Gut microbial metabolite trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is associated with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Decreased insulin sensitivity is a significant etiological factor of T2DM. Adipocytes, myocytes, and hepatocytes are the three major target cells for insulin. This study aims to investigate the effects and mechanisms of TMAO on the insulin sensitivity of these target cells. Research results indicate that in different ages of db/db diabetic mice, plasma TMAO levels were increased. TMAO significantly inhibits the insulin signaling pathways in these three major insulin target cells, reduces glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and L6 myocytes and downregulates genes related to gluconeogenesis in primary mouse hepatocytes. Furthermore, in mice with normal insulin sensitivity, elevating plasma TMAO levels to those seen in db/db mice using a minipump results in impaired glucose tolerance and hyperinsulinemia. All animal experiments were carried out with approval of the Experimental Animal Welfare Ethics Committee of the Institute of Materia Medica (Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College). Mechanistic studies suggest that TMAO exposure increases the levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins in these three major insulin target cells. In summary, TMAO directly attenuates insulin sensitivity in insulin target cells, and its mechanism of action may involve enhancing endoplasmic reticulum stress.

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of Bushen Qiangdu Recipe (BSQDR) on osteoporosis and bone loss in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

METHODSPatients with AS were randomly assigned to two groups. The 288 patients in the treatment group received BSQDR (consisting of cibotii rhizoma, antler, prepared rehmannia root, epimedium herb, rhizoma drynariae, teasel root, eucommia bark, pangolin scales, etc., one dose daily, taken in two portions, once in the morning and once in the evening). The 72 patients in the control group received SIDSM and sulfasalazine. The therapeutic course for both was six months. Clinical symptoms, pillow distance from the wall, hand distance from the ground, jaw distance from the handle, chest mobility, Schober test, spinal mobility and other signs of disease activity indices (ESR and CRP) were observed in patients before and after treatment. The bone mineral density (BMD) testing was performed in the lumbar spine, the femur, the forearm, and the heels, etc. Osteocalcin (BGP), calcitonin, parathyroid hormone (PTH), etc. bone metabolic indices were detected.

RESULTSBASFI, BASDAI, the overall assessment, the spinal pain, pillow distance from the wall, hand distance from the ground, jaw distance from the handle, chest mobility, Schober test, spinal mobility, and so on were all improved to some extent when compared with before treatment in the treatment group (P<0.05). The ESR and CRP decreased to various degrees, showing statistical significance when compared with before treatment (P <0.01). BGP increased and PTH decreased, showing statistical difference when compared with before treatment (P<0.05). The BMD in patients' lumbar spine, femoral neck, Ward's triangle, femoral trochanter increased to various degrees. The calcaneal intensity index, blood uric acid (BUA) and SOS values also increased more than before treatment, showing statistical significance (P<0.05). Long-term oral administration of BSQDR was safe, with no obvious adverse reaction.

CONCLUSIONSBSQDR showed significant effect in treatment of AS. It could regulate the bone metabolic level in patients, attenuate the immune inflammatory response, improve the spine and joint activities functions, increase bone formation, reduce bone resorption, thereby, enhancing the BMD, showing significant therapeutic effect on osteoporosis in AS patients.

Adult ; Bone Density ; Bone Resorption ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoporosis ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Phytotherapy ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the genotype and variance of toxin associated genes of moxifloxacin‐resistant Clostridium difficile clinical isolates in Sydney .Methods Twenty‐two moxifloxacin‐resistant Clostridium difficile clinical isolates were collected from Sydney ,which were genotyped by using sequencer capillary gel electrophoresis based PCR‐ribotyping ,and toxin A and B cod‐ing gene tcdA and tcdB ,and binary toxin coding gene cdtA and cdtB were detected by using PCR method .Toxin regulator gene tc‐dC was analyzed by using PCR‐sequencing ,and was aligned with reference sequence of VPI 10463 (Genbank accession number :X92982) ,and the tcdC sequence types of all 22 isolates were identified by using blast tool in NCBI .Results Twenty‐one isolates were genotyped as hypervirulent PCR‐ribotypes 027 (RT027) ,and one isolate as RT078 ;all 22 isolates contained tcdA and tcdB for toxin A and B and cdtA and cdtB for binary toxin (tcdA+ tcdB+ cdtA+ cdtB+ ) .The tcdC sequence types of the 21 RT027 i‐solates belong to sc1 ,and that of the one RT078 isolate belongs to WA39 .Compared with tcdC reference sequence of VPI 10463 ,a consecutive 18 bp deletion (nt341 to 379) and one nucleotide deletion at position 117 were found in the 21 RT027 isolates ,and a consecutive 39 bp deletion (nt330 to 368) and one nucleotide mutation at position 184(C> T) were found in the one RT078 isolate . Conclusion Clostridium difficile hypervirulent RT027 was the common moxifloxacin resistant genotype ;Clostridium difficile hy‐pervirulent RT027 and RT078 clinical isolates contained genes for toxin A and B and binary toxin ,and contained gene sequence mu‐tation in toxin regulator gene tcdC .

Objective To investigate the genotype and production of toxin A and B of C .difficile clinical isolates collected from Sydney ,Australia .Methods Sixty‐eight C .difficile clinical isolates were collected from Westmead Hospital ,the University of Sydney ,which were genotyped by using PCR‐ribotyping ,and toxin A ,B coding gene tcdA ,tcdB were detected by using PCR meth‐od .Results Thirty‐one PCR‐ribotypes (RTs) were confirmed in the 68 C .difficile clinical isolates ,RT014 (19 .1% ) and RT002 (11 .8% ) were the common genotypes .Sixty‐four of 68 (94 .1% ) isolates contained tcdA and tcdB for toxin A and B .Conclusion The common prevalent PCR‐ribotypes of C .difficile were RT014 and RT002 in Sydney ,most of the C .difficile clinical isolates contained toxin A and B .

Objective To explore the quality of life (QOL) and its influential factors among patients with 3 major rheumatic diseases. Methods A total of 216 patients with rheumatic diseases (84 patients with systemic lu- pus erythematosus, SLE, 83 with rheumatoid arthritis, RA, and 49 with ankylosing spondylitis, AS) were recruited. The information with regard to their quality of life, sociopsychological factors and the evaluation of disease activity were obtained by using the medical outcomes study short form-36 (SF-36) and clinic documents. Results Patients with rheumatic diseases scored significantly lower with each subscale of SF-36 as compared to those of a healthy popu- lation in China (P

Objective This study reviews the 198 consecutive mitral valve operations for elderly patients(＞ 65 y) with ischemic mitral insufficiency performed at Anzhen Hospital between January 2000 and june 2016.The results for mitral valve reconstruction are compared with those for biological mitral valve replacement.Methods From January 2000 to June 2016,198 elderly patients with ischemic mitral insufficiency underwent mitral valve reconstruction (n =150) or biological mitral valve replacement(n =48).All of them coronary artery bypass gafting was performed at the same time.Preoperative clinical characteristics,procedural characteristics,major and minor complications after surgery,preoperative and postoperative left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by echocardiography,and outcome (survivor or death,mitral regurgitation,NYHA degree) were assessed.Results There was no significant difference between the two groups in the rate of mortality during hospitalization and early postoperative cardiac function.The proportion of severe MR in 1,3,and 5 years after MVP were 5.1％ 、6.3％、7.7％ respectively.There was no MVR due to the recurrent moderate-to-severe reflux.There were 2 SBE but no reflux appeared after MVR.There was no significant difference in cardiac function and mortality between the two groups within 5 years.Conclusion There is no significant difference between CABG + MVP and CABG + MVR(BV) in cardiac function and mortality in the treatment of elderly patients with IMR.,There was a possibility of MR recurrence after CABG + MVP.There was no MR after CABG + MVR(BV),but the risk of SBE is higher than MVP.We can select operation mode personalized according to the type of mitral valve disease and cardiac function.

Transzuojin Pill.Conclusion Microcalorimetry can be used to investigate the drug property differences during combination of Rhizoma Coptidis with Fructus Evodiae after separated decoction.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of Bushen Shuji Granule (BSG) in treating ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients.

METHODSA prospective randomized controlled clinical trial was carried out in 62 active stage AS patients with Shen deficiency Du-channel cold syndrome (SDDCS), who were randomly assigned to the BSG group (treated with BSG) and the control group (treated with Celecoxib Capsule). Twelve weeks consisted of one therapeutic course. Therapeutic effects were evaluated by ASAS20 and ASAS40 (set by Assessments in Ankylosing Spondylitis working group) , BASDA150, Chinese medical (CM) syndrome efficacy evaluation standards. BASDAI, the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), the Bath AS Metrology Index (BASMI), scores for spine pain, scores for pain at night, patient global assessment (PGA) , erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) , and C reactive protein (CRP) were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSAfter three-month treatment by BSG, ASAS20 standard rate was 63. 33% (19/30 cases) in the BSG group and 66.67% (20/30 cases) in the control group with no significant difference between the two groups (χ2 = 0.073, P > 0.05). The efficacy for CM syndromes was 70.00% (21/30 cases) in the BSG group, higher than that in the control group [40.00% (12/30 cases), χ2 = 5.455, P < 0.05]. Scores for CM syndromes, BASDAI, night pain index, spinal pain index, PGA, CRP were improved in the BSG group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The incidence of adverse events in the BSG group was lower than that of the control group.

CONCLUSIONBSG based on Shen supplementing, Du-channel strengthening, blood activating, and channels dredging method had good short-term clinical efficacy and safety in treating AS.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Biomedical Research ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Pain ; Prospective Studies ; Safety ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo optimize the extraction procedure of essential oil from H. cordata using the SFE-CO2 and analyze the chemical composition of the essential oil.

METHODThe extraction procedure of essential oil from fresh H. cordata was optimized with the orthogonal experiment. Essential oil of fresh H. cordata was analysed by GC-MS.

RESULTThe optimize preparative procedure was as follow: essential oil of H. cordata was extracted at a temperature of 35 degrees C, pressure of 15,000 kPa for 20 min. 38 chemical components were identified and the relative contents were quantified.

CONCLUSIONThe optimum preparative procedure is reliable and can guarantee the quality of essential oil.

Aldehydes ; analysis ; chemistry ; Carbon Dioxide ; chemistry ; Chromatography, Supercritical Fluid ; methods ; Freeze Drying ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; methods ; Houttuynia ; chemistry ; Ketones ; analysis ; chemistry ; Oils, Volatile ; analysis ; chemistry ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Pressure ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo study the flavonoid constituents in fresh herb of Houttuynia cordata.

METHODVarious column packing materials including Diaion HP - 20, Sephadex LH - 20, ODS and silica gel were employed for the isolation and purification of compounds from H. cordata. The structures of the compounds were identified by physiochemical properties and spectral analysis.

RESULTFive compounds were isolated, and their structures were identified as quercetin-3-O-beta-D-galactoside-7-O-beta-D-glucoside (1), kaempferol-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 --> 6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), quercitrin (3), hyperin (4), quercetin 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1, 2 and 5 were separated from H. cordata for the first time.

Flavonoids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Houttuynia ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Quercetin ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification