guangdong Province including Luo-Fu Mountain Scenic Spot in Huizhou, Dan-Xia Mountain Scenic Spot in Shaoguan, and Overseas Chinese Town East Resort in Shenzhen as cases. According to the questionnaires from tourists in the scenic area, we have found some problems in the current public toilets, such as imbalanced bathroom numbers of men and women, unclear toilet signs, difficulty in finding toilets, unsatisfactory toilet hygiene, etc. We proposed a series of constructive solutions for the toilet revolution of Guangdong and even the whole country as references.

Zanthoxylum bungeanum pericarp is a commonly used herbal medicine in China with effects of anti-inflammatory and analgesic, improving learning and memory ability, while hydroxy-α-sanshool (HAS) is the most important active ingredient of Z. bungeanum pericarps. The purpose of this study was to investigate the neuroprotective effect of HAS and its related possible mechanisms using a H2O2-stimulated PC12 cell model. CCK-8 assay results showed that HAS had a significant protective effect on H2O2-stimulated PC12 cells without obvious cytotoxicity on normal PC12 cells. Flow cytometry and fluorescence microscope (DAPI staining and DCFH-DA staining) indicated that HAS could reduce the H2O2-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells via reduction of intracellular ROS and increase of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Subsequently, results of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) determination suggested that HAS could increase the enzyme activities of SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px whereas it could decrease the MDA contents in H2O2-stimulated PC12 cells. Furthermore, the western blotting assays showed that HAS could upregulate the expressions of p-PI3k, Akt, p-Akt, and Bcl-2, while it could downregulate the expressions of cleaved caspase-3 and Bax in H2O2-stimulated PC12 cells. Collectively, it could be concluded according to our results that HAS possesses protective potentials on H2O2-stimulated PC12 cells through suppression of oxidative stress-induced apoptosis via regulation of PI3K/Akt signal pathway.

Remote sensing end-products related to vegetation have potential applications in monitoring the health of crops. The sensitivity of a spectral index to crop stress determines its application prospect. Our aim in this study was to explore the sensitivity of a ratio vegetation index (RVI) to identify the damage caused by brown planthoppers (BPHs) on rice plants, and to evaluate the potential application of hyperspectral end-products to monitor population size of BPH. Different numbers of the second-instar nymphs were released onto potted rice at the tillering stage. The plants were exposed to BPH for two, four, six, and eight days, and reflectance from the damaged rice was measured using a hyperspectral spectroradiometer. Measurements were done again two, four, and six days after exposure (recover days), and then the spectral index RVI746/670 was compared among rice plants infested with different numbers of BPH. The relationships between RVI746/670, the number of BPH and exposure day were simulated by linear and curve models. BPH damage resulted in a decreased spectral index RVI746/670 of rice plants. RVI746/670 well indicated the damage of rice plants caused by six&ndash, eight BPH nymphs per plant in six&ndash, eight days, but the index could not identify the damage of these nymphs in two days. The RVI746/670 showed a two&ndash, four-day delay to indicate a slight BPH damage. The spectral index RVI746/670 could indicate the physiologic compensation of plants for the feeding of BPH and the post-effect of BPH damage on rice. The RVI746/670 of rice showed a quadratic curve relation with the number of BPH nymphs and a quadratic or linear relation with the exposure day. The recover day had no significant effects on RVI746/670. The RVI746/670 (Y) could be simulated by a quadratic surface model based on the number of BPH (N) and exposure day (T): Y = 3.09427 + 0.59111T + 0.44296N &minus, 0.03683T2 &minus, 0.03035N2 &minus, 0.08188NT (R2 = 0.5228, p &lt, 0.01). In summary, the spectral index RVI746/670 of rice is sensitive to damage caused by BPH.

Nucleic acid isolation and purification are essential steps in molecular biology. Currently-used isolation methods focus on the extraction of all the nucleic acids from crude samples, yet ignore the specific nucleic acids of interest, which may induce the loss of the specific nucleic acids and hinder their analyses. Herein, a magnetic nanospheres (MNs)-based strategy for efficient capture and release of specific nucleic acids is developed. The DNA sequence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is taken as a model to validate this method. The MNs are modified with the complementary strand of HBV DNA for specific capture based on hybridization reaction. Then, by melting at high temperature, the captured DNAs are detached from the MNs to achieve release. The capture and release process are performed conveniently with magnetic separation. High capture efficiency (over 80%) and nearly 100% release efficiency for HBV DNA are achieved respectively via 40 min and 5 min interaction. While non-target DNAs are hardly captured, indicative of good selectivity. Moreover, after releasing DNAs, the MNs are directly regenerated and can be reused without degrading performance, which greatly reduces the operation costs. Finally, this method is applied to serum samples without any pretreatment, which exhibits similar capture and release capacity with those in the ideal samples, indicating its great application potential in practice.

CsPbX

Liver and biliary cancers are highly lethal cancer types lacking effective treatments. The somatic mutations, particularly those with low mutant allele frequencies, in Chinese patients with liver and biliary cancer have not been profiled, and the frequency of patients benefiting from targeted therapy has not been studied. The present study evaluated the tumor tissues of 45 Chinese patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 12 Chinese patients with biliary tract cancer (BTC) by targeted next generation sequencing, with an average coverage of 639×, to identify alterations in 372 cancer-related genes. A total of 263 variants were identified in 139 genes, with 85.6% of these variants not previously reported in the Catalogue Of Somatic Mutations In Cancer database, and the mutation profile was different from the current datasets, including The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset and the National Cancer Center Japan (NCC_JP) dataset. Patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection harbored more mutations than those without HBV infection, and the mutations in HBV carriers occurred preferentially in genes involved in vascular endothelial growth factor signaling pathways. Mutations in fibroblast growth factor and RAS signaling pathways were enriched in patients with cirrhosis, and alterations in interleukin and transforming growth factor signaling pathways were more frequently identified in individuals with abnormal bilirubin expression. Of all the patients, 7% exhibited variants in the target of sorafenib, and 42% harbored variants in the targets of drugs that have been approved to treat other types of cancer. These findings indicate diverse HCC/BTC variants patterns in different populations, and that the mutation load and patterns are correlated with clinical features. Further clinical studies are now warranted to evaluate the efficacies of other targeted drugs besides sorafenib in the treatment of patients with liver and biliary cancer.

Background The serum levels of Dickkopf-1 (DKK1), a secreted Wnt family protein, are different in patients suffering various types of cancers. In the present study, we aim to explore the diagnostic value of DKK1 as a new biomarker in breast cancer. Methods Serum was collected from 38 patients with breast cancer and 23 healthy controls. Serological levels of DKK1 were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Significance and diagnostic performance including receiver operator characteristic (ROC) and areas under the curve were determined by SPSS software. Results Serum level of DKK1 was significantly increased in breast cancer patients compared to the healthy controls (P˂0.05). The expression levels of CA15-3 were also evaluated in patients suffering from breast cancer in comparison with healthy controls (P˂0.05). AUC for DKK1 and CA15-3 were 0.81 and 0.64 respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of DKK1 were more than CA15-3 in earlier stage of breast cancer. DKK1 expression in HER-2, estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) positive patients was decreased compared with HER-2, ER and PR negative patients. Conclusions We found that the expression level of DKK1 in serum was increased in breast cancer patients, suggesting that serum expression level of DKK1 could be a useful biomarker in breast cancer.

Reflectance and SPAD readings were measured in rice grown under different nitrogen fertilizer rates and infested with different numbers of brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, to assess the relationships among these variables. The results showed that SPAD readings and reflectance from rice were significantly affected by BPH infestations and nitrogen fertilizer rates, whereas there was no interaction between the two factors. SPAD readings and reflectance decreased as BPH infestations increased but they increased as nitrogen fertilizer rates were increased. SPAD readings varied with position of leaf on the same stem of rice. The fourth and fifth leaves were more sensitive to BPH infestations than the first and second regardless of application rates of urea. The ratio indices of SPAD readings of the fourth to first leaf (RSPAD4/1), and fourth to second leaf (RSPAD4/2) were significantly related to BPH infestations, and they were relatively independent of nitrogen fertilizer rates in the single stem rice. The spectral reflectance from rice canopy significantly decreased in the near-infrared wavelength range as BPH infestations increased. The modified chlorophyll absorption ratio index (MCARI710) was found more suitable to relate the numbers of BPH under different nitrogen fertilizer rates and durations of BPH infestation. The main effects of BPH infestations on SPAD reading and reflectance indices were consistent regardless of nitrogen application rates. Therefore, SPAD reading and spectral indices have potential to detect BPH infestations in rice fields.

In the present study, we quantitatively measured five major fatty acids (FA) in seed oil using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and examined four phenotypic characteristics of the seeds from 19 populations from nine wild tree peony species native to China. The results showed that the unsaturated FAs contents were dominant, of which α-linolenic acid (ALA), linoleic acid, and oleic acid (OA) contents ranged from 14.84 to 42.54 g/100 g, 7.33 to 19.66 g/100 g, and 15.07 - 35.31 g/100 g crude oil, respectively. The phenotypic seed characteristics, such as thousand seed weight (244.01 - 1772.91 g), seed volume (91.31 - 1000.79 mm3 ), weight rate of kernel and coat (1.29 - 3.62) and oil extraction ratio (20.32 - 34.69%), dramatically varied. Based on the contents of the five FAs, the nine species were classified into two groups. The species belonging to subsection Vaginatae were arranged in cluster I and were characterized by high ALA content. Cluster II, consistent with subsection Delavayanae, had a high OA content. From horizontal and vertical perspectives, the natural distribution areas of these two groups were different, reflecting differences in the FA contents and phenotypic seed characteristics. In conclusion, the FAs composition could be used as a chemotaxonomic marker for tree peony species.

The reflectance from rice (Oryza sativa L.) leaves and canopy damaged by rice leaf folder (RLF), Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenee) was studied at the booting stage in order to establish a monitoring method for RLF based on hyperspectral data. The results showed that reflectance from rice leaves significantly decreased in the green (530-570nm) and near infrared (700-1000nm) regions, and significantly increased in the blue (450-520nm) and red (580-700nm) regions as the leaf-roll rate of rice increased. Reflectance from rice canopy significantly decreased in the spectral regions from 737 to 1000nm as the infestation scale of RLF increased, and the most correlation appeared at 938nm. Seven spectral regions 503-521, 526-545, 550-568, 581-606, 688-699, 703-715, and 722-770nm at leaf-level, and one region 747-754nm at canopy-level were found to be sensitive bands to exhibit the damage severity in rice by RLF. The position of the red edge peak remarkably moved to blue region, and the amplitude and area of the red edge significantly decreased when rice leaves were severely infected by RLF. Thirty-eight spectral indices at leaf-level and 29 indices at canopy-level were found to be sensitive to leaf-roll rate and infestation scale in rice, respectively. The linear regression models were built to detect the leaf-roll rate (0.0-1.0) and infestation scale (0-5) in rice using leaf- and canopy-level reflectance data. The root mean square error of the model was only 0.059 and 0.22 for the leaf-roll rate and infestation scale, respectively. These results suggested that the hyperspectral reflectance was potential to detect RLF damage severity in rice.

A high performance liquid chromatographic method (HPLC) was developed for the chiral separation of six α-aryl tetralone derivatives, using a Chiralpak IC column. The factors influencing the chiral separation including the type and concentration of organic modifier, column temperature and flow rate were investigated. The results showed that high enantiomeric separation can be obtained with isopropanol as modifier for the six compounds. The thermodynamic study indicated that the enantioseparation was enthalpically driven and showed that low column temperature was beneficial to separation. Complete separation of compound I was achieved with a binary solvent mixture of n-hexane-isopropanol (90 :10, v/v) as the recommended mobile phase. The compounds II , II and IV were separated with the mobile phase of the mixture of n-hexane-isopropanol (99:1, v/v) and the compound V was separated with the mixture of n-hexane-isopropanol (85:15, v/v). The compound VI was separated with the mixture of n-hexane-isopropanol (80:20, v/v). The column temperature was 25 °C, and the flow rate was 1. 0 mL/min. The six tetralone derivative enantiomers were separated on a chiral stationary phase of Chiralpak IC by HPLC. The column has high enantiomeric selectivity to the six tetralone derivative enantiomers.

The aim of this study was to investigate the essential oil (EO) compositions and antioxidant activities from petals of three wild tree peony species (Paeonia delavayi, P. lutea and P. rockii) and eleven P. suffruticosa cultivars from different cultivar groups. The EOs yields varied from 0.63% to 1.25% (v/v) among samples when using supercritical CO2 extraction. One hundred and sixty-three components were detected by GC-MS; and among them, linalool oxide, Z-5-dodecen-1-yl acetate, nonadecane, Z-5-nonadecene, heneicosane, phytol, and linoleic acid ethyl ester were dominant. According to hierarchical cluster analysis, principal component analysis and correspondence analysis, P. lutea, P. delavayi, and ‘High Noon’ were clustered in a group described as having a refreshing herbal-like note due to high rates of phytol and linalool oxide. Notably, P. lutea and P. delavayi also had strong DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities. These results suggest that P. lutea and P. delavayi are the most promising candidates as useful sources of fragrances and natural antioxidants. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Objective Several studies have examined the relationships between dietary potassium and sodium and hypertension, but few have evaluated the association between serum potassium or sodium and risk of incident hypertension. We therefore investigated the associations between serum potassium and sodium and risk of incident hypertension in a Chinese community-based population. Methods A total of 839 normotensive individuals without cardiovascular disease from the Chinese Multi-Provincial Cohort Study who took part in the baseline examination in 2007–2008 and the follow-up survey in 2012–2013 were included in this study. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) for baseline serum potassium and sodium in relation to the risk of new-onset hypertension were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression models. Results During five years of follow-up, 218 (26.0%) individuals progressed to hypertension. Logistic regression adjusting for multiple confounders showed that every 1 mEq/L increment in baseline serum potassium level was associated with a 75% increased risk of hypertension (OR: 1.75; 95%CI: 1.01–3.04; P = 0.04). Compared with adults with serum potassium level of 4.20–4.79 mEq/L, adults with level ≥ 4.80 mEq/L had an 84% increased risk of hypertension (OR: 1.84; 95%CI: 1.14–2.96; P = 0.01). There was no significant association between serum sodium and risk of hypertension (OR: 0.96; 95%CI: 0.89–1.04; P = 0.33). Conclusions Baseline serum potassium level, but not baseline serum sodium level, was positively related to the risk of incident hypertension in the Chinese population.

To develop a capillary electrophoresis system for enantiomeric impurity test of repaglinide.An uncoated fused silica capillary (50 μm×50 cm, with an effective length of 41 cm) was used. The running buffer was composed of 30 mmol/L NaH2PO4 and 5 mg/ml carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin(pH 3.5).Linear range was 2.00-80.00 μg/ml (correlation coefficient was 0.9993). The average recovery rate was 92.5% to 105.0%.The method is simple, accurate and sensitive and it can be used for determination of enantiomeric impurities in repaglinide tablet.

To investigate the status of the clustering of cardiovascular risk factors and hypertension control among hypertensive patients in the outpatient setting in China.This multi-center cross-sectional study was carried out from June to December 2009. Study patients were consecutively recruited from 46 hypertension outpatient clinics in 22 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities of China according to identical inclusion criteria. More than 100 consecutive patients should be recruited in each outpatient clinic, and 5206 hypertensive outpatients were included. The patients were examined by questionnaires, physical examinations, and biochemical analyses. Risk factors were defined according to the 2010 Chinese guidelines for the management of hypertension.In this patient cohort, dyslipidemia was found in 61.5% (3203/5206), obesity in 56.0% (2917/5206), and impaired glucose regulation in 27.8% (1449/5206) patients. The prevalence of smoking was 34.9% (910/2605) in male hypertensive patients, 88.9% (4630/5206) hypertensive patients had at least one of the above-mentioned four risk factors and 17.4% (906/5206) had three or more risk factors. Only 4.1% (211/5206) hypertensive outpatients were classified as low cardiovascular risk patients, 72.5% (3774/5206) hypertensive outpatients were classified as high or very high cardiovascular risk patients. The general blood pressure control rate was 44.3% (2304/5206), which was higher in the age group of ≥ 65 years than in those of 35-44 years [51.3% (818/1596) vs. 29.6% (160/541), P0.01], higher in low-risk patients than in high-risk patients [65.4% (138/211)vs. 41.9% (1581/3774), P0.01] and higher in patients under regular therapy ( ≥ 9 months per year) than in those of irregular therapy (6 months per year) [50.7% (1744/3442)vs. 30.0% (391/1305), P0.01].Clustering of cardiovascular risk factors, especially dyslipidemia and obesity, is common, and cardiovascular risk is high while blood pressure control rate is low among hypertensive outpatients in China.

To explore the impact of gender on lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2)) activity and association with known cardiovascular risk factors.Participants in this study were recruited from Beijing sub-cohort from the Chinese Multi-provincial Cohort Study (CMCS) database. A total of 1471 participants with complete laboratory data were included in the study (688 male). Lp-PLA(2) activity was determined by colorimetric assay kit.Lp-PLA(2) activity level and correlation between Lp-PLA(2) activity and known risk factors were compared between men and women.(1) Lp-PLA(2) activity was higher in males than in females [(22.73 ± 8.52) nmol·min(-1)·ml(-1) vs.(20.01 ± 8.06) nmol·min(-1)·ml(-1), P0.01].(2) Age, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and the prevalence of hypertension were higher in males than in females, while total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were higher in females than in males (P0.05 or P0.01).(3)Pearson correlation showed that Lp-PLA(2) activity was correlated with lipids ( total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglyceride), blood pressure (systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure), and adiposity associated parameters (waist circumference and body mass index) in males (all P0.01) and was correlated with lipid level (total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglyceride) and age in females( P0.05 or P0.01). Correlations with variables associated with obesity or blood pressure in females were much weaker than those in males (in females, r = 0.02-0.08; in males, r = 0.10-0.16).(4)After adjustment for age, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, glucose, LDL-C, HDL-C, triglyceride and high sensitivity C-reactive protein by multiple logistic regression model, Lp-PLA(2) activity was still significantly higher in males than in females (OR = 1.72, 95% confidence interval = 1.34-2.21, P0.01).Lp-PLA(2) activity and association with known cardiovascular risk factors differed in males and females. The gender difference in Lp-PLA(2) activity still presents after adjustment for known cardiovascular risk factors in this cohort.

To evaluate the impact of cerebrovascular death on the life expectancy of Chinese residents in recent years and explore the difference in the subgroups.Life expectancy and cause-elimination life expectancy were calculated by standard life table techniques using the adjusted mortality data from the Death Surveillance Data Sets in 2005 and 2010 provided by the National Disease Surveillance System. Decomposition method was used to quantitatively evaluate the impact of cerebrovascular disease.The life expectancy of Chinese residents was 73.23 years old in 2010. The loss of life expectancy caused by cerebrovascular death was 2.26 years in 2010, with about 97% of that came from the elimination of deaths in the residents aged over 40 years old. Compared with 2005, the reduction of cerebrovascular deaths contributed to a total of 0.04 years increase in the life expectancy of Chinese residents in 2010, with 0.45 years for urban residents. However, for the rural residents, cerebrovascular death increased and caused 0.12 years decrease of life expectancy.The impact of cerebrovascular death on the life expectancy of Chinese residents is still great. Significant difference is showed between the urban and rural areas with reduction in the urban but increase in the rural. The life expectancy is likely to be further increased by reducing cerebrovascular death in the Chinese residents aged over 40 years old.

To investigate the association between fasting blood glucose levels and the prevalence of carotid plaque in a community-based population of Beijing and to further explore the association between fasting glucose levels concomitant wand other cardiovascular risk factors as well as the prevalence of carotid plaque.This study was a part of the Chinese Multi-provincial Cohort Study conducted in the communities of Beijing University in 2007. All the members aged 50 - 79 years from the community were recruited, with 1046 of them qualified as without missing data. Case of diabetes was defined if the fasting glucose level was greater than 7.0 mmol/L or on anti-diabetic drugs.The mean level of fasting glucose was 5.89 mmol/L, and the prevalence of carotid plaque was 56.3%. For the reference on normal levels of fasting glucose, the risk on carotid plaque had an increase along with the increase of fasting glucose levels only under the univariate and multivariate analyses, after adjusting for age. However, the risk on carotid plaque in women was increased when there was an increase on the levels of fasting glucose. Specifically, for the reference on normal levels of fasting glucose, after adjusting for other cardiovascular risk factors, the odds of developing a carotid plaque was more than two folds in diabetic women. When combining the groups of risk factors (normal and abnormal) among the three groups of fasting glucose and assigning the normal level of risk factors concomitant with normal fasting glucose as a reference for both genders, the risk of developing a carotid plaque in diabetic women with abnormal level of risk factors ranked the highest, with statistical significance. When the diabetic patients combined with a decreased levels of HDL but increased levels of LDL, blood pressure, waist circumference, there appeared 2.8-(P = 0.014), 2.7-(P = 0.010), 2.4-(P = 0.013) and 2.1-times (P = 0.031) higher risks of developing carotid plaque than those in the reference group, respectively.In this study, the prevalence of carotid plaque driven by increased fasting glucose was different on gender but the difference was only statistically significant in women. There also appeared a joint association of fasting glucose combined with other cardiovascular risk factors on the risk of developing a carotid plaque.

To explore the 15-years change in fasting TG level and the accumulative incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) from 1992 to 2007, and to assess the association between the change in TG level and the accumulative onset risk of T2DM.A total of 11 387 subjects aged 35 - 64 years were recruited from 6 provinces in China in the baseline survey in 1992, and were followed-up for cardiovascular disease till 2007. In 2007, 9184 subjects were successfully followed-up and 5966 subjects entered into the second examination. Totally 5408 participants, who were free of diabetes at baseline and had complete information for both check ups, were included in this analysis. Fasting TG levels were categorized into three groups:1.70 mmol/L, 1.70 - 2.25 mmol/L and ≥ 2.26 mmol/L. The association between 15-years change in TG level and the accumulative onset risk of T2DM was assessed by logistic regression analysis.In 1992, the mean level of TG was 1.49 mmol/L in male and 1.26 mmol/L in female. During the 15 years, TG levels increased by 0.25 mmol/L and 0.53 mmol/L in male and female, respectively. The prevalence of elevated TG (1.70 mmol/L) increased from 23.4% in 1992 to 39.0% in 2007. The 15-year accumulative incidence of diabetes was 13.9% in male and 11.8% in female. The incidence rates were 10.5%, 16.2% and 26.6% for TG levels of1.70 mmol/L, 1.70 - 2.25 mmol/L and ≥ 2.26 mmol/L, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the baseline TG level was significantly associated with the onset risk of diabetes after adjustment for other cardiovascular risk factors. At any given baseline TG level, the onset risk of diabetes increased with the TG levels in the second examination in 2007. After adjusting other risk factors, participants with the highest categories of both baseline and follow-up TG levels had 2.1 folds higher accumulative onset risk of diabetes (RR = 3.39, 95%CI 2.49 - 4.61) than those with the lowest categories of both baseline and follow-up TG levels.Baseline TG level is independently associated with diabetes onset risk, and the change of TG level in a 15-year interval predicts the onset risk of diabetes beyond the baseline TG level.

To examine the distribution and trends of hospitalization rates for coronary heart disease (CHD) from 2007 to 2009 in Beijing.We calculated hospitalization rates for CHD using data from Beijing Hospital Discharge Information System. Information of census registered population in Beijing was obtained from Beijing Municipal Bureau of Statistics. CHD includes acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina and other forms of CHD. Age-standardized hospitalization rates for CHD per 100 000 population aged 25 years or more were calculated.During 2007 - 2009, a total of 248 049 patients aged 25 years or more hospitalized in Beijing with the primary discharge diagnosis of CHD were enrolled, of whom 73.7% were permanent registered Beijing citizens. The average hospitalization rate for CHD in 2007 - 2009 was 651.2/100 000 for the permanent residences in Beijing (741.2/100 000 in men, 560.9/100 000 in women). The highest average hospitalization rate (671.9/100 000) was seen in exurban area compared to other areas in Beijing. The average hospitalization rate for acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina, and other CHD was 126.4/100 000, 226.4/100 000 and 298.4/100 000, respectively. The hospitalization rate for CHD increased 18.1% from 2007 to 2009 (from 598.1/100 000 to 706.5/100 000). The same trend was seen in women (20.2%) and men (16.6%). The hospitalization rates of CHD in the urban, suburban, and exurban areas of Beijing all increased in the three years, and the greatest increase (36.6%) was found in exurban area. Hospitalization rates of acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina increased 24.5% and 55.3%, respectively, in the three years, while hospitalization rates of other CHD decreased 5.7%.The hospitalization rate of CHD is higher in men than in women in Beijing. The hospitalization rates for CHD increased from the observation period, especially in those living in exurban area. Awareness of the magnitudes and trends of CHD hospitalization rates is of great importance in evaluating the burden of cardiovascular disease, allocating and utilizing health care resources, and estimating the health insurance for Beijing.

To survey the incidence of acute coronary events and its trend in three years, and explore the distribution of the incidence across Beijing residents aged 25 years and more from 2007 to 2009.The present study incorporated and linked the routinely collected data from the Hospital Discharge Information System and Cause of Death Register System in Beijing, estimated the incidence of acute coronary events, and analyzed the distribution of the incidence across gender, age groups and regions. Acute coronary event was defined as non-fatal myocardial infarction and death from coronary heart disease. Numbers of residents by age, gender and area were obtained from the Beijing Statistics Bureau.A total of 68 390 acute coronary events were identified among permanent residents of Beijing aged 25 years and more from 2007 to 2009. The age-standardized incidence was 166.4 per 100 000 people in overall population, with 218.5 in males and 115.2 in females. The age-standardized incidence was 144.3, 154.7, and 195.8 per 100 000 people in urban, suburban, and exurban area, respectively. The incidence was the highest in Huairou district (263.8 per 100 000), while was the lowest in Haidian district (121.5 per 100 000). The age-standardized incidence was 158.4, 169.4, and 171.2 per 100 000 in 2007, 2008, and 2009, respectively. The age-standardized incidence increased by 8.1% in 2009 compared to 2007, increase in men (11.1%) was greater than in women (2.5%). The incidence increased significantly with age in each year. The incidence raised by 30.3% in 2009 compared to 2007 for men aged 35 - 44 years. In 2009, the incidence was 146.7, 155.9, and 207.4 per 100 000 people in urban, suburban, and exurban area, respectively. The rates increased by 3.2% in both urban and suburban areas, and 16.4% in exurban areas in 2009 compared to 2007.The incidence of acute coronary events increased from 2007 to 2009 among the permanent residents of Beijing aged 25 years and over, especially in young men, and people living in the exurban areas.

To analyze the association between hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) levels in serum and the 5-year-accumulative-risk of diabetes in a general population.Participants were from the cohort of Peking University residential community in the Chinese Multi-provincial Cohort Study (CMCS). Two surveys on cardiovascular risk factors and the measurements of serum hs-CRP levels were conducted in 2002 and 2007, respectively. Individuals with incomplete information and those having infectious diseases at baseline were excluded. A total of 1045 participants aged 45 to 74 years and free of diabetes at baseline were included in this analysis.The age-standardized 5-year accumulative incidence rate of diabetes was 8.8% (male: 9.8%, female: 8.2%) and increased significantly with the level of hs-CRP in both women and men (P0.01). After adjustment for age, hypertension, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting glucose, smoking status and central obesity, people with hs-CRP≥3 mg/L had a 3.30 times higher risk of developing diabetes in men and 2.58 times for women when compared to those with hs-CRP1 mg/L. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of baseline hs-CRP level in predicting the incidence of diabetes were 0.619 (95%CI: 0.536-0.701) in men and 0.667 (95%CI: 0.585-0.749) in women.Serum hs-CRP levels could predict the incidence of diabetes, indicating that inflammation might have great importance in the onset of diabetes.

To observe the real world statins use for secondary prevention in patients with high risk coronary heart disease (CHD) in China.Sixty-four hospitals across 31 provinces of China including 32 secondary hospitals and 32 tertiary hospitals were selected for baseline survey. Fifty consecutive outpatients with established history of acute coronary syndrome were recruited in each hospital. Information of these patients including statins use was collected.A total of 2516 high risk CHD outpatients were involved in present report. Mean age of the patients was (65 ± 10) years and 69.4% patients were male. Fifty-seven point nine percent patients were treated with a statin at the time of interview and recommended low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) target was achieved in 29.8% patients. Percent of statin use and achieving LDL-C goal was significantly higher in male outpatients than in female outpatients. Outpatients admitted in tertiary hospitals were more likely to have achieved their LDL-C targets than those admitted in secondary hospitals. Statin use was more often for patients in South China than patients in North China. The percentage reaching the optimal LDL-C treatment target was the highest in Central China (38.5%) and the lowest in Northeast China (18.5%). At this interview, 68.2% outpatients were prescribed statins and 24.1% prescribed doses of statins were sub-minimal.There was a gap between real world statin use and guideline recommendations for secondary prevention in high risk CHD patients in China.

To evaluate the prediction value of blood lipid levels on the newly-identified carotid plaque in middle-aged and elderly Chinese population.All study subjects were recruited from two cohorts from 2002 to 2007 [the People's Republic of China/United States of America collaborative study (USA-PRC study) and the Chinese multi-provincial cohort study (CMCS)]. The baseline examination including cardiovascular disease risk factors and B-mode ultrasound of carotid artery was performed in 2002 and the second examination was made in September to October, 2007. The relationship between baseline lipids and carotid plaque incidence was analyzed in a total of 2000 subjects aged 47 to 79 years (mean 63 years).(1) During these 5 years, the prevalence of carotid plaque increased from 30.3% to 62.2% and from 21.5% to 51.5% for men and women, respectively. The newly-identified carotid plaque incidence was 41.8% for men and 34.1% for women. (2) The incidence of artery plaque significantly increased in both sexes in proportion to increase of baseline total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), and total to high-density cholesterol ratio (TC/HDL-C) levels (P0.05 or P0.01). (3) Cross-stratification analysis of LDL-C, triglyceride (TG) and HDL-C for carotid plaque incidence indicated the existence of conjoint effects between LDL-C and HDL-C, LDL and TG, as well as between TG and HDL-C, on the increased incidence of carotid plaque. (4) Multi-factorial analysis showed that higher LDL-C, non-HDL-C and TC/HDL-C were independent risk factors for development of new carotid plaque [OR = 1.44 (95%CI = 1.07 - 1.94), OR = 1.45 (95% CI = 1.08 - 1.96), OR = 1.59(95% CI = 1.14 - 2.23) in men;OR = 1.47 (95% CI = 1.13 - 1.92), OR = 1.35 (95% CI = 1.04 - 1.75), OR = 1.64 (95% CI = 1.20 - 2.23) in women].The prevalence of carotid plaque increased rapidly in this cohort between 2002 and 2007. Elevated LDL-C, non-HDL-C and TC/HDL-C levels were independent predictors of newly developed carotid plaque.

To evaluate the relationship between serum non-HDL-C and incidence of various cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Chinese population aged 35-64 years.This prospective study was performed from 1992 to 2004 in 11 provinces of China and the association between baseline non-HDL-C level with the risk of various CVD events was analyzed in 29 937 subjects aged 35-64 years using Cox multivariate proportional hazards regression. CVD events in this study including acute coronary events (ACE), ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke and ischemic cardiovascular disease (ICVD).(1) Adjusted for age, gender, smoking status, diabetes, body mass index and blood pressure, the relative risk of ACE, ischemic stroke and ICVD in groups of non-HDL-C 3.37 - 4.13 mmol/L (130 - 159 mg/dl), 4.14 - 4.91 mmol/L (160 - 189 mg/dl) and ≥ 4.92 mmol/L (190 mg/dl) was 1.24 (0.91 - 1.70), 1.78 (1.25 - 2.53), 2.23 (1.48 - 3.35); 1.34 (1.07 - 1.68), 1.38 (1.04 - 1.83), 1.38 (0.97 - 1.94) and 1.37 (1.12 - 1.63), 1.52 (1.22 - 1.90), 1.70 (1.30 - 2.22), respectively. The risk of hemorrhagic stroke was declined obviously in group4.92 mmol/L (190 mg/dl). (2) The correlation between VLDL-C and ACE was the strongest in four CVD events when VLDL-C and LDL-C were joint analyzed, ICVD events ranked the second. The risk for ischemic stroke also borderline increased with increasing VLDL-C and LDL-C (P0.05).Increased non-HDL-C is associated with increased risk of suffering ACE, ischemic stroke and ICVD and VLDL-C plays a critical role in the development of ICVD events, especially ACS, in middle aged Chinese population.

To describe the distribution characteristics of carotid atherosclerosis and to analyze its association with cardiovascular risk factors in middle-aged and elderly Chinese.In 2007, the second cross-sectional examination for cardiovascular risk factors and B-mode ultrasound imaging on carotid arteries were performed in a Chinese population consisting of 2681 subjects aged 43-81 years old from two cohorts participants of the People's Republic of China/United States of America collaborative study (USA-PRC study) and the Chinese multi-provincial cohort study (CMCS). The association of cardiovascular risk factors with intima-media thickening (ITM) and plaque of carotid arteries was analyzed.(1) The mean intima-media thickening (Mean-IMT) of carotid artery was 0.68 mm, the maximal intima-media thickening (Max-IMT) was 1.07 mm. (2) The prevalence rate of carotid plaque was 60.3% in all subjects. As for the different sites of carotid arteries, the plaque prevalence rate at carotid bulb was 61.2% for male and 51.6% for female (chi2 = 23.44, P0.01), and at the internal carotid artery was 24.7% for male and 12.2% for female (chi2 = 69.57, P0.01), at the common carotid artery was 20.9% for male and 13.8% for female (chi2 = 23.18, P0.01). (3) After adjusting for age and other cardiovascular risk factors, the Mean-IMT and Max-IMT increased with elevated levels of systolic blood pressure, plasma glucose and low density lipoproteins cholesterol (LDL-C) (all P0.05). Hypertension, diabetes, smoking and high LDL-C (P0.05) were independent predict factors for the risk of carotid plaque.The carotid atherosclerosis was common in middle and older age Chinese and was positively associated with classical cardiovascular disease risk factors.

To survey the treatment status and clinical features of hospitalized patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) of 13 hospitals in Beijing in 2005.Uniform questionnaires were used to register AMI patients hospitalized from January 1 to December 31, 2005 in the 13 hospitals including traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) hospitals (n = 6) and western medicine hospitals (WM, n = 7) from Beijing. A total of 1663 AMI patients were registered (1366 cases in WM hospitals and 297 cases in TCM hospitals). An Access database was established and patient information was input, the clinical features and treatment status of hospitalized AMI patients were analyzed.The mean age was (63.9 +/- 12.8) years old [(62.8 +/- 12.8) years for WM Hospitals and (69.1 +/- 11.8) years for TCM hospitals, P0.05], male to female ratio was 2.4:1 (2.7:1 for WM hospitals and 1.6:1 for TCM hospitals, P0.05). The median time to hospital was 14 hours in TCM hospitals and 11 hours in WM hospitals (P0.05). Incidences of history of cerebrovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and complications such as in-patient arrhythmia, cardiac insufficiency, cardiogenic shock were significantly higher in TCM hospitals than in WM hospitals. The total mortality of 1663 AMI cases was 8.2% (15.8% in TCM hospitals vs. 6.6% in WM hospitals, P0.01). The reperfusion rate including emergency PCI and thrombolytic therapy rate was 31.3% in 13 hospitals (33.3% in WM hospitals vs. 21.9% in TCM hospitals, P0.05). Percent of guideline recommend drug use for AMI was as follows: aspirin 93.6%, ACEI and ARB 85.1%, beta-blocker 78.7%, low molecular weight heparin 85.4%, statins 74.7%.Reperfusion therapy and guideline recommended drugs were widely used although there was a need for further improvement. The hospitalized mortality showed a downward trend compared with results from five years ago, patients in TCM hospitals had an independent clinical features.

To explore the association between risk factors of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and insulin resistance in a cross-sectional study.An investigation on risk factors of CVD was carried out using stratified-random sampling method among 1475 participants in Beijing. Homeostasis model assessment index (HOMA) was calculated to assess the insulin resistance in 1359 non-diabetic subjects aged 25 - 64 years. Insulin resistance was defined as HOMA index (fasting glucose in mmol/L x fasting insulin in mU/L/22.5) in the top quartile of the studied population.The degree of correlation between risk factors and natural logarithm of HOMA index in descending order were glucose, body mass index (BMI), triglyceride (TG), waist circumstance, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), uric acid, diastolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure and total cholesterol (TC) (all P0.01). After adjusting factors as sex and age, glucose (r = 0.49), BMI (r = 0.44), TG (r = 0.44), waist circumstance (r = 0.41), uric acid (r = 0.33) and HDL-C (r = -0.32), the systolic blood pressure (r = 0.20), diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.18) and TC (r = 0.16) were independently correlated with HOMA index (P0.001). Sex (OR = 1.75), low HDL-C (OR = 1.80), hyperuricemia (OR = 2.11), high TG (OR = 2.14) and central obesity (OR = 2.68) appeared to be independently correlated to insulin resistance in multiple logistic regression analysis.The risk factors of CVD as low HDL-C, high TG, central obesity and hyperuricemia were independently correlated to insulin resistance.

To examine the current status of the use of aspirin among outpatients with established coronary heart disease (CHD) in China.Sixty-four hospitals across 31 provinces of China, including 32 secondary hospitals and 32 tertiary hospitals were selected for a baseline survey. Fifty outpatients with history of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) were recruited consecutively in each hospital. Information of these patients was collected and the situation of aspirin use among the patients was analyzed.There totally 2781 CHD outpatients were recruited with complete data. Mean age of the patients was 65 +/- 10. Sixty-nine percent of the patients was males and 31% was females. The utilization rate of aspirin before this clinical visit was 83.6%. There were significant difference among regions and hospitals. The utilization rate of aspirin was 64.2% and 97.8% respectively in the two provinces with the lowest use rate and the highest use rate. Use rates of aspirin in CHD outpatients varied from 29.4% to 98%among 64 hospitals. The male CHD patients had higher use rate than the female patients did (85.1% vs. 80.4%, P0.01). There also was notable difference in prescribed dose of aspirin among regions and hospitals. An analysis of multiple logistic regression model revealed that gender, age, monthly income, history of PCI and onset time of the previous ACS event were independently associated with the utilization status of aspirin in these outpatients.The overall utilization rate of aspirin in CHD outpatients reached to 83.6%, but remarkable differences in aspirin use existed among regions, hospitals and patients with different characteristics in current clinical practice in China.

To observe the incidence of impaired glucose tolerance in hospitalized patients with essential hypertension without diabetes mellitus history and with normal fasting glucose.A total of 586 hospitalized patients with essential hypertension and without known diabetes mellitus (DM) and with normal fasting blood glucose (FBG5.6 mmol/L) were included in this epidemiologic cross-sectional survey and screening study and received oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Associations between postprandial blood sugar and age, gender, body mass index, blood pressure level, blood lipid level, carotid arterial sclerosis were analyzed.(1) Among 586 patients, the number of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) was 159, the number of newly diagnosed DM was 41 and the prevalence rates of newly diagnosed DM and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) were 7.0% and 27.1% respectively. (2) Incidence of carotid arterial sclerosis was 67.5% in patients with impaired glucose tolerance and 59.6% in patients with normal glucose tolerance (P0.05).Our results showed that incidence of newly diagnosed disturbed glucometabolic status is common among patients with essential hypertension without DM history and normal FBG. OGTT should be used as a routine procedure in these patients for the purpose of early intervention in hypertensive patients with abnormal glucometabolic status.

To evaluate the association between serum triglyceride (TG) and the cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk in Chinese population.A total of 30, 378 men and women aged 35 - 64 years old were recruited in the Chinese-Chinese Multi-provincial Cohort Study (CMCS). The serum TG and other CVD risk factors were measured. All subjects were followed up annually or biannually for acute CVD events from 1992 to 2004. A Cox regression model was established to identify the association between TG and risk of CVD events.The accumulative incidence rate of acute coronary heart disease (CHD) events increased from 62.6/100 000 in the low TG groups to 168.4/100 000 in the high TG group divided by the quartile. TG was identified as an independent risk factor for CHD after adjustment for the confounding risk factors by a Cox regression model. Compared subjects with TG0.81 mmol/L, CHD risk increased 81% and 59% in subjects with TG 1.15 - 1.59 mmol/L and TG/= 1.60 mmol/L, respectively (all P0.05). There was no significant association between TG level and the risks of hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke events (P0.05).Serum TG is an independent risk factor for acute CHD events in Chinese population aged 35 - 64.

To evaluate the predictive value of the combined measurements of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) for the risk of cardiometabolic diseases (including diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia) and ischemic cardiovascular disease.A total of 30,378 Chinese people from 11 provinces were studied in this prospective study conducted from 1992 to 2003. Multivariable logistic and Cox regression were used respectively to determine the predictive value of WC for cardiometabolic diseases and ischemic cardiovascular disease within each BMI categories.(1) The prevalence of obesity were 10% defined by BMI. Among them, 76.4% had abdominal obesity defined by WC. The prevalence of abdominal obesity was 17.5% by WC categories, and 43.4% of them were classified as obesity by BMI. (2) The prevalence rates of cardiometabolic diseases were higher in individuals with elevated WC within each BMI category. (3) Compared with subjects with normal BMI and WC, the risk of ischemic cardiovascular disease increased by 38% (RR = 1.383, 95% CI 1.083 - 1.765) in overweight subjects with elevated WC and by 57% (RR = 1.570, 95% CI 1.226 - 2.010) in obese subjects with elevated WC.Combined measurements of BMI and WC provide a better prediction for the risk of cardiometabolic diseases and ischemic cardiovascular disease.

To evaluate the association between white blood cell count and the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in subjects aged 35 - 64 years.This prospective study was carried out in 11 provinces from 1992 to 2003. The association of baseline white blood cell count and cardiovascular disease occurrence was analyzed in 30 384 subjects aged 35 - 64 years using Cox multivariate proportional hazards regression.(1) Compared with the group of 4.0 - 4.9 x 10(9)/L, multivariate-adjusted relative risk of ischemic cardiovascular disease (ICVD, including coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke) increased continuously in proportion to increased white blood cell count. (2) White blood cell count had different impact on different types of CVD. Positive association was observed between white blood cell count and the risk of ischemic stroke, but the relationship between white blood cell count and the risk of hemorrhagic stroke was not significant. Compared with the referent group (4.0 - 4.9 x 10(9)/L), the risk of coronary heart disease of the group of white blood count9.0 x 10(9)/L increased by 70% (RR = 1.71, P0.05) and that of ischemic stroke increased by 80% (RR = 1.85, P0.01).The risk of ICVD and CVD increases continuously in proportion to increased white blood cell count, the white blood cell count might be used to predict future risk of CVD, especially risk for ICVD.

To explore the association between plasma fibrinogen (FIB) concentration and ten-year change in blood pressure in Chinese population aged 35 - 64.A prospective cohort comprising 2683 subjects was established in Beijing in 1992. Blood pressure (BP) and other traditional cardiovascular risk factors were assessed in 1992 and 2002 respectively, and plasma FIB concentration was measured in 1992. The association of plasma FIB with ten-year change in blood pressure was analyzed.(1) The median concentration of FIB among this population was 3.8 g/L (3.2 - 4.3 g/L), and the percentage of the people with abnormal FIB concentration (FIB4.0 g/L) was 33.4% in 1992. The FIB concentration of the females was higher than that of the males (P0.01) and the FIB concentration of the hypertensive subjects was significantly higher than that of the non-hypertensive subjects (P0.05), however, there was no significant difference in the abnormal FIB rate among different age groups. (2) Compared with the BP levels in 1992, the systolic BP and diastolic BP of this population increased by 10.0 mm Hg and 5.0 mm Hg respectively in 2002. The partial correlation coefficients of baseline FIB concentration with ten-year difference for systolic and diastolic BP were 0.125 (P0.01) and 0.047 (P0.05) respectively, and the absolute value of 10-year increase of systolic pressure in the subjects with abnormal FIB was significantly higher than that in those with normal FIB (P0.01). (3) The BP grade 2002 was higher than the baseline grade in 1992 in 49.6% of the study population. The BP grade increase rate of the subjects with abnormal FIB was 55.3%, significantly higher than that of the subjects with normal FIB (46.8%, P0.05). (4) In the population without baseline hypertension the risk of BP grade increase within 10 years in those with abnormal FIB was 1.46 times the risk in those with normal FIB, the multivariable OR (95% CI) was 1.457 (1.201 - 1.768) for those with normal BP and 2.082 (1.422 - 3.048) for those with hypertension.Plasma FIB concentration is associated with the BP change. Improvement of high coagulation and high adhesion help control BP, especially in people with hypertension.