Recent researches revealed that intestinal flora contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome, espe?cially to the disorder of their targeted cardiovascular system. Blood cholesterol level is affected by the metabolism of intesti?nal flora in cholesterol and bile acid. At the same time, the blood cholesterol level is the key player in development of athero?sclerosis. This review mainly discussed the relationship between the intestinal flora dependent metabolite trimethylamine ox?ide (Trimetlylamine oxide, TMAO) and atherosclerosis.

The frequent co-occurrence of metabolic syndrome (MS) and mental disorders has become increasingly common, which is known clinically as comorbidity. Epidemiological survey showed that schizophrenia and mood disorders are the most common co-existing psychiatric disorders of metabolic syndrome. The pathogenesis of comorbidity of mental dis-orders and MS is related with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction, unhealthy lifestyles and related applications of antipsychotics. An important reason for the metabolic syndrome associated with schizophrenia is heredity. However, in-flammation is the key factor in the relationship of mood disorders and MS. The intervention of unhealthy lifestyle, psychologi-cal counseling and rational use of drug should all be included in the treatment of comorbidity of psychiatric disorders and MS. The follow-up of metabolic index in psychiatric patients and psychological conditions in patients of MS should be paid more attention during the whole course of treatment.

Objective To investigate change of TLR4 in OLETF (Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty) rats with in-sulin resistance (IR), and to study the effect of pioglitazone (PIO) on the expression of TLR4, and to explore the possible mechanisms of the PIO reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Methods Twenty four OLETF rats were fed with high-fat diet for 20 weeks to establish the IR model then they were randomly assigned into two groups:the model group (group M), in which the rats were fed with high-fat diet;the PIO group (group P), in which the rats were fed with PIO in addition to high-fat diet . Control group include 12 OLETF rats fed with normal diet (group NC). After 20 weeks of drug intervention, plasma levels of FINS (Fasting INSulin), FBG (Fasting Blood Glucose), blood lipid, IL-18 and TLR4 were assessed in every group. Results Comparing with group NC, FBG, Blood lipid, IL-18 and TLR4 were significantly increased in group M(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01), comparing with group M, FBG, Blood lipid were improved in group P, and serum IL-18, TLR4 were signifi-cantly lower in the group P than that in group M(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01). Conclusion TLR4 may be involved in IR by pro-moting inflammatory response, and PIO can significantly improve IR and inflammatory, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases by inhibiting the expression of TLR4.

The adiponeetin mRNA expression and secretion of human omental and subcutaneous preadipocytes were increaed by renin-angiotensin system (RAS) bloekers. Compared with thiazolidinedione, RAS blockers have stronger effects on human omental preadipoeytes in adiponeetin mRNA expression and secretion,suggesting a potential benefit of RAS blockers on metabolic syndrome with characteristic intra-abdominal obesity.

Objective To explore the predictive value of obesity-related index for metabolic syndrome(MS)among Tianjin adults. Methods A total of 522 adults who participated in a physical examination were included in this cross-sectional study. Participants 'gender and age were record-ed,height,weight,waist circumference(WC)and hip circumference were measured,and TC,TG,HDL-C and FPG were tested. The receiver op-erating characteristic(ROC)curves were generated to identify the optimal measurement of obesity for the prediction of metabolic risk in this popu-lation. Results The area under the ROC curve(AUC)value for waist-to-height ratio(WHtR)predicted the maximum value of MS,followed by WC and BMI,and WHR was the lowest. The optimal cut off value of WHtR was 0.509. There was significant difference in the ability of BMI be-tween different age groups and WC to predict MS. In the groups of<40 years old and≥60 years old,BMI had higher predictive value for MS than WC. Conclusion WHtR has the best predictive value for evaluating the MS risk compared to BMI ,WC or WHR alone among Tianjin adults. The predictive value of BMI and WC for evaluating the MS risk can be improved by the method of age stratification.

In this cross-sectional survey,2 682 traffic policemen in Tianjin were enrolled,and they were tested with Occupational Stress Inventory-Revised (OSI-R) and Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90).Body mass index,blood pressure,fasting blood glucose,triglycerides,and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol ( HDL-C ) were also determined at the same time. Correlation analysis showed that body mass index was positively correlated with somatization ( r =0.039,P =0.045 ),hostility ( r =0.046,P =0.01 8 ),and psychoticism ( r =0.041,P =0.036).Systolic blood pressure was positively correlated to somatization (r =0.056,P =0.004 ),obsessive-compulsiveness ( r =0.044,P =0.023 ),interpersonal sensitivity ( r =0.041,P =0.034 ),depression ( r =0.039,P =0.043),anxiety ( r =0.055,P =0.004 ),and psychoticism ( r =0.051,P =0.009 ).Diastolic blood pressure was positively correlated to somatization ( r =0.047,P =0.015 ),interpersonal sensitivity ( r =0.042,P =0.030 ),anxiety ( r =0.050,P =0.010 ),and psychoticism ( r =0.047,P =0.014 ).Fasting blood glucose was positively correlated to somatization ( r=0.042,P=0.028 ).Multiple regression analysis showed that occupational stress factors were role boundary,physical environment,responsibility,recreation,role ambiguity,role overload,and cognitive coping.Among these factors,role ambiguity and cognitive coping reduced occupational stress while others increased the stress.The results of the unconditional logistical regression analysis showed that there is an independent association of metabolic syndrome with somatization,role insufficiency,and physical strain for the task and body tension ( P＜0.01).

Objective: To investigate the effect of biofeedback therapy on metabolic syndrome (MS) and the effect of different levels of job stress on the outcome. Methods: The physicians in tertiary hospitals who were diagnosed with MS from January to December, 2016 were divided into biofeedback group and health education group according to different intervention methods, and moderate group, medium group, and high group according to different levels of job stress. A 6-month intervention was implemented from May to October, 2017. A two-way factorial design was used to analyze the main effect of biofeedback on physical and biochemical parameters and the interaction of biofeedback and job stress. Results: After 6 months of intervention, the patients in both the biofeedback group and the moderate group had significantly decreased waist circumference, body mass index, systolic blood pressure (SBP) , diastolic blood pressure (DBP) , and levels of triglyceride (TG) , total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) , and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and a significantly increased level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (all P<0.05) ; the patients in both the health education group and the moderate group had significantly decreased SBP, DBP, and levels of TG, LDL-C, and FPG (P<0.05) . The factorial analysis of variance showed that there was a synergistic interaction between the intervention method and job stress level in SBP, DBP, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, and FPG among MS patients (P<0.05) . The high group had significantly more improvements in all indices compared with the medium group and the moderate group (P<0.05) . Conclusion Biofeedback therapy can effectively improve blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood glucose in MS patients, and is more effective for patients with high job stress level.

As a non-atherosclerotic disease in the extracranial segment of the carotid artery, carotid web is a ridge-like intraluminal protrusion beyond the bifurcation of the posterior wall of the carotid artery bulb. Carotid web also has been referred to as an atypical variant of fibromuscular dysplasia. In recent years, more and more studies indicate that carotid web is a rare but important risk factor for ischemic stroke. In order to accurately diagnose carotid artery web, implement targeted intervention and treatment for ischemic stroke caused by carotid web, the authors summarized the recent advances in carotid web and ischemic stroke.

Objective To investigate the effect of Berberine on insulin resistance and its mechanism in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty(OLETF) rats with metabolic syndrome(MS).Methods LETO(Long-evans Tokushima Otsuka)rats(the control group receiving standard normal diet,n=10)and diabetic OLETF rats(the MS group receiving high-fat diet for 24 weeks,n=30).Rats in the MS group were randomly divided into 3 subgroups(n=10,each subgroup).Each subgroup was gavaged with normal saline,high-dose Berberine(100 mg · kg-1 · d-1)and low-dose Berberine (50 mg · kg-1 · d-1) respectively,and the high-fat diet remained unchanged.After 6 weeks of berberine treatment,body weight,blood glucose and lipid metabolism parameters were determined.The oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT) and insulin tolerance test(ITT) were used to detect insulin resistance.Expression levels of the protein and mRNA of 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP7 8),Caspase-12 and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein(C/EBP) homologous protein(CHOP) in skeletal muscles were detected by Western blot and RT-PCR.Results After Berberine treatment,the body weight,fasting plasma glucose,fasting insulin[(28.9 ± 2.0) mU/L,(31.5± 2.4) mU/L vs.(36.9 ± 4.7) mU/L],total cholesterol,triglycerides,and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were decreased,while the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C) levels were increased in MS rats with high-dose berberine and low-dose berberine as compared with the control group (P ＜ 0.05) respectively.Berberine treatment could reduce the protein and mRNA expression levels of GRP78,Capase-12 and CHOP in the skeletal muscle of MS rats(P＜0.05).Conclusions Berberine may alleviate insulin resistance in rats with metabolic syndrome by reducing endoplasmic reticulum stress in skeletal muscle.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of miR-137 on the proliferation and apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) induced by high glucose and its mechanism. METHODS: HUVECs cells were divided into low-glucose group (5.5 mmol/L glucose-treated cells), high-glucose group (33.36 mmol/L glucose-treated cells), anti-NC group (cells treated with 33.36 mmol/L glucose after anti-NC transfection) and anti-miR-137 group (cells treated with 33.36 mmol/L glucose after anti-miR-137 transfection). After 48 hours, qRT-PCR was used to determine the expression of miR-137. CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry were used to detect cell proliferation and apoptosis rate, respectively. The targeting relationship between miR-137 and AKT2 was validated by dual fluorescence reporter gene detection system and AKT2 protein expression after overexpression or inhibition of miR-137. RESULTS: High glucose could significantly up-regulate the expression of miR-137 in HUVECs cells, and the expression of miR-137 in HUVECs cells transfected with miR-137 inhibitor was significantly decreased (P<0.05). High glucose can significantly inhibit HUVECs cell proliferation and induce apoptosis, while inhibition of miR-137 expression can weaken the effect of high glucose on HUVECs cell proliferation inhibition and apoptosis promotion (P<0.05). Inhibiting AKT2 expression could weaken the inhibitory effect of miR-137 inhibitor on HUVECs cell proliferation and apoptosis (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Inhibiting the expression of miR-137 gene can attenuate the proliferation inhibition and apoptosis promotion of HUVECs induced by high glucose, and the mechanism is related to activating the expression of AKT2.
Apoptosis ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Glucose ; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; genetics