Objective:To examine the correlations of microRNA-34c(miR-34c) expression in the peripheral blood with the onset of diabetic foot ulcer(DFU)and diabetic foot osteomyelitis(DFO)in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Methods:Sixty newly-diagnosed T2DM patients without DFU(T2DM group), 112 T2DM patients with DFU(DFU group), and 60 healthy controls with normal glucose tolerance(NC group)were included. The 112 T2DM patients with DFU were further divided into DFO( n=64)and NDFO( n=48)groups. The levels of miR-34c were determined by quantitative real-time PCR, while clinical features and risk factors of DFU and DFO were explored. Results:A significant increase in the expression level of miR-34c in peripheral blood was observed in T2DM group compared with NC group[2.99(1.45-6.22) vs 1.01(0.89-1.52), P<0.05], and a markedly increased miR-34c expression level was noted in DFU group compared with T2DM group [9.65(6.15-18.63) vs 2.99(1.45-6.22), P<0.01]. Additionally, the expression level of miR-34c in peripheral blood significantly increased in DFO group compared to NDFO group [13.46(8.89-19.11) vs 6.02(5.93-14.72), P<0.01]. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between the expression level of miR-34c in peripheral blood and the amputation rate in patients in DFU group( P=0.030), and a negative correlation in the expression level of miR-34c( P=0.025)with healing rate of DFU after eight weeks. The multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that a high expression of miR-34c was an independent risk factor for DFU and DFO( OR=3.52, 4.13; both P<0.01). Conclusion:An increased expression of miR-34c in peripheral blood of T2DM patients might be closely related to the occurrence, development, and prognosis of DFU and DFO.

Objective To discuss the diagnostic value of N-terminal-pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) for patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) complicated with left heart failure. Methods Patients with medical history of AECOPD, or are diagnosed as AECOPD from March 2014 to February 2015 were involved in the study. Based on echocardiography and clinic characteristics , the patients were divided into left heart failure group (group A) and non-left heart failure group (group B). Related factors of elevated NT-proBNP in AECOPD and the diagnostic value of NT-proBNP for patients with AECOPD complicated with left heart failure were analyzed , and exclusive and diagnostic cutoff were worked out. Results In this study , 109 AECOPD patients were collected , including 21 patients in group A and 88 patients in group B. Multivariate linear regression analysis indicated NT-proBNP was positively associated with PCT (β=0.180,P = 0.011) and PAP(β = 0.333,P = 0.000), and negatively with LVEF(β = -0.511,P = 0.000)and the area under the ROC curve(AUC) was 0.959 (95% confidence interval:0.915-1.002,P = 0.000). The exclusive cutoff was 794.6 pg/mL(sensitivity:90.5%,specificity:92%), and the diagnostic cutoff 1 618 pg/mL(sensitivity:85.7%,specificity: 97.7%). Conclusions NT-proBNP can help to diagnose whether AECPOD patients are complicated with left heart failure. Besides left heart dysfunction and the state of systemic inflammation , pulmonary hypertension may be the reasons for the elevated NT-proBNP in AECOPD patients.

OBJECTIVETo study the immunotoxicity induced by 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzathrancene (DMBA) in metallothionein gene-knocked-out mice [MT(-/-)] as compared with that in wild-type mice [(MT(+/+)].

METHODSFemale mice were treated with 25 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg of DMBA i.p., respectively and immunized with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) i.v. on the following day and rechallenged by injection of SRBC via footpad s.c. on the fourth day post-immunization. Humoral and cell-mediated immune function was assessed by the number of spleen IgM antibody plaque formation cells (PFC) to SRBC and cell-mediated delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) measured by footpad swelling thickness.

RESULTSAfter treatment with 25 mg/kg DMBA, a decrease in weight of their spleen and thymus and PFC/spleen were observed in MT(-/-) mice, while only decrease in thymus weight of MT(+/+) mice. The humoral function was suppressed by 72% in MT(-/-) mice. No obvious change in cell-mediated immune function was observed both in MT(-/-) and MT(+/+) mice. Both humoral and cell-mediated immune function were suppressed more severe (91%) in MT(-/-) mice treated with 50 mg/kg DMBA than those treated with 25 mg/kg DMBA (72%). DTH was not altered by DMBA in MT(+/+) mice. The weight of their spleen and thymus decreased and humoral immune function suppressed in MT(+/+) mice, but these changes were significantly less severe. No obvious suppression of cell-mediated immune function was observed in MT(+/+) mice.

CONCLUSIONTheir humoral and cell-mediated immune function was more susceptible to being suppressed by DMBA in MT(-/-) mice, indicating that MT could protect their immune function from damage caused by DMBA.

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene ; toxicity ; Animals ; Immunity ; drug effects ; Metallothionein ; physiology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Knockout ; Organ Size ; drug effects

The causes of primary adrenal insufficiency(PAI) are varying, however, anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS) is a relatively rare one. PAI lacks unique clinical manifestations, so the confirmation of PAI was easily to be neglected by physicians. We report a case with abdominal pain as the first complaint, followed by multiple infections, thrombotic events, and aggravating fatigue. Through a series of the laboratory examination, medical imaging, and pathology examination, this patient was diagnosed as PAI caused by APS. Combining this report with literature review, we aim to raise awareness of the disease and avoid misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis.

Objective: To prepare peptide minotope-based recombinant diagnostic antigen of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and evaluate its antigenicity preliminarily. Methods: With Trx at the N-terminal and His tag at the C-terminal, the peptide minotope of EBV (GP125, F1, A2, A3C2) was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by affinity and anion exchange chromatography (designated 'H58’); based on antigenicity of H58 identified by Western blotting (WB), we constructed and evaluated a novel early diagnostic ELISA for EBV infection. Results: The soluble H58 protein with high concentration (2.8 mg/ml) and purity (99.01) was obtained; WB analysis found that there was an obvious band (28 ×10³) on the NC membrane, using H58 anti-Trx monoclonal antibody or acute-phase sera of EBV infection as the first antibody. With the novel ELISA, 50 positive sera of EBV infection and 50 negative sera were detected, displaying that the grouping of OD value of positive serum (95%CI: 1.233-1.489) and negative serum (95%CI: 0.113-0.159) was different (P<0.05) with the sensitivity 98.0%, specificity 96.0% and kappa value 0.940. Conclusions By E. coli expression and affinity and ion exchange chromatography purification, the peptide minotope-based recombinant diagnostic antigen of EBV infection was obtained with excellent antigenicity, which could be applied for serological detection of EBV infection.