ObjectiveTo investigate the pathological characteristics of the expressions of associated proteins in vascular smooth muscle cells and infiltration of macrophages in elderly abdominal aortic aneurysms. MethodsHE stained slices, Van Gieson' s stained slices and immunohistochemical staining were applied to detect protein expression in the tissue sections of 15 cases of elderly abdominal aortic aneurysms and 6 cases of normal abdominal aorta. The protein expressions of α-smooth muscle actin, cathepsin B and CD68 were detected by immunohistochemical staining. ResultsCompared with normal abdominal aorta, the collagen content was higher in elderly abdominal aortic aneurysms [(9.3 ± 1.9) % vs. (5.3±1.8) %, P ＜ 0.05]. The levels ofexpression of cathepsin B and CD68 were higher in elderly abdominal aortic aneurysms than those in normal abdominal aorta , but the level of expression of α-SMA was lower in elderly abdominal aorticaneurysms than that in normal abdominal aorta[(0.38±0.07) vs. (0.135=0.06), (0.51±0.12) vs.(0.01±0.01), (0.23±0.05) vs. (0.335±0.05) ,respectively, all P＜0.05]. ConclusionsChanges in the expression of associated proteins in vascular smooth muscle cells and infiltration of macrophages may participate in the vascular walls destruction in elderly abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Objective To investigate the efficacy of Saxagliptin on the glucose and lipids metabolism and adipokines levels in diet-induced insulin resistance rat,and to explore the regulatory mechanism of saxagliptin in insulin resistance.Methods 36 4-week-old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups:control group (n=12) and high-glucose and fat diet group(HF,n =24).The HF rats were randomly divided into two subgroups:HF group and saxagliptin group,and continued the treatment for 8 weeks.Levels of blood glucose,insulin,triglyceride (TG),total cholesterol (TC),TNF-α and adiponectin were determined.Results After four months,serum levels of fasting glucose,insulin,TG,TC were significantly increased in HF group as compared with control group [(7.07±1.61) mmol/L vs.(5.10±0.44) mmol/L,(23.70±7.37) mU/L vs.(19.35 ± 6.38) mU/L],[(3.21± 1.44) mmol/L vs.(0.83 ± 0.39) mmol/L,(3.04 ± 1.62) mmol/L vs.(1.14±0.24) mmol/L,all P＜0.05],and were all decreased after the treatment of saxagliptin.The glucose infusion rate was lower in HF group than in control group and was higher in saxagliptin group than in HF group [(18.80±1.57) mg · kg-1 · min-1 vs.(24.31±2.65) mg · kg 1 · min 1,(21.45 ±1.80) mg· kg-1 · min-1 vs.(18.80±1.57) mg· kg 1 · min-1,P＜0.01 or 0.05].Compared with the control group,serum THF-α was higher and adiponectin level was lower in HF group [(1.38 ±0.18) μg/L vs.(2.33±0.21)μg/L,(2.65±0.29) mg/L vs.(1.38±0.20)mg/L,both P＜0.01].Saxagliptin can significantly increase the serum level of adiponectin and decrease the level of TNF-α in HF group (P＜0.01 or 0.05).Conclusions Saxagliptin treatment can improve high-fat dietinduced insulin resistance,decrease blood lipids levels and regulate the levels of adipokines in HF rats.

Objective To examine the correlation of imbalance of urinary exosome Th1/Th2 with diabetic nephropathy (DN).Methods A total of 120 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and 30 healthy volunteers as control were enrolled in the study.According to urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR),type 2 diabetes mellitus patients were divided into 3 groups:diabetes mellitus without nepbropathy group (DM,n=40,UACR＜30 mg/gCr),microalbuminuria group (DN 1,n=50,UACR-30～300 mg/gCr) and clinicoalbuminuria group (DN 2,n=30,UACR＞300 mg/gCr).Urine exosome-interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and exosome-interleukin 4 (IL-4) levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Multiple stepwise linear regression was used to analyze the correlation of exosome-IFN-γ/IL-4 with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c),cholesterol (CH),UACR,Scr and BUN.Results Th1/Th2 ratio in DM,DN1,DN2 groups was significantly higher than that in healthy group (0.8089±0.2458,0.8993 ±0.3515,0.8571±0.2470 vs 0.6198±0.1769,all P＜0.01).Correlation analysis showed that urinary exosomeIFN-γ/IL-4 ratio was positively correlated with UACR (r=0.213,P=0.015) and BUN (r=0.292,P=0.001).Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis showed that BUN was independent determinants for exosome-IFN-γ/IL-4 (β=0.246,P=0.006).Conclusion The imbalance of urinary exosomeTh1/Th2 is correlated with DN,which may play an important role in the pathogenesis of DN.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the levels of soluble growth stimu-lation expressed gene 2 protein(sST2),myoglobin(Myo),interleukin-6(IL-6)in peripheral blood and cardiac function in elderly patients with diastolic heart failure(DHF)complicated with sarcope-nia.Methods A total of 122 patients with DHF were divided into DHF complicated with sarcopenia group(60 cases)and DHF group(62 cases)according to the presence or absence of sarcopenia.In addition,58 healthy healthy population with physical examination and 60 patients with sarcopenia a-lone were included in the control group and sarcopenia alone group,respectively.The levels of sST2,Myo,IL-6 and cardiac function indexes[left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),cardiac output(CO),heart rate(HR),stroke volume(SV),and cardiac index(CI)]were measured in each group.Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlations between sST2,Myo,IL-6 and each cardiac function index.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were drawn to analyze the diagnostic efficacy of sST2,Myo,IL-6 alone and their combination in diagnosing DHF complicated with sarcopenia.Results Compared with the control groupand the sarcopenia alone group,the levels of sST2,Myo,IL-6 and HR were increased,while LVEF,CO,SV,and CI were decreased in the DHF group and the DHF complicated with sarcopenia group(P＜0.05).Compared with the DHF group,the levels of sST2,Myo,IL-6 and HR were increased,while LVEF,CO,SV,and CI were decreased in the DHF complicated with sarcopenia group(P＜0.05).The sST2,Myo,and IL-6 were negatively correlated with LVEF,CO,SV,and CI(P＜0.001),and positively correlated with HR(P＜0.001).The sST2,Myo,IL-6,LVEF,and SV were independent influencing factors for DHF complicated with sarcopenia(P＜0.05).The area under the curve of combined detection of sST2,Myo,and IL-6 for diagnosing DHF complicated with sarcopenia was 0.936,indicating a better diagnostic efficacy than individual tests.Conclusion The levels of sST2,Myo,and IL-6 in peripheral blood are significantly increased in elderly patients with DHF complicated with sarcope-nia,and these markers are significantly correlated with cardiac function indexes.Combined detec-tion of these three markers has a higher diagnostic efficacy for DHF complicated with sarcopenia.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the levels of soluble growth stimu-lation expressed gene 2 protein(sST2),myoglobin(Myo),interleukin-6(IL-6)in peripheral blood and cardiac function in elderly patients with diastolic heart failure(DHF)complicated with sarcope-nia.Methods A total of 122 patients with DHF were divided into DHF complicated with sarcopenia group(60 cases)and DHF group(62 cases)according to the presence or absence of sarcopenia.In addition,58 healthy healthy population with physical examination and 60 patients with sarcopenia a-lone were included in the control group and sarcopenia alone group,respectively.The levels of sST2,Myo,IL-6 and cardiac function indexes[left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),cardiac output(CO),heart rate(HR),stroke volume(SV),and cardiac index(CI)]were measured in each group.Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlations between sST2,Myo,IL-6 and each cardiac function index.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were drawn to analyze the diagnostic efficacy of sST2,Myo,IL-6 alone and their combination in diagnosing DHF complicated with sarcopenia.Results Compared with the control groupand the sarcopenia alone group,the levels of sST2,Myo,IL-6 and HR were increased,while LVEF,CO,SV,and CI were decreased in the DHF group and the DHF complicated with sarcopenia group(P＜0.05).Compared with the DHF group,the levels of sST2,Myo,IL-6 and HR were increased,while LVEF,CO,SV,and CI were decreased in the DHF complicated with sarcopenia group(P＜0.05).The sST2,Myo,and IL-6 were negatively correlated with LVEF,CO,SV,and CI(P＜0.001),and positively correlated with HR(P＜0.001).The sST2,Myo,IL-6,LVEF,and SV were independent influencing factors for DHF complicated with sarcopenia(P＜0.05).The area under the curve of combined detection of sST2,Myo,and IL-6 for diagnosing DHF complicated with sarcopenia was 0.936,indicating a better diagnostic efficacy than individual tests.Conclusion The levels of sST2,Myo,and IL-6 in peripheral blood are significantly increased in elderly patients with DHF complicated with sarcope-nia,and these markers are significantly correlated with cardiac function indexes.Combined detec-tion of these three markers has a higher diagnostic efficacy for DHF complicated with sarcopenia.