OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between syndrome differentiation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and characteristic changes of vascular endothelial function in patients with diabetic arterial occlusion (DAO) of lower extremities. METHODS: Forty patients with DAO were selected as trial group. Twenty patients among them were attributed to blood stasis syndrome (group A1), and the others were attributed to syndrome of pathogenic dampness-heat attacking the lower limb (group A2) according to syndrome differentiation type of TCM. Patients with diabetes (group B), arteriosclerosis obliterans (group C) and healthy people (group D) were observed as the control groups, respectively. There were 20 cases in each group. Endothelium-dependent dilation (EDD) and endothelium-independent dilation (EID) were measured by high resolution ultrasound in the 100 subjects and the changes of vascular tension factors were also studied. RESULTS: The results showed that EDD in group A was reduced significantly as compared with that in the groups B, C and D. The levels of vascular contractile factors such as endothelin-1 (ET-1) and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) in group A were higher than those in the groups B, C and D, while the levels of vascular dilatory factors such as nitric oxide (NO) and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1alpha(6-Keto-PGF1alpha) were declined significantly as compared with those in the groups B and D. Linear correlation analysis showed that EDD was correlated positively with the levels of NO and 6-Keto-PGF1alpha, while the levels of ET-1 and TXB2 had negative correlation with EDD. EDD and EID in group A2 were declined significantly as compared with those in group A1. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that endothelial dysfunction may play an important role in the pathogenesis of DAO and may be associated with syndrome differentiation of TCM.

This study assessed the effects of leukemia-related protein 16 (LRP16) on the regulation of pancreatic functions in mouse insulinoma (MIN6) cells. Cells with down-regulated expression of LRP16 were obtained by a shRNA interference strategy. Insulin content and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) were examined by radioimmunoassay. Western blotting was applied to detect protein expression. Glucose-stimulated sub-cellular localization of PDX-1 was immunocytochemically determined. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. Our results showed that LRP16 regulated insulin content in MIN6 cells by controlling expression of insulin and insulin transcription factors. LRP16 gene silence in MIN6 cells led to reduced cell proliferation and increased apoptosis. The observation of phosphorylation of serine-473 Akt and the localization of PDX-1 to the nucleus under glucose-stimulation exhibited that LRP16 was a component mediating Akt signaling in MIN6 cells. These results suggest that LRP16 plays a key role in maintaining pancreatic β-cell functions and may help us to understand the protective effects of estrogen on the functions of pancreatic β-cells.

Objective To investigate the relationship between nerve conduction velocity(NCV)and syndrome differentiation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy(DPN).Methods 172 patients with DPN were scored by 5 grades according to their symptoms which were classified by 5 kinds of patterns such as Qi-deficiency,Yin-deficiency,Yang-deficiency,Blood-stasis,Phlegm-dampness.NCV of the patients were also tested.Results The frequency of Yin-deficiency and Blood-stasis was more than 50%.The proportion and scores were significantly higher in the elder-age group than in the younger-age group(P<0.05).The scores of Blood-stasis and Yang-deficiency increased in the patients with longer-course(P<0.01).The correlation analysis showed that scores of nervous system were correlated positively with scores of Yin-deficiency,Yang-deficiency and Blood-stasis.There were positive correlation between scores of Qi-deficiency and fasting blood glucose(FBG)as well as between scores of Yin-deficiency and a-lipoprotein(LPa),and between scores of Yang-deficiency and homocysteine(Hcy).The proportion of Yin-deficiency and blood stasis in abnormal NCV group were higher than the normal while the results of Qi-deficiency and Phlegm-dampness were contrary.But the consequence had no statistical significance(P>0.05).Abnormality of NCV was aggravated with the high scores of Yang-deficiency and blood stasis.The analysis with logistic stepwise regression showed that diabetic course,levels of FBG and systolic blood pressure(SBP),be complicated by DN and DR,scores of nervous system sign were the independent risk factors for NCV.Conclusion Yin-deficiency and Blood-stasis are the major TCM syndromes in patients with DPN.The degree of Yang-deficiency and Blood-stasis influenced on the parameters of NCV.Abnormality of NCV can be aggravated with long diabetic course,high levels of FBG and SBP,be complicated by DN and DR,high scores of nerve system sign.

Objective To evaluate the performance of Zika virus (ZIKV) disease prevention and control.Methods Descriptive epidemiological analysis was conducted on the clinical manifestations,laboratory detection results and disease progression of the third imported ZIKV disease case in the mainland of China.Results On 19 February 2016,a ZIKV disease case was confirmed in Yiwu,Zhejiang province,which was the third imported case of ZIKV disease confirmed by China CDC laboratory and expert consulting.The patient just had a travel to Fiji and Samoa and had mosquito bite history in Samoa.The patient was hospitalized on 16 February after the onset on 14 February and the eruption on 15 February.The body temperature of the patient became normal on 17 February,the rash disappeared on 19 February and the conjunctivitis resolved on 20 February.The positive detection of the viral nucleic acid in blood was only for 3 consecutive days,and the viral nucleic acid could be detected in urine even after negative detection in blood for 4 days.Conclusion The symptoms of the patient were typical.ZIKV can be detected by using blood sample in early phase,but after body temperature become normal,the virus can be detected in urine.

This study assessed the effects of leukemia-related protein 16 (LRP16) on the regulation of pancreatic functions in mouse insulinoma (MIN6) cells.Cells with down-regulated expression of LRP16 were obtained by a shRNA interference strategy.Insulin content and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) were examined by radioimmunoassay.Western blotting was applied to detect protein expression.Glucose-stimulated sub-cellular localization of PDX-1 was immunocytochemically determined.Cell proliferation and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry.Our results showed that LRP16 regulated insulin content in MIN6 cells by controlling expression of insulin and insulin transcription factors.LRP16 gene silence in MIN6 cells led to reduced cell proliferation and increased apoptosis.The observation of phosphorylation of serine-473 Akt and the localization of PDX-1 to the nucleus under glucose-stimulation exhibited that LRP16 was a component mediating Akt signaling in MIN6 cells.These results suggest that LRP16 plays a key role in maintaining pancreatic β-cell functions and may help us to understand the protective effects of estrogen on the functions of pancreatic β-cells.