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Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China 2022: an Updated Summary (30 day view times: 30)
The Writing Committee of the Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China
2023, 36(8): 669-701. doi: 10.3967/bes2023.106
In the past 30 years, the accessibility and quality index of medical care have made remarkable progress in China, ranking the first among middle-income countries. Many cardiovascular technologies are at or near the world's leading level, and significant progress has been achieved in China solving the problem of “treatment difficulty” of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). However, due to the prevalence of unhealthy lifestyles among Chinese residents, a huge population with CVD risk factors, accelerated population aging, and other reasons, the incidence and mortality rate of CVD are still increasing, and the turning point of the decline in disease burden has not appeared yet in China. In terms of proportions of disease mortality among urban and rural residents, CVD still ranks the first. In 2020, CVD accounted for 48.00% and 45.86% of the causes of death in rural and urban areas, respectively; two out of every five deaths were due to CVD. It is estimated that the number of current CVD patients in China is around 330 million, including 13 million stroke, 11.39 million coronary heart disease, 8.9 million heart failure, 5 million pulmonary heart disease, 4.87 million atrial fibrillation, 2.5 million rheumatic heart disease, 2 million congenital heart disease, 45.3 million peripheral artery disease, and 245 million hypertension cases. China has entered a new stage of transformation from high-speed development to high-quality development, and the prevention and control of CVD in China should also shift from previous emphasis on scale growth to strategies focusing more on strategic and key technological development in order to curb the trend of increasing incidence and mortality rates of CVD.
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Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China 2021: An Updated Summary (30 day view times: 18)
The Writing Committee of the Report on Cardiovascular Health and Diseases in China
2022, 35(7): 573-603. doi: 10.3967/bes2022.079
In 2019, cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounted for 46.74% and 44.26% of all deaths in rural and urban areas, respectively. Two out of every five deaths were due to CVD. It is estimated that about 330 million patients suffer from CVD in China. The number of patients suffering from stroke, coronary heart disease, heart failure, pulmonary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease, lower extremity artery disease and hypertension are 13.00 million, 11.39 million, 8.90 million, 5.00 million, 4.87 million, 2.50 million, 2.00 million, 45.30 million, and 245.00 million, respectively. Given that China is challenged by the dual pressures of population aging and steady rise in the prevalence of metabolic risk factors, the burden caused by CVD will continue to increase, which has set new requirements for CVD prevention and treatment and the allocation of medical resources in China. It is important to reduce the prevalence through primary prevention, increase the allocation of medical resources for CVD emergency and critical care, and provide rehabilitation services and secondary prevention to reduce the risk of recurrence, re-hospitalization and disability in CVD survivors. The number of people suffering from hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes in China has reached hundreds of millions. Since blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood glucose levels rise mostly insidiously, vascular disease or even serious events such as myocardial infarction and stroke often already occured at the time of detection in this population. Hence, more strategies and tasks should be taken to prevent risk factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, obesity, and smoking, and more efforts should be made in the assessment of cardiovascular health status and the prevention, treatment, and research of early pathological changes.
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Bone Injury and Fracture Healing Biology (30 day view times: 17)
Ahmad Oryan, Somayeh Monazzah, Amin Bigham-Sadegh
2015, 28(1): 57-71. doi: 10.3967/bes2015.006
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Antibody Levels and Infection Status of Pertussis in the Population under Pertussis Resurgence in Guangxi in 2018: A Cross-Sectional Survey (30 day view times: 14)
Liang Liang, Qiuyun Deng, Lili Deng, Jinghang Wei, Shiyi Chen, Yizhi Wei, Yuyan Ma, Yue Qin, Wei Liu
2024, 37(6): 628-638. doi: 10.3967/bes2024.069
  Objective  Pertussis cases have increased markedly since 2018 in Guangxi. The aim of this study was to evaluate antibody levels and the infection status of pertussis in the resident population.  Method  A total of 10,215 serum samples from residents were collected from August–November 2018 and tested for anti-pertussis IgG and toxin IgG using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).  Results  Of the collected samples, 1,833 (17.94%) tested positive for anti-pertussis IgG, with the median concentration of 16.06 IU/mL. Antibody level < 10 IU/mL accounted for more than 60% in children under 4 years of age, but declined with age, whereas the percentages of the other three levels (10–40, 40–50, and ≥ 50 IU/mL) increased almost with age (P < 0.001). Moreover, 7,924 samples were selected for anti-pertussis toxin IgG, of which 653 (8.24%) tested positive (≥ 40 IU/mL) with the median concentration of 5.89 IU/mL, and 204 participants (2.56%) had recent pertussis infection (≥ 100 IU/mL). Among the different age groups, the highest rates of positivity and recent infection were observed at 11–20 years of age, the lowest positivity rate at 5 years of age, and the lowest recent infection rate at 4 years of age (P < 0.001, P = 0.005, respectively).   Conclusion  The survey results showed that all age groups in Guangxi lacked immunity against pertussis, which was one of the main factors contributing to the resurgence of pertussis in 2018. In addition, the prevalence of pertussis is relatively high in Guangxi, and its incidence is seriously underestimated, especially in adolescents and adults.
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2024-6 Cover (30 day view times: 13)
2024, 37(6).
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Evidence on Invasion of Blood, Adipose Tissues, Nervous System and Reproductive System of Mice After a Single Oral Exposure: Nanoplastics versus Microplastics (30 day view times: 12)
YANG Zuo Sen, BAI Ying Long, JIN Cui Hong, NA Jun, ZHANG Rui, GAO Yuan, PAN Guo Wei, YAN Ling Jun, SUN Wei
2022, 35(11): 1025-1037. doi: 10.3967/bes2022.131
  Objective  This study was designed to provide the evidences on the toxicokinetics of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) in the bodies of mammals.  Methods  100 nm, 3 μm, and 10 μm fluorescent polystyrene (PS) beads were administered to mice once by gavage at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight. The levels and change of fluorescence intensity in samples of blood, subcutaneous fat, perirenal fat, peritesticular fat, cerebrum, cerebellum, testis, and epididymis were measured at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 h after administration using an IVIS Spectrum small-animal imaging system. Histological examination, confocal laser scanning, and transmission electron microscope were performed to corroborate the findings.  Results  After confirming fluorescent dye leaching and impact of pH value, increased levels of fluorescence intensity in blood, all adipose tissues examined, cerebrum, cerebellum, and testis were measured in the 100 nm group, but not in the 3 and 10 μm groups except in the cerebellum and testis at 4 h for the 3 μm PS beads. The presence of PS beads was further corroborated.  Conclusion  After a single oral exposure, NPs are absorbed rapidly in the blood, accumulate in adipose tissues, and penetrate the blood-brain/testis barriers. As expected, the toxicokinetics of MPs is significantly size-dependent in mammals.
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Trends in Lipids Level and Dyslipidemia among Chinese Adults, 2002-2015 (30 day view times: 11)
SONG Peng Kun, MAN Qing Qing, LI Hong, PANG Shao Jie, JIA Shan Shan, LI Yu Qian, HE Li, ZHAO Wen Hua, ZHANG Jian
2019, 32(8): 559-570. doi: 10.3967/bes2019.074
Objective To investigate the trends of lipid profiles and dyslipidemia among Chinese adults from 2002 to 2015. Methods Data were collected from three nationally representative cross-sectional surveys. Fasting venous blood samples were collected and serum lipids were tested by biochemical analysis and enzymatic determination. Lipid levels and the prevalence of dyslipidemia among adults were analyzed with complex sampling weighting adjustment for age and gender. Results The weighted means of TC, TG, and LDL-c significantly increased linearly from 3.93, 1.12, and 2.12 mmol/L in 2002 to 4.59, 1.41, and 2.78 mmol/L in 2010 and then to 4.63, 1.47, and 2.87 mmol/L in 2015, respectively; by contrast, HDL-c levels decreased significantly from 1.30 mmol/L to 1.26 mmol/L over the same period. Similar trends in mean non-HDL-c and lipid-related ratios were observed. The weighted dyslipidemia prevalence linearly increased; in particular, hypercholesterolemia increased from 1.6% to 5.6% and then to 5.8%, hypertriglyceridemia increased from 5.7% to 13.6% and then to 15.0%, low HDL-c increased from 18.8% to 35.5% and then to 24.9%, and high LDL-c increased from 1.3% to 5.6% and then to 7.2% (P for trend < 0.001). Conclusion Dyslipidemia increased among Chinese adults from 2002 to 2015. Development of a comprehensive strategy to decrease lipid levels in this population is urgently required.
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Selenium, Type-2 Diabetes, and the Possible Protective Role of Vitamin D (30 day view times: 11)
Runxue Ma, Ce Liu, Ling Zhang, Jingzhe Guo, Erkai Zhou, Ling Zheng, Li He, Xiaobing Shan, Yunhui Yu, Bin Luo
2024, 37(6): 661-665. doi: 10.3967/bes2024.072
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A Comprehensive Study of the Association between LEPR Gene rs1137101 Variant and Risk of Digestive System Cancers (30 day view times: 11)
HU Wei Qiong, ZHOU Wei Guang, ZHOU Guang Wei, LIAO Jia Xi, SHI Jia Xing, XIE FengYang, LI Shou Heng, WANG Yong, FENG Xian Hong, GU Xiu Li, CHEN Bi Feng
2024, 37(5): 445-456. doi: 10.3967/bes2024.051
  Objective   The leptin receptor, encoded by the LEPR gene, is involved in tumorigenesis. A potential functional variant of LEPR, rs1137101 (Gln223Arg), has been extensively investigated for its contribution to the risk of digestive system (DS) cancers, but results remain conflicting rather than conclusive. Here, we performed a case–control study and subsequent meta-analysis to examine the association between rs1137101 and DS cancer risk.  Methods   A total of 1,727 patients with cancer (gastric/liver/colorectal: 460/480/787) and 800 healthy controls were recruited. Genotyping of rs1137101 was conducted using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay and confirmed using Sanger sequencing. Twenty-four eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis.  Results   After Bonferroni correction, the case–control study revealed that rs1137101 was significantly associated with the risk of liver cancer in the Hubei Chinese population. The meta-analysis suggested that rs1137101 is significantly associated with the risk of overall DS, gastric, and liver cancer in the Chinese population.  Conclusion   The LEPR rs1137101 variant may be a genetic biomarker for susceptibility to DS cancers (especially liver and gastric cancer) in the Chinese population.
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The Association between GLP-1 Receptor-Based Agonists and the Incidence of Asthma in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and/or Obesity: A Meta-Analysis (30 day view times: 11)
Mengqing Zhang, Chu Lin, Xiaoling Cai, Ruoyang Jiao, Shuzhen Bai, Zonglin Li, Suiyuan Hu, Fang Lyu, Wenjia Yang, Linong Ji
2024, 37(6): 607-616. doi: 10.3967/bes2024.067
  Objective  Recent studies have indicated potential anti-inflammatory effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) on asthma, which is often comorbid with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to assess the association between the administration of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor-based agonists and the incidence of asthma in patients with T2DM and/or obesity.  Methods  PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Clinicaltrial.gov were systematically searched from inception to July 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of GLP-1 receptor-based agonists (GLP-1RA, GLP-1 based dual and triple receptor agonist) with reports of asthma events were included. Outcomes were computed as risk ratios (RR) using a fixed-effects model.  Results  Overall, 39 RCTs with a total of 85,755 participants were included. Compared to non-GLP-1 receptor-based agonist users, a trend of reduced risk of asthma was observed in patients with T2DM or obesity using GLP-1 receptor-based agonist treatments, although the difference was not statistically significant [RR = 0.91, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.68 to 1.24]. Further Subgroup analyses indicated that the use of light-molecular-weight GLP-1RAs might be associated with a reduced the risk of asthma when compared with non-users (RR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.43 to 0.99, P = 0.043). We also performed sensitivity analyses for participant characteristics, study design, drug structure, duration of action, and drug subtypes. However, no significant associations were observed.  Conclusion  Compared with non-users, a modest reduction in the incidence of asthma was observed in patients with T2DM or obesity using GLP-1 receptor-based agonist treatments. Further investigations are warranted to assess the association between GLP-1 receptor-based agonists and the risk of asthma.
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Identifying Comprehensive Genomic Alterations and Potential Neoantigens for Cervical Cancer Immunotherapy in a Cohort of Chinese Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Cervix (30 day view times: 11)
Meng Wu, Jialu Zhou, Zhe Zhang, Yuanguang Meng
2024, 37(6): 565-580. doi: 10.3967/bes2024.064
  Objective   Genomic alterations and potential neoantigens for cervical cancer immunotherapy were identified in a cohort of Chinese patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC).   Methods   Whole-exome sequencing was used to identify genomic alterations and potential neoantigens for CSCC immunotherapy. RNA Sequencing was performed to analyze neoantigen expression.   Results   Systematic bioinformatics analysis showed that C>T/G>A transitions/transversions were dominant in CSCCs. Missense mutations were the most frequent types of somatic mutation in the coding sequence regions. Mutational signature analysis detected signature 2, signature 6, and signature 7 in CSCC samples. PIK3CA, FBXW7, and BICRA were identified as potential driver genes, with BICRA as a newly reported gene. Genomic variation profiling identified 4,960 potential neoantigens, of which 114 were listed in two neoantigen-related databases.  Conclusion   The present findings contribute to our understanding of the genomic characteristics of CSCC and provide a foundation for the development of new biotechnology methods for individualized immunotherapy in CSCC.
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Predicting the Prognosis and Immunotherapeutic Response of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer by Constructing a Prognostic Model Based on CD8+ T Cell-Related Immune Genes (30 day view times: 10)
Nani Li, Xiaoting Qiu, Jingsong Xue, Limu Yi, Mulan Chen, Zhijian Huang
2024, 37(6): 581-593. doi: 10.3967/bes2024.065
  Objective  Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) poses a significant challenge for treatment efficacy. CD8+ T cells, which are pivotal immune cells, can be effectively analyzed for differential gene expression across diverse cell populations owing to rapid advancements in sequencing technology. By leveraging these genes, our objective was to develop a prognostic model that accurately predicts the prognosis of patients with TNBC and their responsiveness to immunotherapy.  Methods  Sample information and clinical data of TNBC were sourced from The Cancer Genome Atlas and METABRIC databases. In the initial stage, we identified 67 differentially expressed genes associated with immune response in CD8+ T cells. Subsequently, we narrowed our focus to three key genes, namely CXCL13, GBP2, and GZMB, which were used to construct a prognostic model. The accuracy of the model was assessed using the validation set data and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Furthermore, we employed various methods, including Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway, immune infiltration, and correlation analyses with CD274 (PD-L1) to explore the model's predictive efficacy in immunotherapeutic responses. Additionally, we investigated the potential underlying biological pathways that contribute to divergent treatment responses.  Results  We successfully developed a model capable of predicting the prognosis of patients with TNBC. The areas under the curve (AUC) values for the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival predictions were 0.618, 0.652, and 0.826, respectively. Employing this risk model, we stratified the samples into high- and low-risk groups. Through KEGG enrichment analysis, we observed that the high-risk group predominantly exhibited enrichment in metabolism-related pathways such as drug and chlorophyll metabolism, whereas the low-risk group demonstrated significant enrichment in cytokine pathways. Furthermore, immune landscape analysis revealed noteworthy variations between (PD-L1) expression and risk scores, indicating that our model effectively predicted the response of patients to immune-based treatments.  Conclusion  Our study demonstrates the potential of CXCL13, GBP2, and GZMB as prognostic indicators of clinical outcomes and immunotherapy responses in patients with TNBC. These findings provide valuable insights and novel avenues for developing immunotherapeutic approaches targeting TNBC.
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Physical, Psychological, and Social Health Impact of Temperature Rise Due to Urban Heat Island Phenomenon and Its Associated Factors (30 day view times: 9)
Li Ping WONG, Alias Haridah, Aghamohammadi Nasrin, Aghazadeh Sima, Meriam Nik Sulaiman Nik
2018, 31(7): 545-550. doi: 10.3967/bes2018.074
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Plastic Expander-Related Gordonia Sputi Infection:Case Report and Literature Review (30 day view times: 9)
ZHANG Hai Lin, CAO Bo, LI Juan, CHENG Ying, WANG Xiao Jun
2015, 28(6): 468-471. doi: 10.3967/bes2015.067
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Mycoplasma pneumoniae Macrolide Resistance and MLVA Typing in Children in Beijing, China, in 2016: Is It Relevant? (30 day view times: 9)
DOU Hai Wei, TIAN Xiu Jun, XIN De Li, WEI Ran, ZHOU Wei, WANG Hong, QIN Xuan Guang, SHAO Jun Yan, XU Bao Ping, GE Li Xia, SHI Da Wei
2020, 33(12): 916-924. doi: 10.3967/bes2020.125
  Objective  The aim of this study is to investigate the macrolide resistance rate and molecular type with multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) of Mycoplasma pneumoniae of Beijing in 2016 in pediatric patients.  Methods  Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to identify M. pneumoniae, and MLVA was performed. The domain V of the 23S rRNA was sequenced to detect macrolide-resistant point mutations. We also investigated the activities of antibiotics against M. pneumoniae isolates in vitro.  Results  The PCR detection rate of M. pneumoniae in children in Beijing was 40%, and the macrolide resistance rate was 66%. The A2063G mutation in the 23S rRNA V region is the dominant mutation (137/146, 93.84%), whereas the A2064G mutation is rare (9/146, 6.16%). Seventy-three samples were typed successfully by MLVA typing, including 86.3% (63/73) were MLVA type 4-5-7-2, and 13.7% (10/73) were MLVA type 3-5-6-2. No other types were found. No strains were resistant to levofloxacin or tetracycline.  Conclusion  In 2016, a specific decrease in the macrolide resistance rate occurred in Beijing. The detection rate and macrolide resistance rate of outpatients are lower than those of inpatients. The A2063G mutants M. pneumoniae have high levels of resistance to erythromycin and azithromycin. The primary MLVA type is 4-5-7-2, followed by 3-5-6-2. No other MLVA types were detected. No strains resistant to tetracycline or levofloxacin were found in vitro.
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Research Progress on the Association between Schizophrenia and Toxoplasma gondii Infection (30 day view times: 9)
Yiting Zhu, Xiaohui Yang, Miaoru Chen, Yu Hu, Yunfeng Chang, Xiang Wu
2024, 37(6): 647-660. doi: 10.3967/bes2024.071
Abstract: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii or Tg), is an obligatory intracellular parasite with humans as its intermediate hosts. In recent years, significant correlations between T. gondii infection and schizophrenia have been reported, including the possible mediating mechanisms. Currently, mechanisms and hypotheses focus on central neurotransmitters, immunity, neuroinflammation, and epigenetics; however, the exact underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this article, we review the studies related to T. gondii infection and schizophrenia, particularly the latest research progress. Research on dopamine (DA) and other neurotransmitters, the blood-brain barrier, inflammatory factors, disease heterogeneity, and other confounders is also discussed. In addition, we also summarized the results of some new epidemiological investigations.
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Burden of Cirrhosis and Other Chronic Liver Diseases Caused by Specific Etiologies in China, 1990−2016: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016 (30 day view times: 9)
LI Man, WANG Zhuo Qun, ZHANG Lu, ZHENG Hao, LIU Dian Wu, ZHOU Mai Geng
2020, 33(1): 1-10. doi: 10.3967/bes2020.001
Objective To estimate the burden of cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases caused by specific etiologies in China. Methods Data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016 (GBD 2016) were used. We evaluated the burden by analyzing age-sex-province-specific prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) of 33 provinces in China. Results From 1990 to 2016, prevalence cases in thousands increased by 73.7% from 6833.3 (95% UI: 6498.0–7180.6) to 11869.6 (95% UI: 11274.6–12504.7). Age-standardized mortality and DALY rates per 100,000 decreased by 51.2% and 53.3%, respectively. Male and elderly people (aged ≥ 60 years) preponderance were found for prevalence, mortality, and DALYs. The number of prevalence cases, deaths, and DALYs due to hepatitis C virus (HCV) increased by 86.6%, 8.7%, and 0.9%, respectively. Also, age-standardized prevalence rates decreased in 31 provinces, but increased in Yunnan and Shandong. The Socio-demographic Index (SDI) values were negatively correlated with age-standardized mortality and DALY rates by provinces in 2016; the correlation coefficients were −0.817 and −0.828, respectively. Conclusion Cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases remain a huge health burden in China, with the increase of population and the aging of population. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains the leading cause of the health burden in China.
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Incidence and Associated Factors for Single and Recurrent Falls among the Elderly in an Urban Community of Beijing (30 day view times: 8)
SHI Jing, ZHOU Bai Yu, TAO Yong Kang, YU Pu Lin, ZHANG Chuan Fang, QIN Zhao Hui, SUN Zhen Qiu
2014, 27(12): 939-949. doi: 10.3967/bes2014.134
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SiO2 Induces Iron Overload and Ferroptosis in Cardiomyocytes in a Silicosis Mouse Model (30 day view times: 8)
Yongheng Wang, Ning Li, Yi Guan, Tong LI, Yuxiu Zhang, Hong Cao, Zhihua Yu, Zhiheng Li, Shuoyan Li, Jiahao Hu, Wenxin Zhou, Sisi Qin, Shuang Li, Sanqiao Yao
2024, 37(6): 617-627. doi: 10.3967/bes2024.087
  Objective   The aim of this study was to explore the role and mechanism of ferroptosis in SiO2-induced cardiac injury using a mouse model.  Methods   Male C57BL/6 mice were intratracheally instilled with SiO2 to create a silicosis model. Ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) and deferoxamine (DFO) were used to suppress ferroptosis. Serum biomarkers, oxidative stress markers, histopathology, iron content, and the expression of ferroptosis-related proteins were assessed.  Results   SiO2 altered serum cardiac injury biomarkers, oxidative stress, iron accumulation, and ferroptosis markers in myocardial tissue. Fer-1 and DFO reduced lipid peroxidation and iron overload, and alleviated SiO2-induced mitochondrial damage and myocardial injury. SiO2 inhibited Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream antioxidant genes, while Fer-1 more potently reactivated Nrf2 compared to DFO.  Conclusion   Iron overload-induced ferroptosis contributes to SiO2-induced cardiac injury. Targeting ferroptosis by reducing iron accumulation or inhibiting lipid peroxidation protects against SiO2 cardiotoxicity, potentially via modulation of the Nrf2 pathway.
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Oxidative Stress and Apoptotic Changes of Rat Cerebral Cortical NeuronsExposed to Cadmium in Vitro (30 day view times: 8)
YUAN Yan, BIAN Jian Chun, LIU Xue Zhong, ZHANG Ying, SUN Ya, LIU Zong Ping
2012, 25(2): 172-181. doi: 10.3967/0895-3988.2012.02.008
Objective To investigate the cytotoxic mechanism of cadmium (Cd) on cerebral cortical neurons.Methods The primary cultures of rat cerebral cortical neurons were treated with different concentrations of cadmium acetate (0,5,10,and 20 μmol/L),and then the cell viability,apoptosis,ultrastructure,intracellular [Ca2+],and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels,mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ),activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured.Results A progressive loss in cell viability and an increased number of apoptotic cells were observed.In addition,Cd-induced apoptotic morphological changes in cerebral cortical neurons were also demonstrated by Hoechst 33258 staining.Meanwhile,ultrastructural changes were distortion of mitochondrial cristae and an unusual arrangement.Simultaneously,elevation of intracellular [Ca2+] and ROS levels,depletion of △ψ were revealed in a dose-dependent manner during the exposure.Moreover,CAT and SOD activities in the living cells increased significantly.Conclusion Exposure of cortical neurons to different doses of Cd led to cellular death,mediated by an apoptotic mechanism,and the apoptotic death induced by oxidative stress may be a potential reason.And the disorder of intracellular homeostasis caused by oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction may be a trigger for apoptosis in cortical neurons.