Identification of new single nucleotide polymorphisms affecting total number born and candidate genes related to ovulation rate in Chinese Erhualian pigs

The Chinese Erhualian pig has the highest record for litter size in the world. However, the genetic mechanism of its high prolificacy remains poorly understood. In our study, large phenotypic variations in litter size were found among Erhualian sows. Significant differences in total number born (TNB) and corpora lutea numbers were observed between sows with high and low estimated breeding values (EBVs) for TNB. To identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with TNB, a selective genomic scan was conducted on 18 sows representing the top 10% and 18 sows representing the bottom 10% of EBVs of 177 sows using Illumina Porcine SNP60 genotype data. Genome-wide fixation coefficient (F_ST ) values were calculated for each SNP between the high- and low-EBV groups. A total of 154 SNPs were significantly differentiated loci between the two groups. Of the top 10 highest F_ST SNPs, rs81399474, rs81400131 and rs81405013 on SSC8 and rs81434499 and rs81434489 on SSC 12 corresponded to previously reported QTL for litter size. The other five SNPs, rs81367039 on SSC2, rs80891106 on SSC7, rs81477883 on SSC12 and rs80938898 and rs80971725 on SSC14, appeared to be novel QTL for TNB. Significant associations between rs81399474 on SSC8 and TNB were confirmed in 313 Erhualian sows. Forty genes were identified around the top 10 highest F_ST SNPs, of which UCHL1, adjacent to rs81399474, and RPS6KB1 and CLTC, adjacent to rs81434499, have been reported to affect the ovulation rate in pig. The findings can advance understanding of the genetic variations in litter size of pigs.

[Relationship between gestational glucose, lipid metabolism parameters and fetal distress]

OBJECTIVE

To study the relationship between gestational glucose, lipid metabolism parameters and fetal distress.

METHODS

Retrospectively, 82 cases of primipara with fetal distress and 246 cases of primipara without any obstetric complications were analyzed. The latter were treated as control group. All the patients were from the same hospital between January, 2014 and January, 2016. Factors as fasting plasma-glucose (FPG), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC),high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) parameters during early pregnancy, blood glucose of fasting, 1 hour and 2 hours in 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), at 24 to 28 weeks of gestation, hemoglobin and blood pressure parameters during ante partum were recorded for all the cases while parameters as glucose and lipid, hemoglobin, blood pressure and cesarean section rate were compared between the 2 groups.

RESULTS

FPG during early gestation, blood glucose of fasting, 1 hour and 2 hours 75 g OGTT during mid gestation, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure during late gestation in the'fetal distress'group were significantly higher than that of the control group. Hemoglobin during late gestation in the fetal distress group was lower than that of the control group, with statistically significant difference (P<0.05). The rate of cesarean section in the fetal distress group was higher than that in the control group (χ(2)=4.489, P=0.034).

CONCLUSIONS

High BMI at pre-pregnancy, high blood glucose during early and mid-gestation, high blood pressure and anemia during late gestation were related to the fetal distress group. Cesarean section rate was high for pregnancy women with fetal distress.

4-Methylcatechol inhibits cell growth and testosterone production in TM3 Leydig cells by reducing mitochondrial activity

4-Methylcatechol (4-MC) is a potential neuroprotective drug because it stimulates the synthesis of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) in neurons. The present study explored the effect of 4-MC on cell growth and testosterone synthesis in the TM3 Leydig cells of mice. 4-MC did not enhance expression of both BDNF and NGF in these cells. However, this compound significantly inhibited cell proliferation and increased the number of apoptotic cells in a dose-dependent manner. The expression profile of Bax/Bcl-2 gene was altered considerably, and mitochondrial activity was significantly decreased in cells. 4-Methylcatechol also inhibited testosterone synthesis in TM3 Leydig cells. The inhibitory roles of this compound in relation to growth and testosterone synthesis in TM3 Leydig cells maybe associated with increased Bax gene expression and decreased mitochondrial activity. As a result, caspase cascade is activated.

[Retrospective analysis of operative methods and complications in 29 patients with carotid body tumor]

Objective:To analyze the operative methods and complications for surgical resection of carotid body tumor (CBT). Method:Clinical data of 29 patients underwent CBT resection from Jan 2007 to Apr 2015 were retrospectively studied. Result:Five out of 29 patients got bilateral CBT, the others had unilateral lesions, totally 34 CBT resection were performed. Tumor completely dissected without carotid artery clamping and reconstruction in 18 procedures, tumor resection combined with external carotid artery resection in 16 procedures, 9 out of these 16 procedures combined with internal carotid artery resection. The internal carotid artery was reconstructed with autologous greater saphenous vein in 4 procedures, with artificial graft in 3 procedures, and internal carotid artery ligation without reconstruction in 2 procedures. There was no patient death during perioperative period, cerebral infarction happened in 1 patient and cranial nerve injury occurred in 12 cases. Conclusion:Carotid artery resection and reconstruction is very common during CBT resection, surgeon must be familiar with the methods of carotid artery reconstruction, and the most common complication of carotid body tumor resection is the cranial nerve injury.

QSAR models for predicting octanol/water and organic carbon/water partition coefficients of polychlorinated biphenyls

Quantitative structure-property relationship modelling can be a valuable alternative method to replace or reduce experimental testing. In particular, some endpoints such as octanol-water (KOW) and organic carbon-water (KOC) partition coefficients of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are easier to predict and various models have been already developed. In this paper, two different methods, which are multiple linear regression based on the descriptors generated using Dragon software and hologram quantitative structure-activity relationships, were employed to predict suspended particulate matter (SPM) derived log KOC and generator column, shake flask and slow stirring method derived log KOW values of 209 PCBs. The predictive ability of the derived models was validated using a test set. The performances of all these models were compared with EPI Suite™ software. The results indicated that the proposed models were robust and satisfactory, and could provide feasible and promising tools for the rapid assessment of the SPM derived log KOC and generator column, shake flask and slow stirring method derived log KOW values of PCBs.

Laparoscopic colorectal resection versus open colorectal resection in octogenarians: a systematic review and meta-analysis of safety and efficacy

Octogenarians are more often viewed as high-risk surgical candidates. This increased risk is attributed to an age-related decline in physical function and reserve capacity coupled with the presence of various underlying diseases. There are no current guidelines or consensus on the optimal treatment strategy for this cohort of complex patients. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic colorectal resection versus open colorectal resection in octogenarians. The meta-analysis was conducted following all aspects of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. A systematic literature review was carried out using the following databases: MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Google Scholar and OVID. Only studies comparing outcome of laparoscopic and open colorectal resections in the elderly population (≥80 years) were selected. The data collected included the patient demographics, interventions, observed outcome and sources of bias. When performing the statistical analysis, we used the odds ratio for categorical variables and the weighted mean difference for continuous variables. The results of this systematic review and pooled analysis demonstrated the safety and potential benefits of laparoscopic colorectal resection in octogenarians. LC can reduce the length of hospital stay, intraoperative blood loss, time to return of normal bowel function, and incidence of postoperative pneumonia, wound infection, and postoperative ileus.

Longitudinal Association between Selenium Levels and Hypertension in a Rural Elderly Chinese Cohort

OBJECTIVES

Results from previous studies have been inconsistent on the association between selenium and hypertension, and very few studies on this subject have focused on the elderly population. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between selenium level and hypertension in a rural elderly Chinese cohort.

DESIGN

A longitudinal study was implemented and data were analyzed using logistic regression models and Cox proportional hazards regression model adjusting for potential confounders. The associations between selenium level and prevalent hypertension at baseline and between selenium and incident hypertension were examined.

SETTING

Community-based setting in four rural areas in China.

SUBJECTS

A total of 2000 elderly aged 65 years and over (mean 71.9±5.6 years) participated in this study.

MEASUREMENTS

Nail selenium levels were measured in all subjects at baseline. Blood pressure measures and self-reported hypertension history were collected at baseline, 2.5 years and 7 years later. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure 140 mmHg or higher, diastolic blood pressure 90 mmHg or higher, or reported use of anti-hypertensive medication.

RESULTS

The rate of baseline hypertension was 63.50% in this cohort and the mean nail selenium level is 0.413±0.183μg/g. Multi-covariate adjusted cross-sectional analyses indicated that higher selenium level was associated with higher blood pressure measures at baseline and higher rates of hypertension. For the 635 participants with normal blood pressure at baseline, 360 had developed hypertension during follow-up. The incidence rate for hypertension was 45.83%, 52.27%, 62.50%, 70.48%, and 62.79% from the first selenium quintile to the fifth quintile respectively. Comparing to the lowest quintile group, the hazard ratios were 1.41 (95%CI: 1.03 to1.94), 1.93 (95%CI: 1.40 to 2.67), 2.35 (95%CI: 1.69 to 3.26) and 1.94 (95%CI: 1.36 to 22.77) for the second selenium quintile to the fifth quintile respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that high selenium may play a harmful role in the development of hypertension. Future studies are needed to confirm our findings and to elucidate a plausible biological mechanism.

Far upstream element-binding protein 1 is a prognostic biomarker and promotes nasopharyngeal carcinoma progression

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignant epithelial tumor with tremendous invasion and metastasis capacities, and it has a high incidence in southeast Asia and southern China. Previous studies identified that far upstream element-binding protein 1 (FBP1), a transcriptional regulator of c-Myc that is one of the most frequently aberrantly expressed oncogenes in various human cancers, including NPC, is an important biomarker for many cancers. Our study aimed to investigate the expression and function of FBP1 in human NPC. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR), western blot and immunohistochemical staining (IHC) were performed in NPC cells and biopsies. Furthermore, the effect of FBP1 knockdown on cell proliferation, colony formation, side population tests and tumorigenesis in nude mice were measured by MTT, clonogenicity analysis, flow cytometry and a xenograft model, respectively. The results showed that the mRNA and protein levels of FBP1, which are positively correlated with c-Myc expression, were substantially higher in NPC than that in nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. IHC revealed that the patients with high FBP1 expression had a significantly poorer prognosis compared with the patients with low expression (P=0.020). In univariate analysis, high FBP1 and c-Myc expression predicted poorer overall survival (OS) and poorer progression-free survival. Multivariate analysis indicated that high FBP1 and c-Myc expression were independent prognostic markers. Knockdown of FBP1 reduced cell proliferation, clonogenicity and the ratio of side populations, as well as tumorigenesis in nude mice. These data indicate that FBP1 expression, which is closely correlated with c-Myc expression, is an independent prognostic factor and promotes NPC progression. Our results suggest that FBP1 can not only serve as a useful prognostic biomarker for NPC but also as a potential therapeutic target for NPC patients.

Aberrant GSTP1 promoter methylation predicts short-term prognosis in acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure

BACKGROUND

Glutathione-S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) methylation has been demonstrated to be associated with oxidative stress induced liver damage in acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure (ACHBLF).

AIM

To evaluate the methylation level of GSTP1 promoter in acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure and determine its predictive value for prognosis.

METHODS

One hundred and five patients with acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure, 86 with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 30 healthy controls (HC) were retrospectively enrolled. GSTP1 methylation level in peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) was detected by MethyLight. Clinical and laboratory parameters were obtained.

RESULTS

GSTP1 methylation levels were significantly higher in patients with acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure (median 16.84%, interquartile range 1.83-59.05%) than those with CHB (median 1.25%, interquartile range 0.48-2.47%; P < 0.01) and HC (median 0.80%, interquartile range 0.67-1.27%; P < 0.01). In acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure group, nonsurvivors showed significantly higher GSTP1 methylation levels (P < 0.05) than survivors. GSTP1 methylation level was significantly correlated with total bilirubin (r = 0.29, P < 0.01), prothrombin time activity (r = -0.24, P = 0.01) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score (r = 0.26, P = 0.01). When used to predict 1- or 2-month mortality of acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure, GSTP1 methylation showed significantly better predictive value than MELD score [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) 0.89 vs. 0.72, P < 0.01; AUC 0.83 vs. 0.70, P < 0.05 respectively]. Meanwhile, patients with GSTP1 methylation levels above the cut-off points showed significantly poorer survival than those below (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Aberrant GSTP1 promoter methylation exists in acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure and shows high predictive value for short-term mortality. It might serve as a potential prognostic marker for acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure.

Withaferin A attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in neonatal rats

Withaferin A (WFA) is an active compound from Withania somnifera and has been reported to exhibit a variety of pharmacological activities such as anti&mdash;inflammatory, immunomodulatory and anti&mdash;tumor properties. In the present study, we investigated the potential protective role of WFA on acute lung injury in neonatal rats induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We found that WFA significantly attenuated the pathological changes of lungs induced by LPS injection. Administration with WFA obviously decreased pulmonary neutrophil infiltration accompanied with decreased MPO concentrations. WFA also reduced the expression of pro&mdash;inflammatory cytokines including MIP&mdash;2, TNF&mdash;&#945;, IL&mdash;1&#946; and IL&mdash;6. Meanwhile, the expression levels of anti&mdash;inflammatory mediators such as TGF&mdash;&#946;1 and IL&mdash;10 were significantly increased following WFA administration. Moreover, WFA protected LPS&mdash;treated rats from oxidative damage via up&mdash;regulation of TBARS and H2O2 concentrations and down&mdash;regulation of ROS contents. Taken together, the present study demonstrated that WFA administration attenuated LPS&mdash;induced lung injury through inhibition of inflammatory responses and oxidative stress.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) variants fluctuate in paired plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells among patient cohorts during different chronic hepatitis B (CHB) disease phases

Hepatitis B virus is classically considered a hepatotropic virus but also infects peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Chronic hepatitis B has different disease phases modulated by host immunity. We compared HBV variability, drug resistance and immune escape mutations in the overlapping HBV polymerase/surface gene in plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells in different disease phases. Plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from 22 treatment naïve patient cohorts (five inactive, six immune-active, nine HBeAg negative and two immune-tolerant). HBV was genotyped via line probe assay, hepatitis B surface antigen titres were determined by an in-house immunoassay, and HBV DNA was quantified by kinetic PCR. The HBV polymerase/surface region, including full genome in some, was PCR-amplified and cloned, and ~20 clones/sample were sequenced. The sequences were subjected to various mutational and phylogenetic analyses. Clonal sequencing showed that only three of 22 patients had identical HBV genotype profiles in both sites. In immune-active chronic hepatitis B, viral diversity in plasma was higher compared with peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Mutations at residues, in a minority of clones, associated with drug resistance, and/or immune escape were found in both compartments but were more common in plasma. Immune escape mutations were more often observed in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of immune-active CHB carriers, compared with other disease phases. During all CHB disease phases, differences exist between HBV variants found in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and plasma. Moreover, these data indicate that HBV evolution occurs in a compartment and disease phase-specific fashion.

Dental Abnormalities Caused by Novel Compound Heterozygous CTSK Mutations

Cathepsin K (CTSK) is an important protease responsible for degrading type I collagen, osteopontin, and other bone matrix proteins. The mutations in the CTSK gene can cause pycnodysostosis (OMIM 265800), a rare autosomal recessive bone dysplasia. Patients with pycnodysostosis have been reported to present specific dental abnormalities; however, whether these dental abnormalities are related to dysfunctional CTSK has never been reported. Here we investigated the histologic changes of cementum and alveolar bone in a pycnodysostosis patient, caused by novel compound heterozygous mutations in the CTSK gene (c.87 G>A p.W29X and c.848 A>G p.Y283C). The most impressive manifestations in tooth were extensive periradicular high-density clumps with unclear periodontal space by orthopantomography examination and micro-computed tomography scanning analysis. Hematoxylin/eosin and toluidine blue staining and atomic force microscopy analysis showed that the cementum became significantly thickened, softened, and full of cementocytes. The disorganized bone structure was the main character of alveolar bone. The p.W29X mutation may represent the loss-of-function allele with an earlier termination codon in the precursor CTSK polypeptide. Residue Y283 is highly conserved among papain-like cysteine proteases. Three-dimensional structure modeling analysis found that the loss of the hydroxybenzene residue in the Y283C mutation would interrupt the hydrogen network and possibly affect the self-cleavage of the CTSK enzyme. Furthermore, p.Y283C mutation did not affect the mRNA and protein levels of overexpressed CTSK in COS-7 system but did reduce CTSK enzyme activity. In conclusion, the histologic and ultrastructural changes of cementum and alveolar bone might be affected by CTSK mutation via reduction of its enzyme activity (clinical trial registration: ChiCTR-TNC-10000876).

Aberrant DNA methylation of G-protein-coupled bile acid receptor Gpbar1 predicts prognosis of acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure

The G-protein-coupled bile acid receptor Gpbar1 (TGR5) has been demonstrated to be able to negatively regulate hepatic inflammatory response. In this study, we aimed to determine the methylation status of TGR5 promoter in patients with acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure (ACHBLF) and its predictive value for prognosis. We enrolled 76 consecutive ACHBLF patients, 80 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and 30 healthy controls (HCs). Methylation status of TGR5 promoter in peripheral mononuclear cell (PBMC) was detected by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP). The mRNA level of TGR5 was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). We found that the frequency of TGR5 promoter methylation was significantly higher in ACHBLF (35/76, 46.05%) than CHB patients (5/80, 6.25%; χ(2) = 32.38, P < 0.01) and HCs (1/30, 3.33%; χ(2) = 17.50, P < 0.01). TGR5 mRNA level was significantly lower (Z = -9.12, P < 0.01) in participants with aberrant methylation than those without. TGR5 methylation showed a sensitivity of 46.05% (35/76), specificity of 93.75% (75/80), positive predictive value (PPV) of 87.5% (35/40) and negative predictive value (NPV) of 64.66% (75/116) in discriminating ACHBLF from CHB patients. ACHBLF patients with methylated TGR5 showed significantly poor survival than those without (P < 0.01). When used to predict 3-month mortality of ACHBLF, TGR5 methylation [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.75] performed significantly better than model for end-stage liver diseases (MELD) score (AUC = 0.65; P < 0.05). Therefore, our study demonstrated that aberrant TGR5 promoter methylation occurred in ACHBLF and might be a potential prognostic marker for the disease.

A heterometallic nanosized tube {Fe[(CN)6]2[Co(LN3O2)]3}n and two of its lamellar polymorphous isomers

Polymorphous Fe–Co heterometallic crystals with interesting related structures based on the same sub-structures were prepared and studied.

Unconventional resistive switching behavior in ferroelectric tunnel junctions

An unconventional resistive switching behavior is observed in ferroelectric tunnel junctions, which builds a bridge between ferroelectric tunnel junctions and resistive random access memory devices.

Inhibition of autophagy strengthens celastrol-induced apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer in vitro and in vivo models

OBJECTIVES

Celastrol, a quinone methide triterpenoid, could induce apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is protective autophagy after celastrol treatment in pancreatic cancer cells and the synergistic effects of celastrol and 3-MA in vitro and in vivo.

METHODS

The cells viability was measured using MTT assays. Degree of apoptosis and amount of autophagic vacuoles were measured by flow cytometry. Immunofluorescence was adapted to monitor the localization of autophagic protein LC3-II. Expression of LC3-II, cleaved caspase-3, Bax and bcl-2 was detected by immunoblot. Autophagosomes were observed by electron microscopy. The synergistic effect of celastrol and 3- MA in vivo was studied in the MiaPaCa-2 xenograft tumor model.

RESULTS

Celastrol increased the level of autophagy in pancreatic cancer cells. Furthermore in vitro, when inhibiting the autophagy with 3-MA, the level of celastrol-induced apoptosis elevated; after upgrading autophagy by starvation, the level of celastrol-induced apoptosis descended. 3-MA enhanced celastrol-induced apoptosis and inhibitory effect on tumor growth in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

In pancreatic cancer, celastrol treatment increased the level of autophagy to protect cancer cells against apoptosis. Autophagy inhibitor 3-MA could improve the therapeutic effect of celastrol in vitro and in vivo.

Spatial changes of the peri-acetabular pelvic in developmental dysplasia of the hip---a combined 3-dimentional computed tomography (3D-CT) study in patients and experimental study in rats

Few previous studies noticed the three bony structures that formed the acetabulum in developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). This study aimed at investigating the spatial changes of the peri-acetabular pelvis in developmental dysplasia of the hip through radiological evaluation of the patients and experimental observations in rat models. 115 unilateral DDH patients were studied through 3D-CT. In reconstruction workstation, the iliopubic inner plate angle, ilioischial inner plate angle and ischialpubic inner plate angle were measured and compared. 58 neonatal Wistar rats were divided into two groups and the rats in experiment group were swaddled to establish DDH models. The hips were sectioned, stained. The same three angles were measured and compared. The ilioischial inner plate angle of the affected hip decreased while the ischialpubic inner plate angle increased compared to those of the contralateral side. The iliopubic inner plate angle showed no difference between the affected and unaffected hips. In animal models we observed the same pathological pattern. The three angles measured on the sections showed similar tendency as those in the patients with DDH. The ischium rotates up and forwardly around the posterior and vertical limbs of the triradiate cartilage complex in DDH, just as a lifted piece of Pizza.

Effects of antibacterial peptide on cellular immunity in weaned piglets

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of antibacterial peptide (ABP) sufficiency on cellular immune functions by determining the spleen cell cycle and apoptosis, peripheral blood T cell subsets, and T cell proliferation function in weaned piglets. A total of 90 piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) of both sexes were randomly allotted to 5 dietary treatments. Each treatment consisted of 3 replicates with 6 piglets per replicate. The dietary treatments consisted of the negative control (NC; basal diet), positive control (PC; basal diet supplemented with 400 mg/kg Astragalus polysaccharide), and ABP (basal diet mixed with 250, 500, and 1,000 mg/kg ABP). The experimental lasted for 28 d. Two piglets from each replicate were selected randomly for blood samples extraction from the jugular vein to obtain peripheral blood T cell subsets, and T cell proliferation function analysis was performed on d 32, 39, 46, and 53. Two piglets from each replicate were selected and euthanized to observe the spleen cell cycle and apoptosis on d 39 and 53. In ABP-sufficient piglets, the G0/G1 phase of the spleen cell cycle was much lower (P < 0.05) and the S and G2 + M phases and proliferation index (PI) were greater (P < 0.05) than in NC piglets. The percentage of apoptotic cells in the spleen significantly decreased under ABP sufficiency (P < 0.05). The proliferation function of peripheral blood T cells increased (P < 0.05) in ABP-sufficient piglets. Percentages of CD3 (+) and CD3 (+)CD4 (+) ratios (d 39, 46, and 53) and CD4 (+)CD8 (+) ratios (d 32, 39, 46, and 53) increased remarkably (P < 0.05) under ABP sufficiency compared with NC. These results suggest that ABP sufficiency could increase the T cell population and proliferation function of T cells and could induce decreased percentages of apoptotic cells. Overall, the cellular immune function was evidently improved in weaned piglets. We suggest optimal dosages of 500 mg/kg ABP for 4-wk addition and 1,000 mg/kg ABP for 2-wk addition.

Subtypes of major depression: latent class analysis in depressed Han Chinese women

BACKGROUND

Despite substantial research, uncertainty remains about the clinical and etiological heterogeneity of major depression (MD). Can meaningful and valid subtypes be identified and would they be stable cross-culturally?

METHOD

Symptoms at their lifetime worst depressive episode were assessed at structured psychiatric interview in 6008 women of Han Chinese descent, age ⩾ 30 years, with recurrent DSM-IV MD. Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed in Mplus. RESULTS; Using the nine DSM-IV MD symptomatic A criteria, the 14 disaggregated DSM-IV criteria and all independently assessed depressive symptoms (n = 27), the best LCA model identified respectively three, four and six classes. A severe and non-suicidal class was seen in all solutions, as was a mild/moderate subtype. An atypical class emerged once bidirectional neurovegetative symptoms were included. The non-suicidal class demonstrated low levels of worthlessness/guilt and hopelessness. Patterns of co-morbidity, family history, personality, environmental precipitants, recurrence and body mass index (BMI) differed meaningfully across subtypes, with the atypical class standing out as particularly distinct.

CONCLUSIONS

MD is a clinically complex syndrome with several detectable subtypes with distinct clinical and demographic correlates. Three subtypes were most consistently identified in our analyses: severe, atypical and non-suicidal. Severe and atypical MD have been identified in multiple prior studies in samples of European ethnicity. Our non-suicidal subtype, with low levels of guilt and hopelessness, may represent a pathoplastic variant reflecting Chinese cultural influences.

The role of fQRS in coronary artery disease. A meta-analysis of observational studies

BACKGROUND

Experimental and clinical studies have suggested that the presence of fragmented QRS complex (fQRS) is associated with various cardiovascular diseases. fQRS may predict major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). The current meta-analysis was performed using clinical outcome studies to evaluate the role of fQRS in coronary artery disease (CAD).

METHODS

A systematic search of electronic databases (Cochrane, Medline, Embase and Pubmed) from their inception to April 2014 was performed. Data were extracted from applicable articles to evaluate the prognostic value of fQRS in CAD.

RESULTS

A total of 16 observational studies about fQRS and CAD (n = 3,997 patients) were identified. Compared with the non-fQRS group, MACE and mortality were significantly higher in the fQRS group -odds ratios (OR) 3.19, 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) [2.3, 4.42], p < 0.00001; OR 2.24, 95 % CI [1.71, 2.94], p < 0.0001. Patients developed Q waves, anterior-wall myocardial infarction (MI), and low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) more frequently in the fQRS group than in the non-fQRS group-OR 2.59, 95 % CI [1.76, 3.81], p < 0.00001; OR 2.43, 95 % CI [1.07, 5.52], p = 0.03; OR - 6.43, 95 % CI [- 9.11, - 3.74], p < 0.00001.

CONCLUSION

Based on current evidence, fQRS was associated with increased MACE, mortality, Q waves, anterior-wall MI, and decreased LVEF in CAD. These findings show that fQRS is a reliable marker in CAD.

A 6-year follow-up of a randomized prospective trial comparing methimazole treatment with or without exogenous L-thyroxine in Chinese patients with Graves' disease

OBJECTIVE

Antithyroid drug therapy is one of the main medical treatments for Graves' disease. There have been conflicting reports as to whether the addition of exogenous L-thyroxine improves remission rates more than antithyroid drugs alone. This randomized, controlled and prospective clinical trial was undertaken to investigate the long-term outcome of methimazole treatment with or without exogenous L-thyroxine in Chinese patients.

METHODS

145 patients with Graves' disease were randomly divided into 3 groups and all patients initially received 30 mg of methimazole daily for at least 1 month and then followed the titration -regimen with or without L-thyroxine: group 1 (30 mg→20 mg→15 mg→10 mg→5 mg); group 2 (30 mg→20 mg→15 mg→10 mg+L-thyroxine→5 mg+L-thyroxine); group 3 (30 mg→20 mg→15 mg→10 mg+L-thyroxine→5 mg+L-thyroxine→2.5 mg+L-thyroxine). The drug therapy was discontinued after 5 months of the final dose.

RESULTS

16 out of 46 patients in group 1 (34.8%), 12 out of 47 in group 2 (25.5%) and 16 out of 52 in group 3 (30.8%) had a recurrence of Graves' disease within 6-year follow-up after drug withdrawal. Survival Analysis showed no significant differences in the remission rates between any 2 groups, despite the remission rates in group 2 and 3 were slightly higher than that in group 1.

CONCLUSIONS

The addition of L-thyroxine to methimazole treatment in patients with Graves' disease neither improves nor prevents the remission or recurrence of Graves' disease in China.