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Background: Cardiometabolic Index (CMI) was associated with several risk factors for stroke; however, few studies assessed the role of CMI in stroke risk. Objective: This study aimed to assess the association between CMI and stroke in a population- based cross-sectional study. Methods: This study included 4445 general residents aged ≥40 years selected by multistage stratified random cluster sampling. CMI was calculated as the product of the ratio of waist circumference to height (WHtR) and the ratio of triglyceride levels to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (TG/HDL-C). Participants were categorized according to CMI quartiles: quartile 1 (Q1), quartile 2 (Q2), quartile 3 (Q3), and quartile 4 (Q4). Multivariate logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the association between CMI and stroke. Results: A total of 4052 participants were included in the study, with an overall stroke prevalence of 7.2%. The prevalence of stroke increased with CMI quartiles, ranging from 4.4% to 9.2% (p for trend Conclusion: Although there was a strong and independent association between CMI and stroke in the general population, CMI had limited discriminating ability for stroke. Thus, new parameters should be developed.

Two new species of the treehopper genus Machaerotypus Uhler, 1896, M. stigmosus Li & Chen sp. nov. and M. nodulus Li & Chen sp. nov., are described and illustrated from Guizhou Province, China. A checklist and key to species of Machaerotypus are provided with a map of geographic distribution.

Aims The canonical Wnt signaling pathway plays an essential role in blood‐brain barrier integrity and intracerebral hemorrhage in preclinical stroke models. Here, we sought to explore the association between canonical Wnt signaling and hemorrhagic transformation (HT) following intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients as well as to determine the underlying cellular mechanisms. Methods 355 consecutive AIS patients receiving IVT were included. Blood samples were collected on admission, and HT was detected at 24 hours after IVT. 117 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of 28 Wnt signaling genes and exon sequences of 4 core cerebrovascular Wnt signaling components (GPR124, RECK, FZD4, and CTNNB1) were determined using a customized sequencing chip. The impact of identified genetic variants was further studied in HEK 293T cells using cellular and biochemical assays. Results During the study period, 80 patients experienced HT with 27 parenchymal hematoma (PH). Compared to the non‐PH patients, WNT7A SNPs (rs2163910, P = .001, OR 2.727; rs1124480, P = .002, OR 2.404) and GPR124 SNPs (rs61738775, P = .012, OR 4.883; rs146016051, P A) identified in the PH patients resulted in a single amino acid alteration (p.Cys1196Tyr) in the intracellular domain of GPR124. This variant substantially reduced the activity of WNT7B‐induced canonical Wnt signaling by decreasing the ability of GPR124 to recruit cytoplasmic DVL1 to the cellular membrane. Conclusion Variants of WNT7A and GPR124 are associated with increased risk of PH in patients with AIS after intravenous thrombolysis, likely through regulating the activity of canonical Wnt signaling.

ObjectivesLow levels of income and education are risk factors for metabolic syndrome in the population of Northeast China, which has a high incidence of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to determine sex-based differences associated with the prevalence of and risk factors for metabolic syndrome among people older than 40 years in Northeast China; this has not been previously investigated.DesignThis study analysed a portion of the large sample data of the national cross-sectional screening of China from 2016. Metabolic syndrome was defined as the presence of any three of the following five risk factors: abnormal waist circumference; high levels of triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol or fasting plasma glucose; and elevated blood pressure. Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate sex-based differences in the prevalence of, and risk factors for metabolic syndrome.SettingThe study was conducted in Dehui City, Jilin Province, China.ParticipantsA total of 4052 participants with complete questionnaire information and laboratory examination results were included.ResultsThe prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 50.1% overall (38.4% in men and 57.9% in women; p<0.001). High body mass index and hip circumference were associated with metabolic syndrome in both sexes. In addition, physical inactivity (OR and 95% CI 1.44 (1.06 to 1.97); p=0.022) in men and advanced age (OR and 95% CI 1.54 (1.15 to 2.04); p=0.003) in women were factors associated with metabolic syndrome. Women with junior high school education or above and living in rural areas were less likely to have metabolic syndrome. For men, education and rural or urban living had no association with metabolic syndrome.ConclusionsThe risk factors for metabolic syndrome have similarities and differences in different sexes; thus, the prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome should be based on these sex differences.

Depression is one of the major risk factors for the development, progression and prognosis of coronary heart disease (CHD). Patients with depression and CHD have high mortality and morbidity. Conventional antidepressant therapies achieve limited success in CHD patients. The aim of the present study was to determine the efficacy of a formulation of Chinese herbal medicine called the “Bu Xin Qi decoction (BXQD)” on the symptoms of depression and cardiac prognosis in patients with comorbid depression and CHD. Chinese patients with symptoms that fulfilled the diagnosis criteria were recruited. A total of 280 patients were eligible and randomized to receive escitalopram or BXQD for 8 weeks and follow-up for additional 4 weeks post-treatment. The primary endpoints included episodes of angina pectoris and duration, HAM-D score. Other outcome measures contained the incidence of cardiac events, the levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), adrenaline (NE) and 5-serotonin (5-HT). After 8-week treatment, BXQD significantly decreased episodes and duration of angina pectoris from baseline. HAM-D score was also remarkably decreased in both treatment group. Cardiac events were 11% in the BXQD-treated group and 22% in escitalopram group. Furthermore, treatment with BXQD strikingly decreased the levels of hs-CRP and IL-6, and increased 5-HT and NE levels. Our results showed that BXQD possessed a favorable improvement on symptoms of depression and cardiac prognosis, which could be used in combination with usual care for the treatment of patients with these comorbidities. (The name of the clinical registry: Efficient Traditional Chinese Medicine for Treating Coronary Heart Disease Accompanied by Depression. The registration number: ChiCTR-INC-17012872).

LIM domain proteins are found to be important regulators in cell growth, cell fate determination, cell differentiation, and remodelling of the cell cytoskeleton by their interaction with some structural proteins, kinases, transcriptional regulators, etc. The presence of LIM domains in LMCD1 gene implies it may be involved in skeletal muscle protein-protein interactions. This study was to investigate polymorphisms of LIM and cysteine-rich domain 1 ( LMCD1 ) gene and its effect on meat quality and carcass traits in pig. The polymorphism (G294A) in exon 3 region of porcine LMCD1 gene, which is synonymous mutation, was genotyped in the population of 178 F 2 pigs of a Large White x Meishan resource family. Statistical results indicated the distribution of allele G (with a A → G mutation) and A (without mutation). Analysis of variance showed that the polymorphism of LMCD1 gene was associated with variation in several carcass traits of interest for pig breeding. Some carcass traits and meat quality traits are close to significance by association. An analysis of more animals is necessary to analyze the polymorphisms in exon 3 of porcine LMCD1 gene if it was selected as a marker for the pig carcass traits.

Live measurement growth traits are very important economic traits in pig production and breeding. In this research, quantitative trait loci (QTL) were detected for 11 live estimated growth and carcass traits, including birth weight (BWT), average daily gain over testing periods (ADG3), live backfat thickness at last 3–4th lumbar (LBFT3), live loin eye area (LLEA), and so on, in 214 pig resource family population, including 180 F2 individual, by 39 microsatellite marker loci on SSC4, SSC6, SSC7, SSC8, and SSC13. The results indicated that 4 chromosome significant level QTL and one suggestive QTL were detected for ADG3 (at position of 50 cM on SSC8), LBFT3 (at position of 147 cM on SSC4), LLEA (one highly significant at position of 48 cM on SSC7; another significant at position of 125 cM on SSC8) and BWT (suggestive significant at position of 0 cM, at marker sw489 on SSC4). The phenotypic variance of these QTL accounted for 0.95% to 16.91%. Most of them were mentioned in previous reports; except the QTL of LLEA at position of sw 1953 on SSC8 which maybe a new QTL.

To investigate the molecular basis of porcine heterosis, suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) was performed to detect the differences in gene expression between porcine longissirnus dorsi of Meishan × Large White (MS × LW) F, hybrids and their parents Meishan pigs. An expression sequence tag (EST) differentially expressed was found, designated as ML556, which was homologous to a hypothetical protein HSPC117, from human hematopoietic stedprogenitor cells (HSPCs), and the full-length cDNA of porcine HSPC117 was cloned using rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) method. Translation of the mRNA transcript revealed an open reading frame (ORF) of 505 amino acid residues encoding a peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS) with theoretical molecular weight of 55 kDa. Alignment analysis revealed that the deduced protein sequence exhibit 98, 98, 98, 97, and 97% identity with that of cattle, human, dog, rat, and mouse, respectively. The tissue expression analysis indicated that the porcine HSPC117 gene is highly expressed in muscle, spleen, lung, kidney, uterus, ovary and testis, moderately expressed in fat, heart, and liver, and not expressed in stomach and small intestine. The possible role of porcine HSPC117 and its relationship with porcine heterosis were discussed.

To investigate the correlation of individual heterozygosity and heterosis of three traits in crossbred F1 pig populations, the F1 populations were built by random mating Yorkshire × Meishan (YM, n = 82), and its reciprocal (MY, n = 47) and two straightbred populations (Yorkshire = 34, Meishan = 55) were used as control groups. The heterosis of birth weight (BWT), average daily gain (ADG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were acquired as well. In the research, the significant marker loci for the heterosis of the three traits were observed by one-way ANOVA (P

Hexokinase Ⅱ has been demonstrated to play the role of a key enzyme member in the glycolysis reaction. It catalyzes the conversion of glucose to glucose-6-phosphate, thus committing glucose to the glycolytic pathway. In this paper, the partial exons and introns 10, 11, 13 and 14 of the porcine HK2 gene were cloned and sequenced by comparative genomics. Comparative sequencing of three pig breeds revealed ten putative single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), one of which in intron 10 with differing bases (G981 A) is within the restriction site for enzyme Msp Ⅰ. Distribution of Msp Ⅰ-RFLP genotype and allele frequencies among different pig breeds were studied. By association analysis between Msp ⅠPCRRFLP polymorphism (AA, AB, BB genotypes of HK2 gene intron 10) and some meat quality and carcass traits in F2 group, which was constructed by our laboratory, a significant difference of pig average backfat at rump was found between AB and BB genotypes (P＜005) in F2 group. In addition, the pattern of expression of HK2 in a variety of tissues in pig was also determined using semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The expression of HK2 mRNA was detected only in pig skeletal muscle.

mRNA differential display technique was performed to discuss the differential expression of genes in fat tissue between introduced European and Chinese indigenous pigs. Four anchor primers in combination with five arbitrary primers (20 sets in total) were used and nearly 300 bands were observed in polyacrylamide gel, among which 29 differential display bands were obtained. Twelve of 29 cDNA fragments were identified using reverse Northern dot blot, and subsequently cloned and sequenced. Eight of 12 cDNAs had no matches in GenBank and were submitted to GenBank, and the other 4 showed similarity to identified genes from GenBank. Three among 8 novel ESTs were selected to be further identified by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. In our experiment, silver staining DDRT-PCR and DIG primer DNA labeling reverse Northern dot blot were used to avoid radioactive pollution. The result showed that the expressions of 5 among 8 novel ESTs were stronger in the backfat of Tongcheng pigs and the others were weaker than that in Duroc pigs. These novel ESTs were prepared for selecting genes related to adipose cells.

Bupleurum chinense belongs to the genus Bupleurum spp. and is one of the most important plant medicines in China used for over a thousand years. B. chinense is widely distributed in the northern region of China and is customarily called “Bei chaihu.” The clinical practice from ancient plant pharmacy experts showed that B. chinense possesses many pharmacological functions, such as balancing different organs and energies within the body, strengthening the action of the digestive tract, improving liver and circulatory system function, and relieving liver tension. In addition, contemporary pharmacological research indicated that B. chinense can effectively inhibit hepatoma and protect and promote hepatocyte regeneration. However, the active ingredients in B. chinense and possible mechanisms of its antihepatoma action are still unclear. The crude polysaccharide from the roots of Bupleurum chinense was extracted by hot water and ethanol precipitation with a yield of 12.4%. After deproteination by a combination of proteinase and the Sevag method, the supernatant was collected, dialyzed, and lyophilized to obtain water-soluble B. chinense polysaccharides (BCPs) 1 . BCPs appeared as a pale yellow powder and had a negative response to the Bradford assay 2 . In addition, no absorption at either 280 or 260 nm was detected by UV spectrophotometer, which indicated the absence of protein and nucleic acid. Results from phenol–sulfuric acid assay showed that BCPs contained 93.7% carbohydrate 3 and 5.4% uronic acid 4 . According to GC analysis, BCPs are composed of mannose, galactose, glucose, and galacturonic acid with the molar ratio 25:7.4:10:6.7 5 . We tested in vitro growth inhibition and cytotoxicity of BCPs against three tumor cell lines and two nontumorous cell lines. BCPs exhibited a significant cytotoxicity against H22 with the IC50 value of 103.3 g/mL. The IC50 values against B16 and S-180 were 289.3 and 371.2 g/mL, which showed that the inhibition effects of BCPs against B16 and S-180 were significantly lower than that against H22. The above results demonstrated that BCPs could specifically inhibit proliferation of tumor cells and had a discriminate antiproliferative activity against different types of tumor cells. In addition, BCPs exhibited extremely lower cytotoxicity to mouse embryonic fibroblast cell (NIH 3T3) and mouse macrophage cell (RAW 264.7) with high IC50 values over 1700 g/mL, implying that BCPs had no direct cytotoxicity to noncancerous cells and was safer than other chemotherapeutic drugs, having no negative side effects in inhibiting proliferation of nontumorous cells. We further evaluated the in vivo antitumor activity of BCPs on H22 solid tumor-bearing mice. Due to the fast growth of H22 tumor cells, the transplanted tumor model mice gradually exhibited a series of weakness symptoms such as loss of appetite and reduced body weight with dull hairs. After oral treatment with BCPs (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg), the growth of H22 tumors in the model mice was significantly suppressed compared with the negative control group (p < 0.05), and the tumor inhibition ratios were 22.7, 35.1, and 51.1% at concentrations of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg body weight, respectively. Furthermore, the body weights of the BCP-treated group were increased significantly when compared with the negative control group and the CTX-treated group during the 15-day experimental period (data not shown).

Gelatin sponge particles are commonly used in the conventional transarterial chemoembolization (c-TACE) as an adjuvant embolizing agent for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, there are few reports regarding the clinical applications of gelatin sponge microparticles (GSMs) as a main embolizing agent in the treatment of HCC. This retrospective study aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B HCC treated with intra-arterial injection of 350 to 560 μm GSMs mixed with anticancer agents.Twenty-four patients with unresectable BCLC stage B HCC without any prior treatment underwent transarterial chemoembolization with gelatin sponge microparticles (GSMs-TACE) of diameter 350 to 560 μm mixed with lobaplatin. The mixture was injected into tumor-feeding arteries until the sluggish flow in selective artery. Safety was measured by assessing complication rate, and efficacy was reflected by assessing response to mRECIST therapy and overall survival. The survival rate was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.All 24 BCLC stage B HCC patients showed good tolerance to the procedure. The mean follow-up period was 27 months and mean number of TACE treatments per patient was 3.7 sessions (range 1-10) during the follow-up period. Postprocedure complications were mild and treated by symptomatic treatment. Six months and 1 year overall survival rates were 100% and 87.5%, respectively. Overall median survival time was 25 months (95%CI: 21.06-28.95 months).GSMs-TACE is a safe and effective method for BCLC stage B HCC patients.

In order to detect the molecular basis of heterosis in pigs, suppression subtractive hybridization was carried out to investigate the difference in gene expression in the Longissimus dorsi muscle tissues between MeishanxYorkshire F1 crossbreeds and their parents, Meishan pigs. The swine myosin regulatory light chain 2 (MRLC2) gene differentially expressed between the crossbreeds and the purebreds was isolated and identified using semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and its complete cDNA sequence was obtained using the rapid amplification of cDNA ends method. The nucleotide sequence of the gene is not homologous to any of the known porcine genes. The sequence prediction analysis reveals that the open reading frame of this gene encodes a protein of 172 amino acids containing the putative conserved domain of the EF-hand superfamily. This predicted amino acid sequence of porcine MRLC2 protein exhibits 99%, 98%, 98%, 98% and 97% identity with that of cattle, human, dog, rat and mouse, respectively. The homology analysis revealed that the MRLC2 protein was very much conserved in evolution. The tissue expression analysis indicated that the swine MRLC2 gene is highly expressed in muscle, fat, heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, stomach, small intestine, ovary and testis, but not expressed in pancreas.