The Independent Association Between Age and Serum Cholesterol Levels in Patients with Familial Hypercholesterolemia.

Background: Studies have suggested that age and the serum total cholesterol (TC) concentration are independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH); however, the relationship between age and TC in patients with FH is unclear. We aimed to investigate the correlation between age and TC in patients with FH.

Methods: In this study, 103 patients with FH and 106 non-FH controls were recruited from 2004 to 2017.

Correlation of cardiovascular risk predictors with overweight and obesity in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia.

Purpose: We aimed to analyze the correlation between overweight and obesity-related indicators and cardiovascular risk predictors in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and to evaluate their mutual predictive properties.

Methods: A total of 103 patients with FH included from 2004 to 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used to assess the correlation between overweight and obesity-related indicators and cardiovascular risk predictors in FH patients.

Changes in Serum Lipid Profiles in Patients with Familial Hypercholesterolemia Who Smoke: A Pilot Study.

Background: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal codominant disease, and lipid abnormalities are a major risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).

Objectives: We aimed to elucidate the lipid indicators that are significantly different between smokers and non-smokers and attempt to analyze their clinical implications in the risk of ASCVD in pedigrees of FH.

Methods: We screened 39 males aged 18-80 years with FH from the Chinese "National High Technology Research and Development Program" ("863 Project") after questionnaire survey, physical examination, and serum lipid test.

Involvement of the Hippo Pathway in the Development of Diabetes.

The Hippo pathway is a complex signaling network that plays an important role in regulating cellular and metabolic tissue processes, as well as in controlling organ size. However, various disorders and dysfunctions caused by disruptions in Hippo signaling harm parental pancreatic islet cells, promote apoptosis of parental cells, and impair insulin secretion -- leading to the occurrence of diabetes. Herein, we review the role of the Hippo pathway in islet offspring cells, as well as in the involvement of mammalian sterile 20 kinase-1 (MST1), large tumor suppressor-1/2 (LATS1/2), merlin, and yes-associated protein (YAP) in disruptions of Hippo signaling that lead to various disorders and the development of diabetes.

Agmatine and glycolipid metabolism.

The prevalence of abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism and its relevant diseases has increased year by year, and it has become a problem that threatens human health. Therefore, finding a more effective way to prevent and treat diseases related to abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism has become an urgent public problem. Agmatine is a polyamine substance which widely presents in mammals.

Role of dyslipidemia in accelerating inflammation, autoimmunity, and atherosclerosis in systemic lupus erythematosus and other autoimmune diseases.

Dyslipidemia refers to the abnormality of lipid metabolism. The aberrant lipid profiles are usually characterized by elevated plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), apoprotein B (ApoB), and decreased level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c). Dyslipidemia occurs frequently in autoimmune diseases (ADs), such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), type-1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and many other diseases.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of routine 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccinations in Chinese infants.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-13) compared to a no vaccination strategy in Chinese infants.

Methods: A Markov process model was developed to examine the outcomes of PCV-13 against a no vaccination strategy using data and assumptions adapted for relevance to China. Outcomes over a lifetime horizon are presented.

The role of aryl hydrocarbon receptor in bone remodeling.

Bone remodeling is a persistent process for maintaining skeletal system homeostasis, and it depends on the dynamic equilibrium between bone-forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr), a ligand-activated transcription factor, plays a pivotal role in regulating skeletal system. In order to better understand the role of Ahr in bone remodeling, we focused on bone remodeling characteristic, and the effects of Ahr on bone formation and differentiation, which suggest that Ahr is a critical control factor in the process of bone remodeling.

Cost-effectiveness of a 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine immunization programme for the elderly in Shanghai, China.

Background: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of adding 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) to the immunization schedule for the elderly population (age>60years) in Shanghai, China.

Methods: A decision-tree model, with data and assumptions adapted from the societal perspective of Shanghai City, was developed to project the health outcomes of PPSV23 vaccination (compared with no vaccination) over a lifetime course. Sensitivity analysis was used to test the model's robustness.

Modeling the impact of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Chinese infants: an economic analysis of a compulsory vaccination.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare, from a Chinese societal perspective, the projected health benefits, costs, and cost-effectiveness of adding pneumococcal conjugate heptavalent vaccine (PCV-7) to the routine compulsory child immunization schedule.

Methods: A decision-tree model, with data and assumptions adapted for relevance to China, was developed to project the health outcomes of PCV-7 vaccination (compared with no vaccination) over a 5-year period as well as a lifetime. The vaccinated birth cohort included 16,000,000 children in China.

Effects of Kir2.1 gene transfection in cochlear hair cells and application of neurotrophic factors on survival and neurite growth of co-cultured cochlear spiral ganglion neurons.

Immature inner hair cells (IHCs) produce spontaneous action potentials, which may be associated with the survival of spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) during early development. Later, this activity ceases in part by the expression of Kir channels. In the present study, SGNs were co-cultured with organ of Corti in which a Kir2.

[Association of endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphism with level of uric acid in serum for acute coronary syndrome].

Objective: To evaluate the association of elevation in serum uric acid with the development of coronary artery disease, and to determine the relationship between uric acid and Glu(298) Asp polymorphism of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the Chinese Han Nationality.

Methods: The Glu(298) Asp variant of the eNOS gene was detected by polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis in 58 patients with ACS and 43 healthy controls. The severity of ACS was expressed by the number of affected vessels and by the Duke scoring system.

[The effect of atorvastatin on the expression of CD55, CD59 in patients with hyperlipidemia].

Objective: To study the expressions of CD55 and CD59 in patients with hyperlipidemia and the effects of atorvastatin on it, and to identify the possible influential factors.

Methods: We selected 67 patients with hyperlipidemia, and 24 healthy people matched in terms of age, sex and body weight as control. The expressions of CD55 and CD59 on white blood cells were detected by flow cytometry, and their relationships to blood lipids, complement activation indexes (C(5a), sC(5b-9)), inflammatory factors (high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), TNF-alpha, IL-6 were analyzed.

WITHDRAWN: Expression of p53, p63, and p73 isoforms in squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of esophagus☆,☆☆.

This article has been withdrawn consistent with Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy).

Suppressive effect of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge on chemical hepatocarcinogenesis in rats.

Astragalus membranaceus (AM) has been widely used for treating liver diseases in traditional Chinese medicine. Experimental evidence indicates that it has antitumor potential. In this study, the effect of AM on hepatocarcinogenesis induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN), two-thirds partial hepatectomy, and 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) (DEN-PH-AAF) was evaluated using glutathione S-transferase placenta form (GST-P) as marker.