A Risk Prediction Model for Ischemic Stroke in Southern Chinese Population: Impact of Multiple Genetic Variants and Clinical/Lifestyle Factors

With a global prevalence of 7.7 million, ischemic stroke (IS) is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. In China, IS alone contributed to 69.6％? of stroke events and accounted for 37.1％? of the mortality/disability rate[1]. IS is a complex disease that is known to be associated?with?various?genetic?variants?and?clinical and lifestyle risk factors[2]. Genome -wide association studies (GWAS) provided evidence for the?occurrence?of?more?than?160?IS-associated?single nucleotide?polymorphisms?(SNPs).?In?terms?of?clinical risk factors, patients with a history of chronic diseases like hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus, display a higher risk of developing IS. Among the various lifestyle components, leading a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, and having an unhealthy diet are known to be associated with the risk of IS. Thus, integration of various genetic, clinical, and lifestyle variables might prove to be highly beneficial in the prediction and prevention of IS?at?the?individual?level[3].     

Epidemiologic Features,Radiological Findings and Clinical Outcomes of 19 Patients with COVID-19 in a Single Center in Beijing,China

Objective To describe the epidemiologic, clinical, laboratory, and radiological characteristics and prognoses of COVID-19 confirmed patients in a single center in Beijing, China. Methods The study retrospectively included 19 patients with nucleic acid-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection at our hospital from January 20 to March 5, 2020. The final follow-up date was March 14, 2020. The epidemiologic and clinical information was obtained through direct communication with the patients or their family members. Laboratory results retrieved from medical records and radiological images were analyzed both qualitatively by two senior chest radiologists as well as quantitatively via an artificial intelligence software. Results We identified 5 family clusters (13/19, 68.4％) from the study cohort. All cases had good clinical prognoses and were either mild (3/19) or moderate (16/19) clinical types. Fever (15/19, 78.9％) and dry cough (11/19, 57.9％) were common symptoms. Two patients received negative results for more than three consecutive viral nucleic acid tests. The longest interval between an initial CT abnormal finding and a confirmed diagnosis was 30 days. One patient's nucleic acid test turned positive on the follow-up examination after discharge. The presence of radiological abnormalities was non-specific for the diagnosis of COVID-19. Conclusions COVID-19 patients with mild or no clinical symptoms are common in Beijing, China. Radiological abnormalities are mostly non-specific and massive CT examinations for COVID-19 screening should be avoided. Analyses of the contact histories of diagnosed cases in combination with clinical, radiological and laboratory findings are crucial for the early detection of COVID-19. Close monitoring after discharge is also recommended.     

甲状旁腺激素水平在原发性醛固酮增多症及肾上腺无功能瘤患者鉴别诊断中的应用价值

背景 原发性醛固酮增多症(primary?aldosteronism,PA)是继发性高血压的常见病因,PA的分型中以醛固酮瘤(aldosterone-producing?adenoma,APA)和特发性醛固酮增多症(idiopathic?aldosteronism,IHA)最为常见.PA患者与肾上腺无功能瘤(nonfunctional?adrenal?tumors,NFAT)患者血清甲状旁腺激素(parathyroid?hormone,PTH)水平存在差异,不同亚型PA患者血清PTH水平也存在差异.目的 比较PA与NFAT患者以及APA与IHA患者血清PTH水平的差异,并分析影响PTH的因素,探讨PTH在PA及NFAT患者鉴别诊断中的应用价值.方法 收集解放军总医院第一医学中心2016?-2020年收治的PA患者414例[女176例,男238例;平均年龄(50.90?±?10.40)岁;APA患者263例,IHA患者151例]和NFAT患者275例[女112例,男163例;平均年龄(52.74?±?11.20)岁]的临床资料.比较PA与NFAT患者以及APA与IHA患者血清PTH、血电解质、尿电解质、血浆肾素、血浆醛固酮、尿醛固酮水平的差异.采用Pearson相关性分析探讨影响PTH的因素.分析PTH鉴别PA与NFAT以及APA与IHA的最佳切点.结果 PA患者中位PTH水平明显高于NFAT患者[64.82(62.36,67.28)?pg/mL?vs?45.23(35.02,54.74)?pg/mL,P?相似文献   

Hydrogen sulfide serves as a biomarker in the anterior segment of patients with diabetic retinopathy

International Ophthalmology - The present study aims to determine hydrogen sulfide (H2S) concentrations of the aqueous humor from patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) to compare its levels in...     

颞叶癫痫诊断与治疗：从金标准到临床实践

癫痫是神经科的常见病和多发病,我国约有9×106例癫痫患者,其中6×106例为活动性患者,目前每年约有400×103例新发病例。癫痫给患者及其家庭带来较为严重的不良影响,据文献报道,在发达国家经规范合理的抗癫痫药物（AEDs）治疗后,有70%-80%的患者可有效控制发作,真正的难治性癫痫仅约占20%。然而,在我国这样的发展中国家,由于人们对癫痫的认识存在误区和医疗资源的分布相对不均匀,大多数患者未能及时得到明确诊断和有效治疗,使我国难治性癫痫,尤其是颞叶癫痫发生率明显高于发达国家。     

Serum SPARC and Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 and Metalloproteinase-9 Concentrations after Bariatric Surgery in Obese Adults

Background

Remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) of adipose tissue is regarded as part of the pathophysiology of obesity. Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) was the first ECM protein described in adipose tissue. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) also play a role in ECM remodeling, and MMP-2 and MMP-9 may be associated with abnormal ECM metabolism. Here, we investigated changes in serum SPARC, MMP-2, and MMP-9 concentrations after bariatric surgery in obese adults.

Methods

We recruited 34 obese patients who were scheduled to undergo bariatric surgery for weight loss. We analyzed changes in serum SPARC, MMP-2, and MMP-9 concentrations before and 9 months after bariatric surgery and any associations between changes in SPARC, MMP-2, and MMP-9 concentrations and obesity-related parameters.

Results

Serum leptin levels significantly decreased, and the serum adiponectin level significantly increased after bariatric surgery. The serum SPARC concentration decreased significantly from 165.0?±?18.2 to 68.7?±?6.7 ng/mL (p?<?0.001), and the MMP-2 concentration also decreased significantly from 262.2?±?15.2 to 235.9?±?10.5 ng/mL (p?<?0.001). Changes in the serum SPARC concentration were significantly correlated with HOMA-IR changes, and changes in the serum MMP-9 concentration were found to inversely correlate with serum adiponectin changes.

Conclusion

These findings show that significant decreases in serum SPARC and MMP-2 concentrations occur after bariatric surgery. Our results thus suggest that weight loss via bariatric surgery could alter the ECM environment, and that these changes are related to certain metabolic changes.     

Middle-aged women's awareness of cholesterol as a risk factor: Results from a national survey of Korean Middle-aged Women's Health Awareness (KomWHA) study

Background

Dyslipidemia, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), is more prevalent in middle-aged women than in men of the same age in Korea. This study, the first national survey that focused on cholesterol in Korean women, aimed to: (1) assess their awareness and knowledge of cholesterol, (2) evaluate their risk reduction behavior, and (3) examine differences in these variables among geographical regions in Korea.

Methods

A questionnaire survey study was conducted in a randomly selected national sample of 1304 Korean women, aged 40-64 years in 3 geographic regions.

Results

High cholesterol was identified as a cause of CVD by 54.4% of respondents, however, 95.4% did not know their own values. Only 4.1% of respondents were aware of desirable level of total cholesterol. Eight percent of respondents perceived correctly the meaning of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) as good cholesterol. And 32.9% had cholesterol check at least once a year. No significant regional differences were found in women's awareness and knowledge on cholesterol. No smoking (93.6%), low salt diet (52.5%) and weight management (50.6%) were the most prevalent risk reduction behaviors. Women in the rural area performed less risk reduction behaviors than those in urban area.

Conclusions

Given the low level of awareness and knowledge about cholesterol in these women, nurses need to increase their education about cholesterol and risk reduction behaviors of CVD for middle-aged Korean women, particularly those in rural area. To resolve identified disparities in women's risk reduction behaviors between the rural and urban area, a national-level health policy can result in a successful effort to promote women's awareness of cholesterol and risk reduction behaviors for the cardiovascular health of the public.     

雌二醇对大鼠骨髓基质细胞过氧化物酶增殖活化受体γ2基因表达的影响

背景:雌二醇能否改变骨髓基质细胞分化过程中过氧化物酶增殖活化受体γ2-mRNA的表达进而影响其向成骨细胞分化有待研究。目的:观察骨髓基质细胞在向成骨细胞分化的介质中,17β-雌二醇对其过氧化物酶增殖活化受体γ2mRNA及蛋白表达的影响。设计:对比观察实验。单位:成都军区总医院中心实验室,德阳市人民医院检验科,成都百奥生物技术有限公司。材料:选用1只雌性SD大鼠,3月龄,清洁级,体质量(200±20)g,由成都中医药大学实验动物研究中心提供(动物许可证号码11)。DMEM培养液购自Hyclone,1,25一双羟维生素D3、地塞米松和雌二醇购自Sigma公司,引物用Jellyfish软件设计,由大连宝生物技术有限公司合成。RT-PCR试剂盒和RNA提取试剂盒均由大连宝生物提供。兔抗山羊多抗(北京中山生物技术有限公司),山羊抗鼠PPARγ2抗体和Western Blotting增强化学发光试剂均购自Santa Cruz公司。方法:实验于2001-04/2002-07在成都军区总医院中心实验室和成都百奥生物技术有限公司完成。①无菌条件下分离大鼠骨髓基质细胞,1,25一双羟维生素D3和地塞米松诱导大鼠骨髓基质细胞向成骨细胞分化,观察细胞生长情况。②用0,0.1,10和1000nmol/L不同浓度雌二醇对细胞分化过程进行干预3d。培养细胞用Tris-Triton X-100缓冲液加超声粉碎裂解细胞,在Beckman CX-7生化分析仪上测定碱性磷酸酶的活性,观察不同浓度雌二醇条件下细胞产生碱性磷酸酶的情况。③100g/L中性甲醛固定培养于24孔板的骨髓基质细胞,Weigert苏木素染液染色10min,自来水冲洗,5g/L盐酸乙醇分化,Van Gieson染色,体积分数为0.95乙醇分化脱水,二甲苯透明,显微镜下观察并照相,观察细胞胶原合成情况。④应用半定量RT-PCR及Northern blot、Western blot技术,观察不同浓度雌二醇对骨髓基质细胞分化过程中PPAR-γ2mRNA及蛋白表达的影响。主要观察指标:①骨髓基质细胞生长情况、细胞胶原合成情况。②不同浓度雌二醇条件下细胞产生碱性磷酸酶的情况。③不同浓度雌二醇对骨髓基质细胞分化过程中PPAR-γ2mRNA及蛋白表达的影响。结果:①骨髓基质细胞接种后4h开始贴壁,24～72h可见贴壁细胞明显增大且分裂增殖,细胞呈三角形,多角形或梭形。3d后首次换液,贴壁细胞体积增大,呈集落生长,10d左右融合成遍。多次传代的骨髓基质细胞呈有序的成纤维细胞样分布。②随着雌二醇浓度的增加,胞浆染色越淡,由鲜红、淡红到黄色。胞浆呈红色说明有胶原合成,红色越深,表明胶原越多。③不同浓度雌二醇条件下细胞均能产生碱性磷酸酶,其活性随雌二醇浓度增加而降低,雌二醇浓度从0nmol/L增加到1000nmol/L时,碱性磷酸酶从(710.1±41.7)nkat/g降至(60.0±11.7)nkat/g(t=29.0,P<0.01)。④雌二醇浓度为0.1,10和1000nmol/L时,PPAR-γ2mRNA的表达量均明显高于雌二醇0mol/L组(t=6.1,7.2,11.5,P<0.01),Northern blot结果显示雌二醇浓度为0.1,10和1000nmol/L时PPAR-γ2mRNA表达量分别为(4.0±0.4)%,(1.7±0.2)%,(2.8±0.2)%,明显高于雌二醇0mol/L组[(1.5±0.1)%,t=5.4,105.0,14.2,P<0.01]。⑤Western Blot检测结果显示雌二醇能明显增加骨髓基质细胞PPAR-γ2蛋白的表达。雌二醇浓度为0.1,10和1000nmol/L时,PPAR-γ2蛋白的表达量分别为(2.2±0.2)%,(2.6±0.2)%,(4.1±0.2)%,明显高于雌二醇0mol/L组[(1.2±0.10)%,t=6.6,8.5,13.2,P<0.01]。结论:雌二醇能明显抑制体外培养的骨髓基质细胞碱性磷酸酶的表达,同时促进骨髓基质细胞内过氧化物酶增殖活化受体γ2mRNA和蛋白的表达。