Objectives To investigate the relationship between albuminuria and all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in middle-to-old-aged Chinese population. Methods A total of 2500 residents aged more than 40 years old were selected using random cluster sampling in Shougang community, Beijing, and 2315 of them took part in the survey finally. Morning urinary samples were collected. Urinary albumin and creatinine were measured. Albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) was calculated and used as an index of albuminuria. The subjects were grouped according to ACR: normoalbuminuria (NO, ACR＜ 30 mg/g), microalbuminuria (MI, ACR 30-299 mg/g), and macroalbuminuria (MA, ACR ≥ 300 mg/g). Albuminuria (AL) group consisted of MI group and MA group. Cardiovascular risk factors were also investigated. Then all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality were collected after 4 years. The Cox model was used to analyze the relationship between albuminuria and all-cause mortality after adjusting for confounders. Results The prevalence of microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria was 7.6% and 1.4% respectively. After 4 years follow-up,the cardiovascular mortality was 2.7/1000 person-years in NO group, 19.9/1000 person-years in MI group, and 11.5/1000 person-years in MA group and the all-cause mortality was 6.6/1000,25.9/1000 and 57.5/1000 person-years respectively. After adjusting for age, gender, smoking, body mass index, serum lipids, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease at baseline and serum creatinine, the hazard ratio (HR) of cardiovascular mortality in AL group was 5.26 [95% confidence intervals (CI) 2.26-12.24] compared with NO group; the HR of all-cause mortality was 3.34 (95% CI 1.82-6.15). Among patients without cardiovascular disease at baseline, the corresponding HRs were 6.92 (95%CI 1.80-26.58) and 2.85 (95%CI 1.22-6.65) respectively.Conclusion In the population studied, albuminuria is an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality.

Objective To investigate the appropriate waist circumference (WC) cutoff points for central obesity in the middle-aged and elderly Beijing residents by the metabolic syndrome definition of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Methods A total of 2,344Beijing residents aged ≥40 years were investigated. They answered questionnaires, received physical examinations, and underwent plasma glucose and lipid profile measurement. Those non-diabetic subjects underwent a 75g oral glucose tolerance test. All data were analyzed to calculate the appropriate WC cutoff points for central obesity reaching the diagonsis of MS. Results 1) Both in males and females, the triglyceride (TG), systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) increased linearly with WC, and the high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) decreased linearly with WC (P＜0.05). 2)The prevalence of elevated TG,reduced HDL-C, elevated blood pressure, elevated FBG, or ≥ 2 of these factors increased with WC (P＜0.05). 3) Based on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and Youden index, the WC values for central obesity and for detecting BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2were about 90 cm for men and 80 cm for women. 4) The odds ratio for the presence of two or more metabolic risk factors increased abruptly in men with WC ≥ 90 cm and in women with WC ≥ 80 cm. Conclusions The appropriate WC cutoff point for central obesity was determined to be 90 cm for men and 80 cm for women in the middle-aged and elderly Beijing residents by the metabolic syndrome definition of IDF.

Objective To investigate the outcome and related risk factors of integrated intensive intervention in participants with impaired glucose regulation (IGR) after two years by the criteria of American Diabetes Association 2003. Methods The subjects who remained to be IGR at the end of first year following 75 g oral glucose tolerance test were randomly assigned to either a routine care control group or to an intensive integrated intervention group. The control group received general dietary and exercise advice at baseline and was followed up. In addition to dietary control and exercise advice, mefformin or acarbose were administrated in the intervention group. The latter group was also advised to take antihypertensive agents, lipid-regulating agents if necessary, as well as aspirin. Results The proportion of patients who fulfilled the assigned goals of blood glucose, blood pressure, body mass index or triglycerides was significantly higher in the intensive group than those in the control group. None in the intensive group developed overt diabetes mellitus, while 8 (9.3%) in the control group did. The proportion of patients who reverted to normal glucose tolerance (NGT) was slightly higher in the intensive group than in the control group (29.5% vs 22.1%, P>0.05). Logistic analysis showed that increase of waist circumference and systolic blood pressure was positively while the improvement of islet β-cell function was negatively correlated with the development of diabetes mellitus. Conclusions The intensive integrated intervention could significantly decrease the conversion rate of IGR to diabetes mellitus, and increase the chance of reversion to NGT. The increase of waist circumference or systolic blood pressure, the deterioration of islet β-ccll function were the influencing factors of the conversion of IGR to diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Qili Qiangxin capsules on the amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level and cardiac function in patients with silicosis.

METHODSHospitalized silicosis patients with heart failure were divided into treatment group (41 cases) and control group (30 cases) according to their own will. Both groups received comprehensive symptomatic treatment; in addition, the treatment group received Qili Qiangxin capsules. The treatment lasted 6 months. The observed items included NT-proBNP level, 6-minute walk test, ultrasonic cardiogram, and NYHA classification before and after treatment.

RESULTSAccording to NYHA classification, the response rate was 29.27%in the treatment group and 10.00%in the control group; there was a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). The average walk distance in the treatment group was increased from 150.96±73.12 m before treatment to 169.32±77.04 m after treatment, and the improvement was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The average NT-proBNP level in the treatment group was reduced from 1154.44 ± 480.79 ng/L before treatment to 494.49 ± 342.61 ng/L after treatment, and the reduction was statistically significant (P < 0.01). Left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly improved in the treatment group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONQili Qiangxin capsules in addition to comprehensive symptomatic treatment can significantly reduce NT-proBNP level and improve cardiac function in silicosis patients, and thereby improve patients' quality of life.

Capsules ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Echocardiography ; Heart Failure ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Peptide Fragments ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Quality of Life ; Silicosis ; drug therapy ; physiopathology

Objective:This article analyzed the current situation, similarities and differences and main problems of the registration and management systems of innovative medical devices in China and the United States.Methods:This article summarized the requirements and policies for the registration management of innovative medical devices in China and the United States, as well as the development and differences of the registration of innovative medical devices in China and the United States, and the main problems in the registration management of innovative medical devices in China.Results:At present, the development level of medical device industry in China and the United States was different, facing different development problems, and there were differences in the access standards and management methods of innovative medical devices. The registration management system established for innovative medical devices in China was gradually improving, and to a certain extent, it had promoted the enthusiasm of innovative product research and development and registration applications, but there were also problems such as unclear innovation evaluation scales, insufficient early intervention of review resources, and insufficient utilization of post-marketing data.Conclusions:Drawing on the beneficial experience of breakthrough device registration management in the United States, we will improve the registration management system for innovative products and shorten the review and approval cycle by clarifying the identification criteria for innovative medical devices, promoting the placement of review resources in the R&D stage, and further strengthening the use of post-marketing data and regulatory scientific research.

Type I interferon (IFN) is considered as a bridge between innate and adaptive immunity. Proper activation or inhibition of type I IFN signaling is essential for host defense against pathogen invasion, tumor cell proliferation, and overactive immune responses. Due to intricate and diverse chemical structures, natural products and their derivatives have become an invaluable source inspiring innovative drug discovery. In addition, some natural products have been applied in clinical practice for infection, cancer, and autoimmunity over thousands of years and their promising curative effects and safety have been well-accepted. However, whether these natural products are primarily targeting type I IFN signaling and specific molecular targets involved are not fully elucidated. In the current review, we thoroughly summarize recent advances in the pharmacology researches of natural products for their type I IFN activity, including both agonism/activation and antagonism/inhibition, and their potential application as therapies. Furthermore, the source and chemical nature of natural products with type I IFN activity are highlighted and their specific molecular targets in the type I IFN pathway and mode of action are classified. In conclusion, natural products possessing type I IFN activity represent promising therapeutic strategies and have a bright prospect in the treatment of infection, cancer, and autoimmune diseases.
Biological Products/therapeutic use* ; Immunity, Innate ; Signal Transduction ; Interferon Type I/metabolism*

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become one of the most prominent causes of chronic liver diseases and malignancies. However, few therapy has been approved. Radix Bupleuri (RB) is the most frequently used herbal medicine for the treatment of liver diseases. In the current study, we aim to systemically evaluate the therapeutic effects of saikosaponin A (SSa) and saikosaponin D (SSd), the major bioactive monomers in RB, against NAFLD and to investigate the underlying mechanisms. Our results demonstrated that both SSa and SSd improved diet-induced NAFLD. Integrative lipidomic and transcriptomic analysis revealed that SSa and SSd modulated glycerolipid metabolism by regulating related genes, like