ObjectiveTo study the effect of the herb pair Mori Folium-Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma （HMG） on glucose and lipid metabolism in the mouse model of type 2 diabetes mellitus and decipher the possible treatment mechanism. MethodsThe db/db mice were chosen as the mouse model of type 2 diabetes mellitus and then treated with HMG at low and high doses （1.56， 3.12 g∙kg^-1， respectively） or metformin （0.26 g∙kg^-1） by gavage for 6 weeks. The normal group and the model group were treated with double distilled water at the same time according to body weight. The 8-h fasting blood glucose and body weight were measured once a week. The oral glucose tolerance test （OGTT） was conducted at the 6th week of dosing. The mice were sacrificed after the end of dosing. Serum levels of lipids ［total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL）， and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL）］， liver function indicators ［aspartate aminotransferase （AST） and alanine aminotransferase （ALT）］， non-esterified fatty acids （NEFA）， glycosylated serum protein （GSP）， serum glucose （GLU）， fasting insulin （FINS）， and renal function indicators ［creatinine （Crea） and blood urea nitrogen （BUN）］ were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The protein levels of peroxidase proliferator-activating receptor gamma （PPARγ）， acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase （ACC）， and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 （SREBP-1） were determined by Western blot. The pathological changes in the liver and pancreas were examined. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group presented increased body weight， elevated levels of blood glucose， TG， TC， AST， ALT， GLU， NEFA， GSP， and HDL-C， up-regulated protein levels of ACC and SREBP-1， and down-regulated protein level of PPARγ （P<0.01）. Meanwhile， the model group presented a large amount of lipid droplets and steatosis in the liver， as well as karyopyknosis and lymphocyte infiltration in the pancreas. Compared with the model group， the high- and low-dose HMG groups showed decreased body weight， declined levels of blood glucose， TG， TC， AST， ALT， GLU， NEFA， and GSP， and elevate level of HDL-C （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， the two groups showcased reduced lipid droplets and steatosis in the liver， as well as enlarged islets with clear boundaries and alleviated lymphocyte infiltration and karyopyknosis. Western blot results showed that the high-dose herb pair group demonstrated down-regulated protein levels of ACC and SREBP-1 and up-regulated protein level of PPARγ （P<0.01）. ConclusionThe HMG can effectively improve the glucose and lipid metabolism in db/db mice by regulating the expression of PPARγ， SREBP-1， and ACC.

ObjectiveTo study the effect of the herb pair Mori Folium-Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma （HMG） on glucose and lipid metabolism in the mouse model of type 2 diabetes mellitus and decipher the possible treatment mechanism. MethodsThe db/db mice were chosen as the mouse model of type 2 diabetes mellitus and then treated with HMG at low and high doses （1.56， 3.12 g∙kg^-1， respectively） or metformin （0.26 g∙kg^-1） by gavage for 6 weeks. The normal group and the model group were treated with double distilled water at the same time according to body weight. The 8-h fasting blood glucose and body weight were measured once a week. The oral glucose tolerance test （OGTT） was conducted at the 6th week of dosing. The mice were sacrificed after the end of dosing. Serum levels of lipids ［total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL）， and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL）］， liver function indicators ［aspartate aminotransferase （AST） and alanine aminotransferase （ALT）］， non-esterified fatty acids （NEFA）， glycosylated serum protein （GSP）， serum glucose （GLU）， fasting insulin （FINS）， and renal function indicators ［creatinine （Crea） and blood urea nitrogen （BUN）］ were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The protein levels of peroxidase proliferator-activating receptor gamma （PPARγ）， acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase （ACC）， and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 （SREBP-1） were determined by Western blot. The pathological changes in the liver and pancreas were examined. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group presented increased body weight， elevated levels of blood glucose， TG， TC， AST， ALT， GLU， NEFA， GSP， and HDL-C， up-regulated protein levels of ACC and SREBP-1， and down-regulated protein level of PPARγ （P<0.01）. Meanwhile， the model group presented a large amount of lipid droplets and steatosis in the liver， as well as karyopyknosis and lymphocyte infiltration in the pancreas. Compared with the model group， the high- and low-dose HMG groups showed decreased body weight， declined levels of blood glucose， TG， TC， AST， ALT， GLU， NEFA， and GSP， and elevate level of HDL-C （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， the two groups showcased reduced lipid droplets and steatosis in the liver， as well as enlarged islets with clear boundaries and alleviated lymphocyte infiltration and karyopyknosis. Western blot results showed that the high-dose herb pair group demonstrated down-regulated protein levels of ACC and SREBP-1 and up-regulated protein level of PPARγ （P<0.01）. ConclusionThe HMG can effectively improve the glucose and lipid metabolism in db/db mice by regulating the expression of PPARγ， SREBP-1， and ACC.

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.

Objectives:To investigate the association between social determinants of health(SDOH)and incident stroke and analyze the main risk factors for stroke among resident with different SDOH levels. Methods:From 2012 to 2015,30 036 residents(≥35 years old)from 30 districts in 14 provincial-level administrative divisions in China were enrolled this study based on stratified multi-stage-random-sampling method.The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and related risk factors were investigated,and stroke events were followed up in 2018 to 2019.Principal component analysis was performed to establish SDOH scores based on 9 indicators related to socioeconomic and healthcare resources,participants were divided into low SDOH group(n=8 343)when it was≥-2.01 to<-1.14,middle SDOH group(n=7 257)when it was≥-1.14 to<0.10,and high SDOH group(n=8 457)when it was≥0.10 to≤5.79.Multivariate Cox regression was applied to estimate the association of SDOH levels with incident stroke.The random survival forest method was used to analyze the major risk factors in different SDOH levels. Results:A total of 24 057 participants were finally included,669(2.8%)participants developed stroke during a mean of(4.7±0.8)years follow-up.The incidence densities of stroke in the low,medium,and high SDOH groups were 468.39,628.85,and 700.39/100 000 person-years,respectively(Pdifference<0.05,Ptrend=0.01).Compared with individuals with low SDOH level group,fully HR for incident stroke among those with medium and high were 1.91(95%CI:1.54-2.36)and 1.59(95%CI:1.30-1.95),respectively(Ptrend<0.001).Advanced age is the primary risk factor for stroke in the population,especially in districts with high SDOH level.In districts with medium SDOH level,diabetes is an important risk factor for stroke.High blood pressure and alcohol consumption are important modifiable risk factors in low SDOH level districts. Conclusions:Present study shows that higher levels of SDOH are associated with increased risk of stroke.The main risk factors for stroke differ among participants with different SDOH level districts.Targeted interventions should be implemented to improve the prevention and treatment of stroke in populations with different levels of SDOH.

Gag-Pol protein is one of the important structural proteins of human immunodeficiency virus(HIV),comprising the basic scaffold proteins and functional enzymes required during the lifecycle of HIV.Currently,the inhibitors targeting different functional domains on Gag-Pol include capsid(CA)inhibitors,protease inhibitors,reverse transcriptase inhibitors,and integrase inhibitors.The CA inhibitors inhibit the maturation of CA or disrupt the assembly of CA,so as to affect the replication of HIV.The primary mechanism of protease inhibitors is to inhibit the protease from cleaving at the cleavage site CA-spacer peptide 1(SP1).The reverse transcriptase inhibitors block the reverse transcription process of HIV by mimicking the reverse transcription substrates.The integrase inhibitors impact the activity of integrase by targeting the zinc-finger structure at the active center of integrase.This article summarizes the inhibitors targeting HIV Gag-Pol protein and their mechanisms,and reviews the approved dosages and usages of approved patent drugs,so as to provide the references for the future clinical combination therapies and the development of new inhibitors targeting HIV Gag-Pol protein.

Objective To investigate the expression and prognostic significance of serum protease C1 inhib-itor(SERPING1)and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1(SERPINE1)in patients with sepsis.Methods A total of 132 patients with sepsis treated in the hospital from March 2018 to March 2020 were se-lected as the sepsis group.According to whether they died within 28 days of admission,they were divided into a death group(n=34)and a survival group(n=98).Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the expression of serum SERPING1 and SERPINE1.Multivariate Logistic regression model and receiver oper-ating characteristic curve were used to study the value of serum SERPING1 and serpine1 in evaluating the prognosis of patients'death.Results[Compared with the control group,serum SERPING1(331.12±51.80 ng/L vs.639.04±91.12 ng/L)was lower and serum serpine1(412.67±64.84 ng/L vs.42.33±10.32 ng/L)was higher in the sepsis group,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).[Compared to the survival group,the levels of serum SERPINE1,procalcitonin,C-reactive protein,Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation Ⅱ(APACHE Ⅱ)score and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment(SOFA)score in the death group were higher,while serum SERPING1 was lower,and the differences were statistically significant(all P＜0.05).Serum SERPING1 showed negative correlation with APACHE Ⅱ and SOFA scores(r=-0.779,-0.653,P＜0.05),while serum SERPINE1 showed positive correlation with APACHE Ⅱ and SO-FA scores(r=0.740,0.685,P＜0.05).APACHE Ⅱ score,SOFA score,and serum SERPINE1 were risk fac-tors affecting the prognosis of sepsis patients,while serum SERPING1 was a protective factor.The area under the curve of serum SERPING1 and SERPINE1 combined for the evaluation of the death in sepsis patients was 0.938(95％CI:0.893-0.968),which was significantly higher than 0.860(95％CI:0.812-0.899)and 0.838(95％CI:0.781-0.868)of the single detection,and the differences were statistically significant(Z=3.861,4.015,P＜0.001).Conclusion The elevated levels of serum SERPING1 and SERPINE1 in patients with sepsis are related to the severity of the patient's condition.The combination of the two has high prognos-tic value for sepsis patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between humidity exposure and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), utilizing follow-up data and relative humidity (RH) metric assessments. METHODS: We extracted the baseline data from the China Hypertension Survey (CHS) of 24,510 enrolled participants aged ≥ 35 years without a history of CVD between 2012 and 2015 and followed them up from 2018 to 2019. The National Meteorological Information Center (NMIC) of the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) provided the quality-controlled relative humidity (RH) datasets. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios ( HRs) for CVD in relation to RH. RESULTS: During the follow-up period (2018-2019), 973 patients with CVD were identified. The HR of CVD risk was 1.17 (95% CI: 1.04-1.31) per 10% increase in summer mean RH. Compared with participants in the 3 ^rd quintile group, those in the 1 ^st and 5 ^th quintiles of RH had a higher risk of CVD. For summer mean RH, the HRs (95% CIs) for the 1 ^st and 5 ^th quintiles were 1.34 (1.04-1.71) and 1.44 (1.14-1.83), respectively. The relationship ("U" shape) between summer mean RH and the risk of CVD was nonlinear. Stratified analyses indicated that the risk of CVD was substantially influenced by the summer mean RH in female, older individuals, and those in southern China. CONCLUSION Unsuitable (too high or low) humidity environments affect the risk of CVD. Our study highlights those future policies for adapting to climate change should consider the humidity-CVD relationship.
Humans ; Humidity/adverse effects* ; Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology* ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; China/epidemiology* ; Adult ; Aged ; Risk Factors ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Seasons

Objective:To investigate the prevalence of albuminuria in Chinese residents aged >35 years and its potential association with cardiovascular disease (CVD).Methods:A total of 34 647 Chinese subjects aged ≥35 years were selected by stratified multi-stage random sampling from 2012 to 2015. Data were collected through questionnaires, physical examinations, and laboratory tests. Albuminuria was categorized into 3 types according to urinary albumin-to- creatinine ratio: normal (<30 mg/g), microalbuminuria (MAU, 30-300 mg/g), and macroalbuminuria (≥300 mg/g). Measurement data were expressed as xˉ±s, and t-tests were used for comparisons between indicators. Qualitative data were expressed as rate or constituent ratio, and the χ2 test or Kruskal-Wallis test was used to examine differences. Logistic regression was used for multivariate analyses. SAS 9.4 software was used for statistical analyses, and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:The prevalence of abnormal albuminuria was 19.1%; the prevalence was 17.2% for MAU and lower in males (13.8%) than females (20.1%, P<0.01). The risk of CVD was higher among subjects with MAU ( OR=1.23, 95% CI 1.12-1.35) and macroalbuminuria ( OR=1.86, 95% CI 1.50-2.32). When MAU was complicated by hypertension and diabetes mellitus, the CVD risk was 1.76 times higher. Conclusions:The prevalence of MAU is high among Chinese subjects aged 35 years and over. Those with MAU have higher CVD risk, especially those with hypertension and diabetes mellitus.

Objective To provide a system for warning, preventing and controlling emerging infectious diseases from a macroscopic perspective, using the COVID-19 epidemic data and effective distance model. Methods The dates of hospitalization/isolation treatment of the first confirmed cases of COVID-19 and the cumulative numbers of confirmed cases in different provinces in China reported as of 23 February, 2020 were collected. The Location Based Service (LBS) big data platform of 'Baidu Migration' was employed to obtain the data of the proportion of the floating population from Wuhan to all parts of the country. Effective distance models and linear regression models were established to analyze the relationship between the effective distance and the arrival time of the epidemic as well as the number of cumulative confirmed cases at provincial and municipal levels. Results The arrival time of the epidemic and the cumulative number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 had significant linear relationship at both provincial and municipal levels in China, and the regression coefficients of each linear model were significant ( P <0.001). At the provincial level, the effective distance could explain about 71% of the variation of the model with arrival time along with around 90% of the variation for the model in the cumulative confirmed case magnitude; at the municipal level, the effective distance could explain about 66% of the variation for the model in arrival time, and about 85% of the variation of the model with the cumulative confirmed case magnitude. Conclusions The fitting degree of the models are good. The LBS big data and effective distance model can be used to estimate the track, time and extent of epidemic spread to provide useful reference for early warning, prevention and control of emerging infectious diseases.

Objective To investigate the association between types of obesity and the 10-year-coronary heart disease risk in Tibet and Xinjiang of China.Methods Using the multi-stage random sampling method,7 631 participants aged 35 or older were examined under the International Standardized Examination process but with only 5 802 were eligible for analysis,in the 2015-2016 season.Results The prevalence rates of general obesity,central obesity,visceral obesity and compound obesity were 0.53％,12.62％,10.08％ and 42.35％,respectively.Out of all the compound obesity cases,58.65％ (1 441/2 457) of them appeared as having all types of obesity in our study.Risk related to the 10-year-coronary heart disease was higher in men than in women [(3.05 ± 4.14)％ vs.(1.42-2.37) ％,P＜0.000 1.Compound obesity (30.16％) showed the highest proportion on the risk of 10-year-coronary heart disease than central obesity (28.01％),visceral obesity (18.46％) or the general obesity (19.35％).After adjustment for confounding factors,results from the multivariate analysis showed the risk in compound obesity was higher than central obesity,visceral obesity or general obesity and was associated with the highest risk on the 10-year-coronary heart disease (OR=2.889,95％CI:2.525-3.305).People with anomalous BMI and WC seemed to have had the higher risk (OR=3.168,95％CI:2.730-3.677).Conclusions Obesity was popular in the residents of Tibet and Xinjiang areas of China.Men and people with compound obesity (especially both BMI and WC were abnormal) seemed to carry greater risk on the 10-year-coronary heart disease.