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Objective: No consensus exists on the relative risk ( RR ) of lung cancer (LC) attributable to active smoking in China. This study aimed to evaluate the unified RR of LC attributable to active smoking among the Chinese population., Methods: A systematic literature search of seven databases was conducted to identify studies reporting active smoking among smokers versus nonsmokers in China. Primary articles on LC providing risk estimates with their 95% confidence intervals ( CI s) for "ever" "former" or "current" smokers from China were selected. Meta-analysis was used to estimate the pooled RR of active smoking., Results: Forty-four unique studies were included. Compared with that of nonsmokers, the pooled RR (95% CI ) for "ever" "former" and "current" smokers were 3.26 (2.79-3.82), 2.95 (1.71-5.08), and 5.16 (2.58-10.34) among men, 3.18 (2.78-3.63), 2.70 (2.08-3.51), and 4.27 (3.61-5.06) among women, and 2.71 (2.12-3.46), 2.66 (2.45-2.88), and 4.21 (3.25-5.45) in both sexes combined, respectively., Conclusion: The RR of LC has remained relatively stable (range, 2-6) over the past four decades in China. Early quitting of smoking could reduce the RR to some extent; however, completely refraining from smoking is the best way to avoid its adverse effects., (Copyright © 2023 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To analyze the association between exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) and 23 diseases, categorized into four classifications, among the Chinese population., Methods: We searched the literature up to June 30, 2021, and eligible studies were identified according to the PECOS format: Participants and Competitors (Chinese population), Exposure (SHS), Outcomes (Disease or Death), and Study design (Case-control or Cohort)., Results: In total, 53 studies were selected. The odds ratio ( OR ) for all types of cancer was 1.79 (1.56-2.05), and for individual cancers was 1.92 (1.42-2.59) for lung cancer, 1.57 (1.40-1.76) for breast cancer, 1.52 (1.12-2.05) for bladder cancer, and 1.37 (1.08-1.73) for liver cancer. The OR for circulatory system diseases was 1.92 (1.29-2.85), with a value of 2.29 (1.26-4.159) for stroke. The OR of respiratory system diseases was 1.76 (1.13-2.74), with a value of 1.82 (1.07-3.11) for childhood asthma. The original OR s were also shown for other diseases. Subgroup analyses were performed for lung and breast cancer. The OR s varied according to time period and were significant during exposure in the household; For lung cancer, the OR was significant in women., Conclusion: The effect of SHS exposure in China was similar to that in Western countries, but its definition and characterization require further clarification. Studies on the association between SHS exposure and certain diseases with high incidence rates are insufficient., (Copyright © 2023 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.)

Background: Mindfulness practices may have a role in reducing suffering and improving spiritual well-being among patients with serious illness. The efficacy, feasibility and acceptability of such interventions warrant further exploration in the palliative care population., Objective: To investigate the effect of a brief mindfulness practice, the 5-minute mindfulness of peace intervention, on suffering and spiritual well-being among palliative care patients., Methods: A randomized controlled study was conducted on adult palliative care patients with moderate to severe levels of suffering. Participants in the intervention arm were guided through a 5-minute mindfulness of peace exercise while participants in the control arm received 5 minutes of active listening. Pre- and post-intervention suffering and spiritual well-being were measured using the Suffering Pictogram and the FACIT-Sp-12 questionnaire, respectively., Results: 40 participants completed the study. 5-minute mindfulness of peace significantly reduced suffering (median = -3.00, IQR = 2.00) more than 5 minutes of active listening (median = -1.00, IQR = 1.75), U = 73.50, z = -3.48, p = 0.001, η 2 = 0.31. FACIT-Sp-12 score also significantly improved in the intervention arm (median = +5.00, IQR = 2.75) compared with the control arm after 5 minutes (median = +1.00, IQR = 3.00), U = 95.50, z = -2.85, p = 0.004, η 2 = 0.21., Conclusions: A brief 5-minute mindfulness of peace exercise is effective in providing immediate relief of suffering and improving spiritual well-being. It is a useful and feasible intervention among patients receiving palliative care for rapidly and momentarily reducing spiritual suffering.

Objective: To explore the effects of micro ribonucleic acid (miR)-32 on the proliferation and apoptosis of myeloma cells, and to verify whether it exerts its function by targeting phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN)., Patients and Methods: The differentially expressed miRNAs were screened in healthy people and myeloma patients. The myeloma U266 cells transfected with negative control (NC) were used as control group, those transfected with miR-32 inhibitor as transfection group, and those transfected with miR-32 inhibitor and treated with PTEN inhibitor SF1670 as the transfection + inhibitor group. Then, the cell proliferation and apoptosis in each group were detected using the 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) kit and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, respectively. Finally, the expressions of apoptosis-related proteins B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 homologous antagonist/killer (Bak), caspase-9, and survivin were detected., Results: The expressions of some miRNAs and genes in myeloma patients were significantly different from those in healthy people. In myeloma patients, miR-32, miR-126, miR-123, and miR-183 were significantly highly expressed, while miR-5, miR-76, and miR-50 were remarkably lowly expressed. After myeloma U266 cells were transfected with the miR-32 inhibitor, the expression of miR-32 markedly declined. In addition, the mRNA expression of PTEN in myeloma cells rose after transfection with the miR-32 inhibitor, and declined after addition of the PTEN inhibitor SF1670, which were consistent with the results of Western blotting. Besides, the proliferation ability of myeloma cells was evidently weakened after transfection with the miR-32 inhibitor, while it was restored to a certain extent after addition of the PTEN inhibitor SF1670. Moreover, the number of apoptotic myeloma cells was remarkably larger after transfection with the miR-32 inhibitor, while it was remarkably smaller after addition of the PTEN inhibitor SF1670. The expressions of pro-apoptotic proteins Bak and caspase-9 in myeloma cells were significantly increased after transfection with the miR-32 inhibitor (p<0.05), and significantly decreased after addition of the PTEN inhibitor SF1670, while the expressions of anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and survivin were opposite to those of Bak and caspase-9., Conclusions: MiR-32 targeting PTEN will have certain effects on the proliferation and apoptosis of myeloma cells.

Background: Elevated cystatin C level was associated with excessive risk of cardiovascular events and mortality in the highly cardiovascular risk populations. We conducted this meta-analysis to investigate the relationship between serum cystatin C level and cardiovascular or all-cause mortality risk in the general population., Methods: We searched for all relevant studies published through May 2015 using PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library. Prospective studies that assessed the relationship between serum cystatin C level and cardiovascular or all-cause mortality risk in the general population were selected. Pooled adjust hazard risk (HR) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for continuous and category of cystatin C level., Results: Nine studies composed of 38,854 participants were analyzed. Elevated serum cystatin C level was associated with excessive risk of all-cause mortality (HR 1.72; 95% CI 1.37-2.16) and cardiovascular mortality (HR 2.74; 95% CI 2.04-3.68) comparing the highest to lowest category of cystatin C. Each standard deviation increment in serum cystatin C level increased 32% all-cause (HR 1.32; 95% CI 1.12-1.55) and 57% cardiovascular mortality (HR 1.57; 95% CI 1.31-1.88) risk., Conclusions: Elevated serum cystatin C level is independently associated with excessive cardiovascular and all-cause mortality risk in elderly persons., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aims: Our previous studies showed that expression and functional profile of voltage-dependent potassium channels Kv1.3 were increased in lymphocytes of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) compared to normotensive rats, suggesting a crucial role for lymphocyte Kv1.3 in the development of hypertension. Here, we further investigated whether the expression and functional profile of Kv1.3 was related to increased blood pressure in SHR with age of 4, 8, 16 and 24 wk., Methods: Systolic blood pressure was measured through pressure device around the tail. mRNA and protein expression were assessed by real-time PCR and western blot in lymphocytes of SHR. Current density of Kv channels in lymphocytes was measured by patch-clamp., Results: Systolic blood pressure was elevated in an age-dependent manner (ANOVA P < 0.05). mRNA and protein level of Kv1.3 were significantly increased in an age-dependent manner in lymphocyte of SHR (ANOVA P < 0.05). Moreover, the current density of Kv was dramatically enhanced in an age-dependent manner (ANOVA P < 0.05)., Conclusion: The systolic blood pressure positively correlated with expression as well as current density of potassium channels in lymphocytes of SHR at age of 8, 16 and 24 wk. In conclusion, Kv1.3 channels were upregulated in an age-dependent manner in SHR and correlates with systolic blood pressure during aging. The present study implies that Kv1.3 blockers may be applied as a therapeutic treatment for the development of hypertension during aging.

In order to investigate the cellular immunoresponses mediated by chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (anti-CD20 McAb) through dendritic cells (DCs), mononuclear cells were isolated from human peripheral blood (PBMNC) and DCs from PBMNCs in vitro were generated with normal methods. Human CD20 positive lymphoma cell line-Raji cells were treated with different methods including treatment with anti-CD20 McAb (group R), treatment with heat-induced apoptosis (group A) and treatment with anti-CD20 McAb+heat-induced apoptosis (group R+A), then Raji cells treated with above-mentioned methods as tumor antigen were loaded on DCs. The phagocytosis of DCs to tumor antigen was observed by transmission electron microscope (TEM), the auto-mixed lymphocyte reaction was performed with antigen-primed DCs, the release of INF-gammafrom effector cells was detected by ELISPOT, the killing of effector cells on Raji cells was assayed by MTT. The results showed that under TEM, no pronounced phagocytosis of DCs was seen in group R, while the phagocytosis of apoptotic bodies could be easily seen in group A and the more cell fraqments were observed in group R+A. The FCM indicated that the expressions of CD80, CD86 and HLA-DR on DCs in 3 experimental groups were higher than those in group control (p<0.05), while expression positive rate in group R+A was higher than those in group R and A (p<0.05). The detection of lymphocyte surface antigen revealed that proportions of CD8+ cells in all experimental groups were higher than those in group control (p<0.05), count of CD56+ cells in group R and R+A increased, as compared with group A and control, difference was significant (p<0.05). ELISPOT assay indicated that amount of cells releasing IFN-gamma in all experimental groups was higher than that in group control, and also number of spots in group R+A significantly higher than that in other groups at effector-targetor ratio=1:10 (p<0.05). The results of killing assay demonstrated that killing rate on Raji cells in all experimental groups increased as compared with group control (p<0.05), while killing rate in group R+A was higher than that in group R and A. It is concluded that anti-CD20 McAb can mediate DC to induce cellular immunoresponse against lymphoma, that is, to stimulate and amplify specific CTLs and NK cells. Anti-CD20 McAb combined with DCs primed by heat-stressed tumor cells as antigen can further enhance cellular immunoresponse against lymphoma.

Background: Because venovenous bypass (VVB) can cause specific complications, a simplified orthotopic abdominal multivisceral transplantation (MVTX) technique without VVB in pigs has been evaluated in terms of morbidity and mortality., Materials and Methods: Outbred large-white pigs weighing 25 to 40 kg of random sex underwent MVTX operation. After in situ cold perfusion through the aorta and superior mesenteric vein, the multivisceral allograft was procured from the donor and tailored at the back table. The multivisceral allograft, including liver, pancreas, stomach, duodenum, and proximal 2 m of jejunum, was en bloc transplanted into recipient after resection of entire foregut and midgut; VVB was not used. We analyzed the hemodynamic change, arterial blood gas data, and fluid requirements intraoperatively., Results: Among 25 MVTXs, 19 (76%) animals survived after the operation. Without using an immunosuppressant, postoperative survival time was 2 to 146 hours. Ten recipient pigs died within 24 hours. Seven animals were lost between postoperative days 2 and 5. Two pigs survived for more than 5 days. The recipient pigs were mostly in a state of hypovolemic shock and metabolic acidosis during the reperfusion phase., Conclusions: Despite a high morbidity and mortality, the simplified technique without VVB is feasible to successfully achieve MVTX in the pig.