[Summary] To investigate the difference in serum pigment epithelium-derived factor ( PEDF) among type 2 diabetic patients before and after use of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors linagliptin for treatment, and to explore the correlation of serum PEDF with lipids, body mass index, and HbA1C . 39 patients with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes and 30 healthy individuals were enrolled. Baseline weight, waist circumference, body mass index, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1C , serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol ( LDL-C) , and PEDF measured by enzyme linked immunosorbant assay were determined both in the diabetic and control subject. The treatment group was treated with oral linagliptin 5 mg/d for six month, serum PEDF and clinical parameters were determined in the diabetic group during 6 months of treatment. ( 1 ) PEDF levels were found to be comparable with the controls ( P=0. 584);LDL-C and waist circumference showed positive correlation with PEDF(P<0. 05 or P<0. 01). (2) PEDF level was significantly increased in patients with type 2 diabetes after linagliptin treatment [(3. 21 ± 1. 91 vs 2. 45 ± 1.53)μg/ml,P<0.01]. SerumPEDFlevelinpatientswithtype2diabeteswassimilartothatofhealthycontrolswith associated LDL-C and waist circumference. After linagliptin treatment, serum PEDF level was raised, suggesting that it may have certain protective effect for diabetic vascular complications.

Objective To investigate changes in serum sclerostin (SO) in postmenopausal women before and after treatment with recombinant human parathyroid hormone (1-34) [rhPTH (1-34)],and to explore the relationship of serum SO with estradiol (E2),and bone mineral density (BMD).Methods Ninety-five postmenopausal women were divided into normal BMD group (n =41) and osteoporosis group (n =54).Body mass index,alkaline phosphatase (ALP),serum E2,calcium,phosphate,and SO were determined in both groups.The patients in osteoporosis group were treated with rhPTH (1-34) 20 μg/d by subcutaneous injection and oral calcium 500 mg/d for 12 months.Serum calcium,serum phosphate,BMD,serum ALP,serum E2,and sclerostin were determined in osteoporosis group by 6 months and 12 months of treatment.Results (1) Serum level of SO in osteoporosis group was raised significantly as compared with normal BMD group (P ＜ 0.05) ; E2 and BMD were negatively correlated with SO; age and postmenopausal years were positively correlated with SO (P ＜ 0.05).(2) Serum SO was reduced gradually with treatment of rhPTH (1-34) by 6 months and 12 months (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Serum SO was increased in postmenopausal women,which was related to E2 and BMD,and was reduced gradually with treatment of rhPTH (1-34).SO may participate in the development of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

BACKGROUND:Human mesenchymal stem cells derived from Wharton's jelly(WJCs)display the characteristics of MSCs as defined by the International Society for Cellular Therapy.They can be differentiated into bone,cartilage,adipose,muscle,and neural cells.They can also support the expansion of other stem cells,be weli-tolerated by the immune system,and have the ability to home to tumors.OBJECTIVE:To investigate biological changes of WJCs and brain tumor stem cells(BTSCs)co-cultured in vitro.METHODS:WJCs cultured by situ cultivation and BTSCs used enzyme digestion way respectively,and gathering the 3rd passage of WJCs though subculturing as well as BTSCs.Two kinds of cells co-cultured in 24-well plates in serum-free medium (SFM)without any growth factor.3 and 7 days after co-cultured respectively,CD133 expression of suspension cells in the 24-well plates were identified by flow cytometry,and immunofluorescence was performed for Nestin and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)expression of adherent cells.Co-culture supernatant(CCS)re-suspended 3~(rd) passage of BTSCs and cultured into 96-well plates at day 3,which were used to determine the difference in cell growth curve in both groups using a microplate reader.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:With the cocultivation days increasing,the phenomenon that tumor sphere cells began to be decomposed,adherent and differentiated observed by an inverted microscope.BTSCs in the co-cultured group expressed GFAP and Nestin when adherent and differentiated.The higher degree of malignant brain tumor tissue used in culturing BTSCs was,the higher expression of CD133 in BTSCs was.CD 133~+ in BTSCs declined when co-cultured with WJCs.Growth curve of brain tumor stem cells cultured in CCS compared with in SFM at day 3,which indicates that the proliferation of BTSCs inhibited obviously.Results indicated that CD 133~+ expression and proliferative capacity of BTSCs went down and BTSCs underwent differentiation during the co-culture in vitro.

An epidemiological investigation was carried out on a local cluster of outbreak caused by imported cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in rural areas of Chengdu in December 2020, to find out the source of infection and the chain of transmission. According to
COVID-19 ; Disease Outbreaks ; Epidemics ; Humans ; Quarantine ; SARS-CoV-2