Background and Aim:Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4(PDK4)is a metabolism switch that regulates glucose oxidation and the tricarboxylic acid cycle(TCA cycle)in the mitochondria.Liver detoxifies xe-nobiotics and is constantly challenged by various injuries.This study aims at understanding how the loss of the metabolism regulator PDK4 contributes to liver injuries. Methods:Wild-type(WT)and Pdk4 knockout(Pdk4-/-)mice of different ages were examined for spon-taneous hepatic apoptosis.Juvenile or adult mice of two genotypes were insulted by diethylnitrosamine(DEN),arsenic,galactosamine(GalN)/lipopolysaccharide(LPS),anti-CD95(Jo2)antibody or carbon tet-rachloride(CCl4).Liver injury was monitored by blood biochemistry test.Apoptosis was determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL)staining,poly(ADP-ribose)po-lymerase(PARP)cleavage,and caspase activity assay.Inflammatory response was determined by nuclear factor(NF)-κB activation and the activation of NF-κB target genes.Primary hepatocytes were isolated and cell viability was evaluated by MTS assay. Results:We showed that systematic Pdk4-/-in mice resulted in age-dependent spontaneous hepatic apoptosis.PDK4-deficiency increased the toxicity of DEN in juvenile mice,which correlated with a lethal consequence and massive hepatic apoptosis.Similarly,chronic arsenic administration induced more severe hepatic apoptosis in Pdk4-/mice compared to WT control mice.An aggravated hepatic NF-κB mediated-inflammatory response was observed in Pdk4-/-mice livers.In vitro,Pdk4-deficient primary hepatocytes were more vulnerable to DEN and arsenic challenges and displayed higher caspase activity than wild type cells.Notably,hepatic PDK4 mRNA level was remarkably reduced during acute liver failure induced by GalN/LPS or Jo2 antibody.The diminished PDK4 expression was also observed in CC14-induced acute liver injury. Conclusions:PDK4 may contribute to the protection from apoptotic injury in mouse liver.

Objective: To investigate the changes of aortic stiffness and its influencing factors in patients with chronic kidney diseases ( CKD) .Methods:Eighty-four patients with CKD from Department of Nephrology , Zhejiang Provincial People ’ s Hospital were divided into the dialysis group ( CKD stage 5 , n=48 ) and non-dialysis group ( CKD stage 3 -5 , n =36 ) . Clinical data , biochemical parameters and echocardiography findings were collected .SphygmoCor pulse wave analysis system was used to obtain pulse wave analysis ( PWA ) parameters including central aortic systolic blood pressure ( CSP ) , central pulse pressure ( CPP ) , augmented pressure ( AP ) , augmentation index ( AIX ) , and heart rate 75 -adjusted augmentation index ( HR75 AIX ) .The influencing factors of aortic stiffness were analyzed by spearman correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis .Results: CSP, CPP, AP, AIX and HR75 AIX in dialysis patients had no significant differences compared with those in non-dialysis group (all P>0.05).Spearman correlation analysis showed that CSP was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure , diastolic blood pressure , cholesterol , low-density lipoprotein cholesterol , left atrial diameter ( LA ) , left ventricular systolic diameter ( LVDs ) , left ventricular diastolic diameter ( LVDd ) , and negatively correlated with calcium and hemoglobin levels . CPP was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure , age, LA, LVDd, and negatively correlated with diastolic blood pressure and hemoglobin levels . AP was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure, age, LA, LVDd, and negatively correlated with hemoglobin levels .AIX was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure , age, sodium, and negatively correlated with phosphorus levels .HR75AIX was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure , sodium , cholesterol , and negatively correlated with hemoglobin and albumin levels .Multiple regression analysis showed that higher systolic blood pressure was the independent risk factor for CSP (β=0.944, P<0.01);lower diastolic blood pressure (β=0.939, P<0.01) and higher systolic blood pressure (β=-1.010, P<0.01) were the independent risk factors for CPP; older age (β=0.237, P <0.01) and higher systolic blood pressure (β=0.200,P<0.01) were the independent risk factors for AP; higher systolic blood pressure (β=0 .163 and 0 .115 , P<0 .05 and P<0.01 ) and higher sodium (β=0.646 and 0.625, all P <0.05 ) were independent risk factors for both AIX and HR 75 AIX.Conclusions: No significant correlation is observed between aortic stiffness and CKD of different stages .Control blood pressure and restrict sodium intake may be effective means of delaying arterial stiffness in patients with CKD .

To investigate the changes of aortic stiffness and its influencing factors in patients with chronic kidney diseases (CKD).Eightyfour patients with CKD from Department of Nephrology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital were divided into the dialysis group (CKD stage 5,=48) and non-dialysis group (CKD stage 3-5,=36). Clinical data, biochemical parameters and echocardiography findings were collected. SphygmoCor pulse wave analysis system was used to obtain pulse wave analysis (PWA) parameters including central aortic systolic blood pressure (CSP), central pulse pressure (CPP), augmented pressure (AP), augmentation index (AIX), and heart rate 75-adjusted augmentation index (HR75AIX). The influencing factors of aortic stiffness were analyzed by spearman correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis.CSP, CPP, AP, AIX and HR75AIX in dialysis patients had no significant differences compared with those in non-dialysis group (all>0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that CSP was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, left atrial diameter (LA),left ventricular systolic diameter (LVDs), left ventricular diastolic diameter (LVDd), and negatively correlated with calcium and hemoglobin levels. CPP was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure, age, LA, LVDd, and negatively correlated with diastolic blood pressure and hemoglobin levels. AP was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure, age, LA, LVDd, and negatively correlated with hemoglobin levels. AIX was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure, age, sodium, and negatively correlated with phosphorus levels. HR75AIX was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure, sodium, cholesterol, and negatively correlated with hemoglobin and albumin levels. Multiple regression analysis showed that higher systolic blood pressure was the independent risk factor for CSP (β=0.944,<0.01); lower diastolic blood pressure (β=0.939,<0.01) and higher systolic blood pressure (β=-1.010,<0.01) were the independent risk factors for CPP; older age (β=0.237,<0.01) and higher systolic blood pressure (β=0.200,<0.01) were the independent risk factors for AP; higher systolic blood pressure (β=0.163 and 0.115,<0.05 and<0.01) and higher sodium (β=0.646 and 0.625, all<0.05) were independent risk factors for both AIX and HR75AIX.No significant correlation is observed between aortic stiffness and CKD of different stages. Control blood pressure and restrict sodium intake may be effective means of delaying arterial stiffness in patients with CKD.
Age Factors ; Aorta ; pathology ; Blood Pressure ; physiology ; Cholesterol ; Dialysis ; Female ; Heart Atria ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Regression Analysis ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; complications ; Risk Factors ; Sodium, Dietary ; adverse effects ; Vascular Stiffness ; physiology

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of Kinesio taping combined with warm needling on knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and its effect on serum levels of immune globulin(Ig)A, IgG, IgM. Methods: Sixty-two KOA patients who met the inclusion criteria were divided into 2 groups by random number table (31 cases in each group). The control group was treated with routine thrapy. Based on the control group, the observation group was treated with Kinesio taping combined with warm needling. After 6 weeks treatment, scores of visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to evaluate knee pain, Japanese orthopaedic association (JOA) scale was used to evaluate knee function, and Lequesne index was used to evaluate disease severity. The score of TCM clinical symptoms was conducted according to the KOA symptom grading quantification table, and the quality of life was evaluated according to the Chinese version of the MOS item short from health survey (SF-36). The Immunoglobulin(Ig)A, IgG and IgM levels were detected by ELISA method. Results: The total effective rate in the observation group was 93.5%, and the control group was 71.0% (28/31). The difference was statistically significant between two groups (χ²=5.415, P=0.020).The total effective rate of clinical symptoms in traditional Chinese medicine in the observation groups as 90.3% (28/31) was higher than the control group as 64.5% (20/31), and the difference was statistically significant (χ²=5.905, P=0.015). After treatment, the serum level of IgA (2.91 ± 0.35 ng/ml vs. 4.50 ± 0.50 ng/ml, t=7.621), IgG (11.17 ± 1.31 pmol/L vs. 15.83 ± 1.94 pmol/L, t=13.523), IgM (3.14 ± 0.44 pmol/L vs. 5.44 ± 0.62 pmol/L, t=8.441) were significantly lower than control group (P<0.01). After 6 weeks’ treatment, tthe scores of VAS, Lequesne index, and clinical symptom of traditional Chinese medicin of the observation group were significant lower than those of the control group (t=7.765 and 9.903 respectively, all Ps<0.01), but the scores of JOA and the SF-36 were significantly higher than those of the control group (t=18.441, P<0.01). After 6 weeks’ treatment, the scores of pain in bed at night, morning stiffness, walking pain, pain from sitting up, maximum walking distance, daily activities, walking up stairs, walking down stairs, bending knee joint score in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (t=8.933, 9.112, 9.225, 8.809, 9.240, 8.910, 7.903, 8.033, 7.031, respectively, all Ps<0.01), but the scores of physical pain, physiological function, physiological function, vitality, social function, emotional function, mental health in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (t=12.450, 13.446, 13.779, 9.003, 13.331, 12.440, 15.309, all Ps<0.01). Conclusions The kinesio taping combined with warm needling can improve symptoms of traditional Chinese medicine and reduce pain of KOAand increase quality of life with the regulation of IgA, IgG, IgM.

INTRODUCTION: Few studies have investigated the factors that affect the relationship between body image dissatisfaction and disordered eating locally. Our study aimed to investigate the moderating effects of depression and anxiety levels on the body dissatisfaction-disordered eating link in Singapore. METHODS: A total of 329 participants completed a set of questionnaires that included various scales pertaining to eating behaviours, body image, psychological distress and quality of life. RESULTS: Participants were diagnosed with schizophrenia (47.4%), depression (46.8%) and substance use disorders (5.8%). Moderation analyses revealed that depression (F [9, 251] = 18.50, p < 0.001, R CONCLUSION Greater effort should be dedicated to the screening of disordered eating behaviours in psychiatric outpatients presenting with greater psychological distress.