Objective　To investigate the occurrence of postural hypotension (PH) in patients suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus with or without hypertension (DMH or DM), and the relationship of PH and diabetic neuropathy, hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance. Methods　A total of 30 cases of type 2 DM and 30 cases of DMH were included in this study. The blood pressure of all subjects were measured in supine and standing body positions respectively and PH was defined as a decline from supine to standing was ≥20 mmHg in systolic blood pressures (SBP). The concentrations of blood glucose and plasma insulin were measured to calculate the insulin sensitive index (ISI). Autonomic and peripheral function was determined by measuring the postural heart rates and the conduction speeds of superficial peroneal and communicating branch of peroneal nerves etc respectively. Results　Significant difference (P<0.01) was found in the occurrence of PH in the patients with DM (40%) and those with DMH (67%). The changes of postural blood pressure were more obvious in those with DM+PH and DMH+PH than in those with simple DM (P<0.01). The conduction speeds of newes were significantly lower in those with DMH+PH than with simple DM (P<0.05), but the occurrence of autonomic neuropathy had no difference between the 2 groups. There was no difference in postural heart rate, body mass index and blood glucose levels in fasting and 2 h after meal among the DM, DM+PH and DMH+PH groups. The concentrations of plasma insulin of those with DMH+PH were significantly higher, but their ISI significantly lower than those of the patients with DM respectively (P<0.01). The decline of postural SBP in patients with DMH+PH had a significantly positive correlation with their plasma insulin levels in fasting condition (r=0.689, P<0.01). Conclusion　The patients with DMH are more prone to PH compared with those only with DM and PH damages their peripheral nerves. Most of diabetic patients with PH suffer from obvious IR and hyperinsulinemia, and if with hypertension, the above metabolic disturbances are more severe.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of sensory neuropeptide substance P combined with epidermal stem cells (ESC) on wound healing and nerve regeneration in diabetic rats.

METHODSESC that had been isolated from SD rats were identified and cultured in vitro, and they were inoculated onto nourishing layer of amniotic membrane to construct amniotic membrane-ESC. Four full-thickness skin wounds were produced on the back of each of 48 diabetic rats. The resulted 192 wounds were randomly divided into ESC + substance P group, ESC group, substance P group, and control group according to the lottery method, with 48 wounds in each group. Wounds in ESC + substance P group and ESC group were transplanted with amniotic membrane-ESC, and those in substance P group and control group were transplanted with amniotic membrane. After transplantation, 250 µL substance P in the concentration of 1 × 10(-7) mol/L was injected around and into the middle of the wounds in ESC + substance P group and substance P group, 2 times a day, and continued for 4 days, while 250 µL PBS solution was injected in the above-mentioned position in ESC group and control group as control, 2 times a day, and continued for 4 days. On post injury day (PID) 4, 7, 10, 14, 17, and 23, the wound healing rate (with 8 wounds at each time point) was observed and determined, and changes in wound tissue structure were observed with HE staining. On PID 4, 7, and 10, collagen distribution in wound tissue was observed with Masson staining, and type I and type III collagen deposition in wound tissue was respectively observed after immunohistochemical staining. The distribution of protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) and regeneration of substance P positive nerve fibers in wound tissue were observed with immunohistochemical staining on PID 14 and 23. Data were processed with one-way analysis of variance and t test.

RESULTS(1) The wound healing rate in ESC + substance P group reached 100.0% on PID 14, which was obviously earlier than that in ESC group, substance P group, and control group, healing was respectively observed on PID 17, 17, and 23. The wound healing quality in ESC + substance P group was better than that in the other three groups as shown by HE staining. (2) On PID 10, collagen that was darkly stained and widely distributed was observed in wound tissue of ESC + substance P group and substance P group, while collagen in the other two groups was lightly stained and narrowly distributed. Deposition quantity of type I collagen gradually increased, and that of type III collagen gradually decreased in the wounds of each group over time. On PID 4, 7, and 10, distribution amount of type I collagen in wound tissue of ESC + substance P group was significantly higher than that in ESC group (with t value respectively 32.72, 118.21, 26.71, P values all below 0.01) and control group (with t value respectively 44.37, 22.76, 30.32, P values all below 0.01), while there was no significance between ESC + substance P group and substance P group. On PID 4, 7, and 10, distribution amount of type III collagen in wound tissue of ESC + substance P group was significantly higher than that in ESC group (with t value respectively 32.27, 28.68, 14.51, P values all below 0.01) and control group (with t value respectively 35.68, 22.52, 22.24, P values all below 0.01). (3) A large amount of PGP 9.5 and regeneration of substance P positive nerve fibers, and some peripheral nerve fibers in deep wound extending to epidermis were observed in wound tissue of ESC + substance P group and substance P group. A small amount of PGP 9.5 and regeneration of substance P positive nerve fibers without peripheral nerve fibers extending to epidermis were observed in deep wound tissue of ESC group and control group. On PID 14, 23, ratios of area of PGP 9.5 positive nerve fiber in the wounds of ESC + substance P group were (3.86 ± 0.25)% and (7.03 ± 0.28)%, and they were significantly higher than those of ESC group [(1.48 ± 0.30)%, (3.01 ± 0.43)%, with t value respectively 23.95, 30.27, P values all below 0.01] and control group [(1.46 ± 0.23)%, (2.84 ± 0.29)%, with t value respectively 27.35, 40.32, P values all below 0.01]. On PID 14, 23, ratios of substance P positive nerve fiber area in the wounds of ESC + substance P group were (2.01 ± 0.14)% and (1.19 ± 0.11)%, which were obviously higher than those of ESC group [(0.85 ± 0.17)%, (1.34 ± 0.21)%, with t value respectively 20.50, 2.60, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01] and control group [(0.74 ± 0.15)%, (1.30 ± 0.17)%, with t value respectively 23.98, 2.41, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01].

CONCLUSIONSJoint application of substance P and ESC can effectively promote healing of wound and nerve regeneration in diabetic rats.

Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; pathology ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; Nerve Regeneration ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; Substance P ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Wound Healing

OBJECTIVETo establish determination method of formic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid and succinic acid in dental plaque with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

METHODSAfter the samples were centrifuged, 2 microL supernatant was transferred to a 1 mL centrifuge tube and diluted in water, then was determined with HPLC. The mixture of phosphate buffer and methanol (97:3) as mobile phase throughout the experiment. The determination of organic acid was performed on Phenomenex C18 column and at their maximum absorption wave.

RESULTSThe linear ranges of formic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid and succinic acid were 0.110-500, 0.049-500, 0.047-500, 0.084-500 microg/mL. The detection limits were 0.110, 0.049, 0.047, 0.084 microg/mL. The relative standard derivation were 9.5%, 7.9%, 4.3%, 4.2%. The average recoveries of samples were 82%-112%, 82%-102.5%, 90%-115%, 80%-110%.

CONCLUSIONThe method was simple, quick and adapt for analysis of organic acid in dental plaque.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Dental Plaque ; Formates

Objective To observe the influence of cognitive behavioral intervention combining cancer pain self-relief with pharmacological therapies on pain and cancer pain self-efficacy. Methods Thirty patients suffering from cancer pain were enrolled into the study and self-contrast experiment was made on each patient.The experiment included two stages, in the first stage, the routine nursing was conducted from the first day to the seventh day; in the second stage, the cognitive behavioral intervention was implemented along with the routine nursing from the eighth day to the twenty-first day. The intervention consisted of cancer pain health education,skill learning, exercises and emotional support. The health education and skill learning were instructed by the researchers face to face three times per week, lasting thirty minutes each time. The changes of patients' pain management before and after health education was evaluated with by Barrier Questionnaire (BQ-L). The pain assessment, analgesic drug analysis and cancer pain self-efficacy were evaluated on 0, 7, 21 day, respectively.Results At the end of the first stage, the dosage of morphine, the number of patients taking drugs on time increased more obviously than the baseline, but there were no statistical significances in the terms of pain selfefficacy, pain intensity, while the time that the pains lasted decreased obviously ( P ＜ 0.05 ); at the end of the second stage, the dosage of morphine, the number of patients taking drugs on time increased more significantly than those at the end of the first stage, pain self-efficacy enhanced remarkably, while pain intensity and the time decreased obviously ( P ＜ 0. 05 ). Conclusions The cognitive behavioral intervention implemented on patients suffering from cancer pain can obviously enhance patients' cancer pain self-efficacy and improve patients' pain management by using the comprehensive cancer pain management such as health education, skill learning,exercises and emotional support.

OBJECTIVEHemophilia A is an inherited bleeding disorder caused by defects in factor VIII (FVIII) gene. In the present study, the frequencies of the microsatellite alleles at introns 13 and 22 in the factor VIII gene were analyzed in the group of Han nationality in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region to explore their diagnostic value for hemophilia A. These two sites were also used to detect the carriers in 13 hemophilia A families.

METHODSNinty-one individuals of Han ethnic group in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (135 X chromosomes) and 13 HA families were subjected to molecular studies. First, these two fragments were PCR amplified simultaneously. Then, silver staining was used later to show their polymorphisms. The investigators selected one sample at random to obtain its lengths of the PCR products at these two sites by ABI310 PCR amplifier. After counting its repeated numbers of (CA) according to the documents concerned, the repeated numbers of the other samples could be counted easily.

RESULTSIn the 91 individuals, 6 and 4 alleles were detected at these two sites, respectively. At intron 13 the allele frequencies ranged from 0.0002 to 0.5408 and polymorphism information content (PIC) was 0.5899. At intron 22 the allele frequencies ranged from 0.0444 to 0.4963 and its PIC was 0.5359. The actual heterozygosity for intron 13 and intron 22 were 0.6364 (28/44) and 0.5227 (23/44), respectively. In 13 hemophilia A families with positive history, 9 of them were diagnosed by this method and the diagnosis rate was 69%.

CONCLUSIONWith high PICs, (CA)n at intron 13 and intron 22 were two valuable sites in the diagnosis of hemophilia A in the population of Han ethnic group in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Compared with some other HA restrictive fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP), intron 22 (GT)n (AG)n was more informative.

Alleles ; Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Factor VIII ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Hemophilia A ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Introns ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Silver Staining

Hyperuricemia is closely related to metabolic diseases.With the development of metabolic syndrome(MS),it can change the mechanical load,hormone and biochemical characteristics of patients,thus perform a complex impact on bone health.Although the increased mechanical load and the production of some hormones can prevent os-teoporosis,it can promote inflammation and oxidation in vivo,which may be harmful to bone health,and uric acid may have antioxidant effect to protect bone.Therefore,the influence of increased uric acid on bone in MS patients is still unclear.The present article will further explore this issue.

BACKGROUNDRecent studies have identified signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) as a susceptibility gene for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in different populations. In order to examine whether the allele distribution of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in gene STAT4 rs7574865 in patients with SLE is different from those of healthy controls in Chinese Northern Han population, we investigated whether the variants of STAT4 rs7574865 were associated with any specific clinical features of SLE.

METHODSWe genotyped SNPs in STAT4 rs7574865 in 252 patients with SLE and 497 healthy controls. All subjects were from the Northern part of Chinese Han population. The genotypes in rs7574865 were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and consequence direct sequencing of PCR products in the DNA samples.

RESULTSThere was a significant difference in distribution of the SNPs in rs7574865 between the SLE patients and healthy controls. Compared with healthy controls, there was a significant correlation between TT genotypes in rs7574865 and the risk of SLE when GG genotype was used as a reference genotype after adjusting for gender and age. The frequency of T allele in the SLE patients was strongly significantly higher than that of healthy controls. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in the distribution of SNP in rs7574865 between male and female SLE patients, when compared with healthy controls. The frequency of T allele in rs7574865 in male patients was significantly higher than that of male healthy controls or female patients. There was no significant correlation between the frequencies of T allele in STAT4 rs7574865 and the clinical features of SLE.

CONCLUSIONSThe SNP rs7574865 in STAT4 is strongly associated with risk of SLE in the Chinese Northern Han population. The TT genotype and T allele in STAT4 rs7574869 are susceptibility factors for SLE, especially for male SLE patients.

Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; genetics ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; genetics ; STAT4 Transcription Factor ; genetics ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the distribution of genomovars and microevolution of Yersinia pestis in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

METHODSPrimer pairs targeting the twenty-two different regions(DFRs) were designed for detecting the presence or deletion of each DFR in 297 strains isolated from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

RESULTS9 genomovars, i. e. Genomovar 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, new type and Ype-ancestor were identified in the Marmota himalayana plague focus of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Among these genomovars, genomovar 5,8 and 10 were dominant types. The total rate of the three genomovars was 80.6% (204/253) and the genomovars in different regions were different. All of 44 strains of Y. pestis in the Microtus fuscus plague focus of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau belonged to genomovar 14.

CONCLUSIONThe distribution of genomovars of Y. pestis in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau had remarkable characteristics geographically. Based on the distribution of genomovars of Y. pestis, the routes of transmission and microevolution of Y. pestis were proposed.

Biological Evolution ; China ; Geography ; Humans ; Plague ; transmission ; Yersinia pestis ; genetics

OBJECTIVESince males are at higher risk of cardiovascular diseases than females, the aim of the study was to examine whether there is an association between BP and a polymorphic Hind III biallelic marker in nonrecombining region of Y chromosome in essential hypertension in Tangshan district in China.

METHODSIn the study, 225 patients with essential hypertension and 187 healthy people were enrolled into this study as control group. DNA was extracted from white blood cell. Segments of polymorphic Hind III restriction site of the Y chromosome were amplified from DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR products were restricted with 10 U of Hind III for a night at 37 degrees C. The digested products were subjected to electrophoresis in 3% agarose gels, and stained with ethidium bromide.

RESULTSWe amplified 178 controls (95.2%) and 216 essential hypertensive patients (96.0%) successfully. Hind III(-) genotype was found in 45.8% of the men in essential hypertension and in 32.0% of the men in the controlled group. The Hind III(-) genotype was significantly higher than that in the controls (chi2 = 7.782, P = 0.007). However, the Hind III(+) genotype was lower in SBP (133.16 mm Hg +/- 21.60 mm Hg vs. 143.58 mm Hg +/- 24.16 mm Hg, P < 0.001), DBP (82.82 mm Hg +/- 11.72 mm Hg vs. 86.82 mm Hg +/- 12.65 mm Hg, P = 0.001), pulse pressure (50.34 mm Hg +/- 14.31 mm Hg vs. 56.76 mm Hg +/- 14.20 mm Hg, P < 0.001) and mean arterial pressure (99.59 mm Hg +/- 14.19 mm Hg vs. 105.74 mm Hg +/- 15.31 mm Hg, P < 0.001) than the Hind III(-) genotype.

CONCLUSIONPolymorphic Hind III restriction site of the Y chromosome seemed to be associated with essential hypertension in Tangshan district in China.

Case-Control Studies ; China ; Chromosomes, Human, Y ; genetics ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Hypertension ; genetics ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Site-Specific DNA-Methyltransferase (Adenine-Specific) ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between multi-trace elements levels in hair and human neural tube defects as well as other risk factors.

METHODSUsing 88 paired cases and controls, an 1:1 matched case control study was carried out. The study subjects were collected from the China-U. S. Collaborative Project on Neural Tube Defects Prevention and Birth Defects Surveillance System. Risk factors were obtained by field investigation with standardized questionnaires and hair trace elements levels were determined by AAS and ICP-MS methods. Microwave digestion was used to digest hair samples. The detected elements would include three groups, namely nutritional elements: Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Co, Mo; toxic elements: Pb, As, Cd, Hg; and Lanthanons: Y, La, Pr, Nd. Cox Proportional Hazard Regression Model was used to perform risk factors analysis.

RESULTSPregnancy fever appeared to be a risk factor of neural tube defects (OR = 6.525, P = 0.034) while hair zinc level (OR = 0.541 microg/100 g, P = 0.02) and times of prenatal physical examination (OR = 0.634, P < 0.001) served as two protective factors appeared in the last model.

CONCLUSIONZinc deficiency might serve as a risk factor for human neural tube defects, suggesting that the avoidance of pregnancy infection together with more periodical prenatal physical examination might reduce the incidence of neural tube defects.

Adult ; Analysis of Variance ; Case-Control Studies ; Diet ; Female ; Hair ; metabolism ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Neural Tube Defects ; etiology ; metabolism ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; metabolism ; Prenatal Care ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Trace Elements ; metabolism