Lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood and function of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells(Tregs) were assayed in patients during different periods of Graves' disease ( GD ).Breakdown of Tregs' function lead to the wild proliferation of CD4+T lymphocyte,and may play an important role in the pathogenesis of GD.It is difficult to fully restore the Tregs' function to normal after successful medication in Graves' disease,this phenomenon may lead to easy relapse of GD.

Objective To investigate the relationship between serum ferritin and p-cell function,insulin resistance in elderly patients(age>60 years)with type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance.Methods Total 1143 patients with type 2 diabetes,448 patients with impaired glucose tolerance(IGT),and 2 950 subjects with normal glucose tolerance(NGT)were recruited for the measurments of height,weight,serum triglyceride(TG),total cholesterol,fasting plasma glucose(FPG),fasting insulin(FINS),postprandial 2 h plasma glucose(2hPG),and serum ferritin.Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance(HOMA-IR)and QUICK index were used to estimate insulin resistance,and homeostasis model assessment of β cell function(HOMA-p)and disposition index(DI)to evaluate p-cell function.Results The results showed that the level of serum ferritin was significantly higher in type2 diabetes mellitus group than NGT group(P<0.01).HOMA-IR was gradually increased,and HOMA-β,QUICK,and DI decreased from NGT to IGT,type 2 diabetes mellitus groups(all P < 0.05).Spearman and partial correlation analysis showed that partial adjustment for age and sex,serum ferritin was positively associated with FPG,2hPG,TG,FINS,and HOMA-IR,and negatively associated with HOMA-β,QUICK,and DI.Stepwise regression showed that serum ferritin was associated with QUICK,BMI,and TG.Conclusion The results suggest that iron overload exists in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.With increasing serum ferritin level,insulin resistance increases and p-cell function decreases in the elderly patients with abnormal glucose metabolism.

OBJECTIVETo compare the histological features of the thoracic vertebral body growth plates (VBGPs) of rats at different ages and assess their proliferative capability.

METHODSThe thoracic VBGPs obtained from rats aged 1 day and 1, 4, 8, 16 and 28 weeks were identified using safranin O-fast green staining, and the height of the hypertrophic zone, proliferative zone, and resting zone were measured. The chondrocytes were isolated from these VBGPs with a modified trypsin-collagenase type II digestion method for primary culture in vitro. The expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) mRNA and protein was detected by real time-PCR and Western blotting, respectively.

RESULTSThe 1-day- and 1-week-old rats showed significantly greater hypertrophic zone and proliferative zone in the VBGPs than older rats (P<0.01); the proliferative zone was significantly greater in rats aged 4 weeks than in those aged 28 weeks (P<0.05). The resting zone was obviously greater in rats aged 1 day and 1 week than in older rats (P<0.05), and also greater in rats aged 4 weeks than in those aged 16 and 28 weeks (P<0.05). Obvious ossification in the resting zone occurred at 16 weeks, and most of the resting zone became ossified at 28 weeks. The expression of PCNA decreased at both the mRNA and protein levels as the rats grew.

CONCLUSIONThe 3 zones of VBGPs are greater in rats aged 1 day and 1 week than in older ones. Ossification in the resting zone begins at 16 weeks, and till 28 weeks, most of the resting zone is ossified. The proliferation ability of VBGP chondrocytes decreases with the increase of age of the rats.

Age Factors ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Chondrocytes ; cytology ; Growth Plate ; anatomy & histology ; cytology ; Male ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; analysis ; RNA, Messenger ; analysis ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo study the changes in the biological behavior of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) transfected with red fluorescent protein by lentivirus (RFP-BMSCs) seeded on in poly-D, L-lactide acid (PDLLA) scaffolds with bioactive modification by ammonia plasma and Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (GRGDS) in vitro.

METHODSCircular sheets of PDLLA scaffolds (8 mm in diameter and 1 mm in thickness) were prepared and aminated with PDLLA (group A) or modified with the peptide conjugate A/PDLLA (group PA), with untreated PDLLA as the control (group P). The RFP-BMSCs were seeded on the scaffold materials and their proliferation and metabolic activity were detected using CyQuant NF and Alamar blue staining. The mineralization on the scaffolds was observed using calcein fluorescent dye under a fluorescent microscope. The adhesion and proliferation of RFP-BMSCs were observed by fluorescent microscope, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to confirm the observed adhesion of the seed cells.

RESULTSThe RFP-BMSCs seeded on the 3 scaffolds all showed proliferative activity at different time points after cell seeding, and the cell numbers decreased significantly in the order of PA>A>P (P<0.001). The cell number was significantly greater in group PA than in group A at all the time points except for days 10 (P=0.077) and 12 (P=0.491), and gradually became similar with the passage of time. The metabolic changes of the cells follow a similar pattern of cell proliferation. RFP-BMSCs showed more active proliferation in group A and group PA than in group P. On days 14 and 21, the intensity of green fluorescence decreased in the order of group PA, A and P. The RFP-BMSCs showed better adhesion in group PA than in group A, and the cells in group P appeared more scattered under scanning electron microscope.

CONCLUSIONBioactive modification of PDLLA by ammonia treatment and conjugation with GRGDS peptides may promotes the adhesion, proliferation, metabolism and mineralization of RFP-BMSCs seeded on PDLLA scaffolds.

Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; physiology ; Oligopeptides ; chemistry ; Osteogenesis ; Polyesters ; chemistry ; Tissue Engineering ; methods ; Tissue Scaffolds ; chemistry

Objective:To Investigate comprehensive predictive ability of first-trimester complete blood count combined with maternal characteristics for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).Methods:From May 2015 to July 2018, 1 412 pregnant women were retrospectively screened at the Fifth People′s Hospital of Shanghai, Fudan University. We recruited 258 women who developed GDM and 1 154 women who had normal glucose level during pregnancy. At the first visit, clinical data and complete blood count result were obtained. GDM prediction models were established through logistic regression analysis of GDM related risk factors and the prediction abilities of each model were compared.Results:Logistic regression analyses identified age, pre-pregnancy body mass index, previous GDM history, family history of diabetes mellitus, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, leukocyte, neutrophil, and monocyte counts were significantly independent predictors of GDM. In the entire cohort, the predictive ability of neutrophil and monocyte counts together with maternal basal characteristics model for the development of GDM [areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC)=0.809, integrated discrimination improvement (IDI)=0.056, P=0.001] was the best among various models (basal characteristics model, AUC-ROC=0.753; Monocyte count+ basal characteristics model, AUC-ROC=0.764; neutrophil count + basal characteristics model, AUC-ROC=0.775). Similar results obtained by the same way in all pregnant women without previous GDM history. Conclusion:It could improve the prediction of GDM with model incorporated maternal characteristics and first-trimester neutrophil and monocyte counts.

Objective To explore the relationship between hemoglobin (Hb) level during the first trimester of pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods A total of 1 276 participants, who underwent scheduled prenatal examination and normal singleton delivery at the Fifth People′s Hospital of Shanghai and Hospital of Intergrated Chinese and Western Medicine in Minhang District, from January 2016 to May 2018 were included. There were 99 cases of GDM (GDM group) and 1 177 cases of normal (control group) pregnant women.Based on the serum Hb level during the first trimester of pregnancy, participants were divided into three groups, 236 cases of low Hb level group (Hb<110 g/L), 868 cases of normal Hb level group (110 g/L≤Hb<130 g/L), and 172 cases of high Hb level group (Hb≥130 g/L). Maternal clinical data were collected, including Hb level during the first trimester of pregnancy, three-point blood glucose (BG) of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and fasting insulin during the second trimester of pregnancy. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) and homeostasis model assessment of pancreatic β cell function index (HOMA-β) were used to evaluate insulin resistance and pancreatic β cell function. Results (1) Hb level during the first trimester of pregnancy in GDM group was significantly higher than that in control group [(123±10),(119±11) g/L, P<0.05]. There were no significant difference in gravidity, parity, index of liver and renal function (all P>0.05). (2) Pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), 1-hour BG and 2-hour BG of OGTT were significantly increased in the high Hb level group during the first trimester of pregnancy, which were (23±4) kg/m2, (7.3±2.0) mmol/L, and (6.5±1.4) mmol/L (P<0.05), respectively. The pre-pregnancy BMI, 1-hour BG and 2-hour BG of the normal or low Hb level group were (22±3) kg/m2, (6.7±1.6) mmol/L, (6.1± 1.2) mmol/L; (22±3) kg/m2, (6.5±1.5) mmol/L, (5.9±1.1) mmol/L, respectively. There were no statistically significant difference in levels of fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR and HOMA-β within 3 groups (all P>0.05). (3) In the high Hb level group, prevalence of pregnancy overweight or obesity and GDM were the highest, which were 37.2%(64/172) and 15.1%(26/172), respectively; the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). (4) The serum Hb level in the first trimester was positively related with pre-pregnancy BMI (r=0.130, P<0.05), 1-hour BG (r=0.129, P<0.05), 2-hour BG (r=0.134, P<0.05), fasting insulin (r=0.096, P<0.05), and HOMA-IR (r=0.101, P<0.05).Logistic regression indicated that Hb≥130 g/L during the first trimester of pregnancy was an independent risk factor for GDM ( OR=2.799, 95% CI :1.186-6.604; P<0.05). Conclusion The high level of Hb (Hb≥130 g/L) during the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with GDM.

italic>α-Glucosidase inhibitors play an important role in the treatment of diabetes. This study established a high-resolution bioassay profiling platform for rapidly screening α-glucosidase inhibitors in natural product extracts. Five α-glucosidase inhibitors were identified from Malus hupehensis, namely, 3-hydroxyphloridzin, quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, phloridzin, avicularin and quercitrin. The establishment and successful application of this platform provides a powerful tool for the efficient discovery of anti-diabetic active ingredients in complex systems.

Objective: To explore the relationship between hemoglobin (Hb) level during the first trimester of pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: A total of 1 276 participants, who underwent scheduled prenatal examination and normal singleton delivery at the Fifth People's Hospital of Shanghai and Hospital of Intergrated Chinese and Western Medicine in Minhang District, from January 2016 to May 2018 were included. There were 99 cases of GDM (GDM group) and 1 177 cases of normal (control group) pregnant women.Based on the serum Hb level during the first trimester of pregnancy, participants were divided into three groups, 236 cases of low Hb level group (Hb<110 g/L), 868 cases of normal Hb level group (110 g/L≤Hb<130 g/L), and 172 cases of high Hb level group (Hb≥130 g/L). Maternal clinical data were collected, including Hb level during the first trimester of pregnancy, three-point blood glucose (BG) of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and fasting insulin during the second trimester of pregnancy. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) and homeostasis model assessment of pancreatic β cell function index (HOMA-β) were used to evaluate insulin resistance and pancreatic β cell function. Results: (1) Hb level during the first trimester of pregnancy in GDM group was significantly higher than that in control group [(123±10),(119±11) g/L, P<0.05]. There were no significant difference in gravidity, parity, index of liver and renal function (all P>0.05). (2) Pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), 1-hour BG and 2-hour BG of OGTT were significantly increased in the high Hb level group during the first trimester of pregnancy, which were (23±4) kg/m², (7.3±2.0) mmol/L, and (6.5±1.4) mmol/L (P<0.05), respectively. The pre-pregnancy BMI, 1-hour BG and 2-hour BG of the normal or low Hb level group were (22±3) kg/m², (6.7±1.6) mmol/L, (6.1±1.2) mmol/L; (22±3) kg/m², (6.5±1.5) mmol/L, (5.9±1.1) mmol/L, respectively. There were no statistically significant difference in levels of fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR and HOMA-β within 3 groups (all P>0.05). (3) In the high Hb level group, prevalence of pregnancy overweight or obesity and GDM were the highest, which were 37.2%(64/172) and 15.1%(26/172), respectively; the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). (4) The serum Hb level in the first trimester was positively related with pre-pregnancy BMI (r=0.130, P<0.05), 1-hour BG (r=0.129, P<0.05), 2-hour BG (r=0.134, P<0.05), fasting insulin (r=0.096, P<0.05), and HOMA-IR (r=0.101, P<0.05).Logistic regression indicated that Hb≥130 g/L during the first trimester of pregnancy was an independent risk factor for GDM (OR=2.799, 95%CI: 1.186-6.604; P<0.05). Conclusion The high level of Hb (Hb≥130 g/L) during the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with GDM.