AIM:To study the relationship between the polymorphisms in some cytokines and the outcome of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. METHODS:Samples were obtained from 203 patients infected with HBV and/or HCV while donating plasma in 1987, and 74 controls were obtained from a rural area of North China. Antibodies to HBV or HCV antigens were detected by enzyme-linked immunoassay. The presence of viral particles in the serum was determined by nested reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Hepatocellular injury, as revealed by alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase level, was detected by a Beckman LX-20 analyzer. DNA was extracted from blood cells. Then, the single nucleotide polymorphisms of IL-2-330, IFN-γ+874, IL-10-1082/-592 and IL-4-589 were investigated by restriction fragment length polymorphism-PCR or sequence specific primer-PCR. CONCLUSION:These results suggest that polymorphisms in some cytokine genes influence persistent HBV and HCV infection, clinical outcome, HCV replication, and liver damage.

Introduction The prevalence of obesity in Chinese adults increased from 1991 to 2000; however, recent changes in this trend are unclear. This study aims to estimate the current prevalence of obesity and to assess trends in obesity and BMI distribution in Chinese adults from 1991 through 2011. Methods Height and weight measurements of 12,249 Chinese adults from the 2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey were analyzed (in 2013) together with China Health and Nutrition Survey data for 1991–2009. Obesity was defined as BMI ≥28.0 based on the Working Group on Obesity in China criteria. Results In the 2011 survey, the age-adjusted mean BMI was 23.8 (95% CI=23.7, 23.9) for men and 23.4 (95% CI=23.2, 23.5) for women. The age-adjusted prevalence of obesity was 11.3% (95% CI=10.8%, 11.9%) overall, 11.8% (95% CI=10.8%, 12.6%) among men, and 11.0% (95% CI=10.3%, 11.8%) among women. Estimates of age-adjusted obesity prevalence among the Chinese population were significantly lower than those of the U.S. population (all p<0.05). Over the 20-year period, the prevalence of obesity increased from 2.88% to 11.8% among men (age-adjusted annual change in OR=1.08, 95% CI=1.07, 1.09, p<0.001) and from 4.55% to 11.0% among women (OR=1.05, 95% CI=1.05, 1.06, p<0.001). Similar significant findings were observed for both men and women based on WHO recommendations. Conclusions The prevalence of obesity among both Chinese men and women increased significantly from 1991 through 2011, particularly among men.

Level 1.

Increased body weight was associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer; in particular, severe obesity demonstrated a stronger risk effect. No statistically significant association was observed in the postmenopausal period, but was in the premenopausal period.

Hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) is a gaseous messenger and serves as an important neuromodulator in the central nervous system. The current study was undertaken to investigate whether H(2)S attenuates the neuronal injury induced by vascular dementia (VD). Rats were subjected to bilateral common carotid artery and vertebral artery occlusion for 5 min three times in an interval of 5 min to induce VD. An H(2)S donor, sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) or an inhibitor of cystathionine-beta-synthase, hydroxylamine (HA) was administered intraperitoneally. The number of neurons in the hippocampus was determined by hematoxylin and eosin staining, and the performance of learning and memory was tested by the Morris water maze. H(2)S content in plasma was evaluated. Apoptosis in the hippocampus was assessed by flow cytometry. In addition, Bcl-2 and Bax expression was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining. The neuronal injury occurred gradually with a decreased number of neurons and increased apoptosis ratio in the hippocampus over 720 h after VD. The H(2)S level was also gradually decreased in plasma over 720 h after VD, which negatively correlated with the apoptosis ratio in the hippocampus after VD. In addition, NaHS treatment significantly attenuated neuronal injury and improved neural functional performance, whereas HA exaggerated the neuronal injury and exacerbated learning and memory at 720 h after VD. Furthermore, NaHS treatment markedly improved the ratio of Bcl-2 over Bax with increased Bcl-2 expression and decreased Bax expression. In contrast, HA reduced the ratio of Bcl-2 over Bax. It is suggested that H(2)S attenuates VD injury via inhibiting apoptosis and may have potential therapeutic value for VD.