Objective To study the effect of blood glucose level and duration of type 2 diabetes mellitus on carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and quantitative carotid stiffness (QCS) in the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods Two hundred and seventy-four type 2 diabetic patients (diagnosed according to the World Health Organization criteria) were involved in this study. The subjects were divided into three groups according to the HbAlclevels and duration of diabetes mellitus: 60 with duration ≤2 years (as newly diagnosed) , 96 with duration≥5 years and HbAlc <6.5%, and 118 with duration≥5 years and HbAlc≥6.5%. CIMT and QCS of the common carotid artery were assessed by the high-resolution B-mode ultrasound unit and an echo-tracking system integrated in an uhrasound unit respectively. Results (1) In categorical analyses, the mean level of CIMT was increased from 720 μm in subjects with a duration of diabetes mellitus ≤2 years to 770 μm in subjects with a duration of diabetes mellitus > 2 years and plasma HbAlc< 6.5% (P < 0.05), and to 800 μm in subjects with a duration of diabetes mellitus > 5 years and plasma HbAlc≥ 6.5 % (P < 0.01). The corresponding values for Q CS values were 4.5, 4.5 and 5.1 (P <0.05), respectively. (2) In multiple stepwise regression analyses, CIMT wassignificantly associated with the duration of diabetes mellitus, systolic blood pressure and serum concentration of total cholesterol, whereas QCS was significantly associated with age, duration of diabetes mellitus, smoking, HbAlc, systolic blood pressure (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Conclusion QCS is suitable in evaluating the impact of blood glucose on carotid artery, while CIMT is an appropriate tool for long-term follow-up of diabetic patients.

Objective To evaluate the difference of carotid intimal medial thickness (IMT) among different glucose tolerance status and to investigate the association of IMT with different glucose levels of 4 time points during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and the lipid metabolic indices in non-diabetic subjects. Methods Eleven normal control subjects, 69 subjects with impaired glucose regulation (IGR) newly diagnosed by OGTT (including 28 patients with non-elevated OGTT 30 min and 60 min glucose values (

Aim The TRPV1 plasmid was transiently transfected into human embryonic kidney HEK 293T cells to establish the heterologous expression system of TRPV1-channel. Methods The transfection efficiency was confirmed under fluorescence mi-croscope and the TRPV1 protein expression was identified by u-sing Western blot, and the functional characteristics of the chan-nel were studied by using the method of confocal microscopy. Results The transfection rate could reach 40% ~50%; the transfected cells were found to have a clear band at the corre-sponding position that TRPV1 should be, which indicated that TRPV1 channel protein was expressed in the transfected cells. The confocal microscopy imaging result showed that the trans-fected HEK 293T cells were activated by TRPV1 channel ago-nist. Conclusion Transient transfection of HEK 293T cells with TRPV1 channel is successfully constructed and the heterol-ogous TRPV1 channel is verified to have normal calcium-media-ting function.

This paper discusses the application of MRN combined with 3D printing in SNM in neurogenic bladder patients with special comorbidities. In this study, 21 cases of neurogenic bladder patients with special comorbidities involved, including 14 cases into the control group and 7 cases in the experimental group. Traditional X-ray guidance was used in the control group, while the MRN combined with 3D printing navigation template positioning was used in the experimental group. Compared with those in the control group, the X-ray fluoroscopy, number of punctures, puncture time, intraoperative adjustment and testing time were significantly decreased in the experimental group. The difference of implantable pulse generator implantation rates between the two groups was statistically significant.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effectiveness of small interfering RNA (siRNA) on inhibiting severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus replication, and to lay bases for the future clinical application of siRNA for the treatment of viral infectious diseases.

METHODSVero-E6 cells was transfected with siRNA before SARS virus infection, and the effectiveness of siRNA interference was evaluated by observing the cytopathic effect (CPE) on Vero-E6 cells.

RESULTSFive pairs of siRNA showed ability to reduce CPE dose dependently, and two of them had the best effect.

CONCLUSIONsiRNA may be effective in inhibiting SARS-associated coronavirus replication.

Animals ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; RNA, Small Interfering ; pharmacology ; SARS Virus ; drug effects ; Transfection ; Vero Cells ; Virus Replication ; drug effects

Objective: To discuss the prevalence and influential factors of stroke among population in Jiangxi Province. Methods: Four cities in urban areas and four counties in rural areas were selected firstly, in which two districts or townships were selected; and then three communities or villages were chosen from each district and township, respectively, using the simple random sampling (SRS) method. Finally 15 269 subjects aging 15 years old or above, living in Jiangxi Province ≥6 months were randomly selected to participate in this survey from November 2013 to August 2014. Information of population characteristics, life behavior way, individual disease history were collected through questionnaire survey, and height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, body fat rate, visceral fat index and so on were measured by instruments. Risk factors of stroke prevalence were analyzed by the unconditioned logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 15 269 participants (6 267 males) from 15 364 eligible participants were included in the statistical analysis. Out of which, 7 793 participants came from urban areas, and their average age was (53.04±17.91) years old. In this study, 226 stroke patients (117 males) were found among15 269 participants, including 122 urban participants and 104 rural participants, whose average age was (67.76±9.74) years old. The prevalence of stroke was 1 480.12/100 000 in 2014, which was separately 1 866.92/100 000 and 1 210.84/100 000 among males and females. The prevalence of people aging (45-49) years old was 413.79/100 000 (6/1 450) , while which among people aging 75 years old and above was 3 311.62/100 000 (61/1 842) . The prevalence of stroke among residents in Jiangxi presented an uprising tendency with age increasing (linear-by-linear association χ²=62.23, P<0.01). The research showed that when other influencing factors including gender, BMI, waist circumference, pulse-pressure difference, VAI, and sleeping time in non-working days were controlled, hypertensive patients had a higher risk of stroke than people without hypertension (OR=6.88, 95%CI: 4.90-9.67), drinkers had a higher risk of stroke than non-drinkers (OR=1.56, 95%CI: 1.17-2.08), compared with people <65 years old, people aged 65-74 years old and ≥75 years old had a higher risk of stroke, the value of OR (95%CI) were 1.88 (1.36-2.59) and 1.97 (1.39-2.80), respectively, compared with people with normal body fat percentage, people whose body fat percentage on high side and people who with high body fat percentage had a higher risk of stroke, the value of OR (95%CI) were 1.71 (1.18-2.48) and 1.74 (1.18-2.56), respectively, people with sleep time >8 h had a higher risk of stroke than those with sleep time of 6-8 h. Conclusion There was a high stroke prevalence among residents in Jiangxi province. Hypertension, drinking, age, BFP and sleep duration were associated with stroke prevalence. Corresponding measures for high-risk population and risk factors should be strengthened to prevent and control the stroke.

BACKGROUND:Traditional methods of urinary tract reconstruction are limited by donor scarcity,high complication rates,and suboptimal functional recovery.Tissue engineering strategies offer new directions in this field.Since the urinary tract is mainly composed of muscle tissue,the key is to find suitable seed cells and efficiently induce them to differentiate into smooth muscle cells.Comparative studies on the efficacy of different smooth muscle cell induction regimens are still lacking. OBJECTIVE:To isolate,culture,and identify human urine-derived stem cells,and to compare the effects of two different induction protocols. METHODS:Human urine-derived stem cells were isolated from urine samples of 11 healthy adult volunteers by multiple centrifugations.Surface markers were identified by flow cytometry.The multi-directional differentiation potential of human urine-derived stem cells was verified through osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation.Differentiation was induced by transforming growth factor-β1 or transforming growth factor-β1 combined with platelet derived growth factor for 14 days.Immunofluorescence staining and western blot assay were employed to compare the expression differences of smooth muscle-specific proteins(α-SMA and SM22). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Urine-derived stem cells were successfully isolated from the eight urine samples of healthy people.These cells exhibit a"rice grain"-like morphology and possess a robust proliferative capacity.(2)Urine-derived stem cells exhibited high expression of mesenchymal stem cell surface markers(CD73,CD90,and CD44)and extremely low expression of hematopoietic stem cell surface markers(CD34 and CD45).These cells did not express CD19,CD105,and HLA-DR.(3)After osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation,the formation of calcium nodules and lipid droplets was observed,with positive staining results from Alizarin Red S and Oil Red O staining.(4)After 14 days of smooth muscle induction culture,immunofluorescence staining revealed that the smooth muscle differentiation rate of urine-derived stem cells treated with a combination of transforming growth factor-β1 and platelet derived growth factor was significantly higher compared to those treated with transforming growth factor-β1 alone(P<0.005).(5)After 14 days of smooth muscle induction culture,western blot assay further demonstrated that the expression levels of α-SMA and SM22 in the transforming growth factor-β1/platelet derived growth factor group were significantly elevated compared to those in the transforming growth factor-β1 only group(P<0.005).These findings confirm that urine-derived stem cells can be non-invasively isolated using multiple rounds of centrifugation.Compared with transforming growth factor-β1 alone,the combination of transforming growth factor-β1 and platelet derived growth factor can improve the efficiency of inducing urine-derived stem cells to differentiate into smooth muscle cells.

Objective To investigate the effects of allergens on the expressions of IL-18,IL-18BPa and IL-18Rα protein in peripheral blood CD4+Th1 cells of healthy control subjects(HC)and patients with allergic rhi-nitis(AR),and on the expressions of IL-18,IL-18BPa and IL-18Rα mRNA in the peripheral blood CD4+T cells.Methods Blood samples were collected from patients with rhinitis for negative skin prick test(AR-),rhinitis for positive skin prick test(AR+)and HC.Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the effects of allergens on the expres-sions of IL-18,IL-18BPa and IL-18Rα protein in CD4+Th1 cells.The expressions of IL-18,IL-18BPa and IL-18Rα mRNA in CD4+T cells were determined by qPCR.Results Compared with HC,increased IL-18 while de-creased IL-18BPa expressions in Th1 cells of AR-and AR+patients were observed,increased IL-18Rα expression in Th1 cells of AR+patients was also found.Additionally,allergens induced elevated expression of IL-18Rα pro-tein in Th1 cells of HC,and induced elevated mRNA expressions of IL-18,IL-18BPa and IL-18Rα in isolated blood CD4+T cells of AR+patients and HC.Conclusion Allergens may be involved in the pathogenesis of AR by inducing the expressions of IL-18 and IL-18Rα in blood CD4+Th1 cells.