Objective To investigate the effect of varying blood pressure stratification on renal function in the diabetic population.Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted,enrolling 9 489 diabetic patients from a total of 101 510 Kailuan Group employees who underwent health examinations between July 2006 and October 2007.The follow-up period was(8.6±4.0)years.Participants were categorized into four groups based on their baseline blood pressure levels:normal blood pressure(systolic blood pressure<120 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure<80 mmHg),elevated blood pressure(systolic blood pressure 120-130 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure<80 mmHg),stage 1 hypertension(systolic blood pressure 130-140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure 80-90 mmHg),and stage 2 hypertension(systolic blood pressure≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure≥90 mmHg).The incidence density of chronic kidney disease(CKD)was compared among these groups.A multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model was employed to assess the effects of different blood pressure levels on renal function in diabetic patients,with the stability of the results confirmed using a multivariate time-dependent Cox proportional hazards model.Sensitivity analysis was conducted after excluding cases of cardiovascular disease(CVD)during follow-up,and cases using antihypertensive and antidiabetic medications at baseline.Results(1)At baseline,stage 1 hypertension patients demonstrated statistically significant higher differences with age and body mass index(BMI)compared to normal blood pressure group(P<0.05).(2)By the end of the follow-up,2 294 cases of CKD were identified,including 1 117 cases of estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)decline and 1 575 cases of urinary protein.The incidences density of CKD,eGFR decline and urinary protein for stage 1 hypertension group were 39.4,16.3 and 25.5 per thousand person-years,respectively,all of which were statistically significant different from normal blood pressure group(log-rank test,P<0.01).(3)Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that,compared to the normal blood pressure group,stage 1 hypertension was associated with a 29%increased risk of CKD(HR=1.29,95%CI 1.09-1.52)and a 40%increased risk of eGFR decline(HR=1.40,95%CI 1.08-1.80)in diabetic individuals.Conclusion Stage 1 hypertension significantly increases the risk of CKD and eGFR decline in diabetic individuals,with a particularly notable effect on the risk of eGFR decline.

Objective: To analyze the prevalence of dry and wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in patients with diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia, and to analyze the risk factors for AMD. Methods: A population-based cross-sectional epidemiologic study was conducted involving 14,440 individuals. We assessed the prevalence of dry and wet AMD in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects and analyzed the risk factors for AMD. Results: The prevalence of wet AMD in diabetic and non-diabetic patients was 0.3% and 0.5%, respectively, and the prevalence of dry AMD was 17% and 16.4%, respectively. The prevalence of wet AMD in healthy, hypertensive, hyperlipidemic, and hypertensive/hyperlipidemic populations was 0.5%, 0.3%, 0.2%, and 0.7%, respectively. The prevalence of dry AMD in healthy, hypertensive, hyperlipidemic, and hypertensive/hyperlipidemic populations was 16.6%, 16.2%, 15.2%, and 17.2%, respectively. Age, sex, body mass index, and use of hypoglycemic drugs or lowering blood pressure drugs were corrected in the risk factor analysis of AMD. Diabetes, diabetes/hypertension, diabetes/hyperlipidemia, and diabetes/hypertension/hyperlipidemia were analyzed. None of the factors analyzed in the current study increased the risk for the onset of AMD. Conclusion There was no significant difference in the prevalence of wet and dry AMD among diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. Similarly, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of wet and dry AMD among subjects with hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Diabetes co-existing with hypertension and hyperlipidemia were not shown to be risk factors for the onset of dry AMD.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology* ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias/epidemiology* ; Hypertension/epidemiology* ; Macular Degeneration/etiology* ; Risk Factors

Objective: Several COVID-19 patients have overlapping comorbidities. The independent role of each component contributing to the risk of COVID-19 is unknown, and how some non-cardiometabolic comorbidities affect the risk of COVID-19 remains unclear. Methods: A retrospective follow-up design was adopted. A total of 1,160 laboratory-confirmed patients were enrolled from nine provinces in China. Data on comorbidities were obtained from the patients' medical records. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratio ( Results: Overall, 158 (13.6%) patients were diagnosed with severe illness and 32 (2.7%) had unfavorable outcomes. Hypertension (2.87, 1.30-6.32), type 2 diabetes (T2DM) (3.57, 2.32-5.49), cardiovascular disease (CVD) (3.78, 1.81-7.89), fatty liver disease (7.53, 1.96-28.96), hyperlipidemia (2.15, 1.26-3.67), other lung diseases (6.00, 3.01-11.96), and electrolyte imbalance (10.40, 3.00-26.10) were independently linked to increased odds of being severely ill. T2DM (6.07, 2.89-12.75), CVD (8.47, 6.03-11.89), and electrolyte imbalance (19.44, 11.47-32.96) were also strong predictors of unfavorable outcomes. Women with comorbidities were more likely to have severe disease on admission (5.46, 3.25-9.19), while men with comorbidities were more likely to have unfavorable treatment outcomes (6.58, 1.46-29.64) within two weeks. Conclusion Besides hypertension, diabetes, and CVD, fatty liver disease, hyperlipidemia, other lung diseases, and electrolyte imbalance were independent risk factors for COVID-19 severity and poor treatment outcome. Women with comorbidities were more likely to have severe disease, while men with comorbidities were more likely to have unfavorable treatment outcomes.
Adult ; Aged ; COVID-19/virology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Comorbidity ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Severity of Illness Index ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To disscus the applicability of three surveillance methods for Aedes albopictus in dengue risk indication. Methods Larval and adult mosquito surveillance were conducted in two villages of Guangzhou by using three vector monitoring methods. Meteorological data and dengue cases were obtained in the same period. Results The population dynamics of larvae and adult mosquitoes were affected by temperature and their overall trend was consistent, but there were differences between the abundance of larvae and adult mosquitoes. From December to February the next year, Breteau index(BI) ranged from 5.66 to 24.53 with a risk of level 1 to 3 for dengue fever, while the mosquito and oviposition positive index(MOI) and adult-mosquito density index(ADI) were 0 to 4.00 and 0 to 1 per man-hour, respectively, indicating no risk for dengue fever. In March, compared with BI which indicated a risk of level 3, MOI were 2.13 and 3.77, respectively, representing for no risk. ADI were 4 to 6 per man-hour, indicating a risk of level 1 and level 2, respectively. After April, the dengue risk level reflected by each indicator became to be consistent. Conclusions The risk of dengue fever indicated by BI is always higher than or equal to the risk indicated by the other two. Compared with BI, MOI and ADI are more sensitively in reflecting the activity of Ae. albopictus.

Objective To understand the genotypes and nucleotide polymorphisms of Echinococcus granulosus metacestode from humans and sheep in Tianjun region,Qinghai Province. Methods The specific primers were designed according to the cox1 and nad1 genes of E.granulosus mitochondrial genome sequences accessed by GenBank.The primers were used to detect the cyst samples from 16 sheep and 2 humans infected with E.granulosus in Tianjun region of Qinghai Province by PCR,then the PCR amplification products were sequenced,the genotypes and nucleotide polymorphisms of the cox1 and nad1 genes were analyzed.Results The 18 isolated samples all belonged to E.granulosus G1 genotype.Among all the isolates,9 haplotypes ex-isted in the cox1 gene with 16 nucleotide mutation sites,and there were 0 to 5 nucleotide differences with the highest variation rate of 0.31%,whereas 7 haplotypes occurred with 15 nucleotide mutation sites,and there were 1 to 8 nucleotide differences with the highest variation rate of 0.89% for the nad1 gene.Conclusions The epidemic genotype of E.granulosus is G1 in hu-mans and sheep in Tianjun region of Qinghai Province,and the nucleotide polymorphisms of the cox1 gene were more abundant than those of the nad1 gene,and the resolution of the nucleotide polymorphisms of cox1 gene is higher than that of the nad1 gene used in E.granulosus isolates.

Objective To investigate the effect of cysteine protease inhibitor derived from S chistosoma japonicum(SjCys-tatin)on dextran sodium sulfate(DSS)-induced acute ulcerative colitis in mice.Methods Eighteen C57BL/6 mice were ran-domly divided into three groups:a control group treated with PBS(Group A),a DSS-induced-colitis group treated with PBS(Group B),and a DSS-induced-colitis group treated with SjCystatin(Group C).Colitis was induced in mice by giving 3％DSS orally for 7 days.During this period,the mice were daily injected with 10μg of SjCystatin or PBS only as a control intraperitone-ally.The mice were monitored daily for their clinical manifestations and given scores based on disease activity index(DAI).The severity of colonic inflammation was monitored by the macroscopic score and pathological change.The cytokine profile including TNF-α,IL-4,IL-6 and IL-10 in the supernatants of colon homogenate was detected by ELISA.Results Compared with Group A(0.50 ± 0.28),the DAI score increased significantly in Group B(9.30 ± 1.30)(F=86.86,P<0.01),with remarkable path-ological damages seen in colon tissues.and the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were(321.33±67.01)and(403.58 ±180.51)pg/mL.The DAI score significantly reduced in Group C(6.67±1.57)as compared to Group B(F=86.86,P<0.01),with improve-ments in the macroscopic and microscopic pathology in mouse colon specimens.As compared to Group B,the levels of TNF-α [(188.14 ± 40.14)pg/mL] and IL-6 [(209.71 ± 48.47)pg/mL] significantly decreased(F=17.46 and 9.89,both P<0.01).Con-clusion SjCystatin has a significantly inhibitory effect for alleviating DSS-induced acute ulcerative colitis in C57BL/6 mice.

Objective To analyze the effect of chemerin on the pharyngeal fat deposition by comparing the level of chemerin of fat tissue in pharynx between the patients with OSAHS and non-snorer. Methods OSAHS patients finished PSG and non-snoring patients with tonsillitis as controlled group were examined to observe their chemerin level of space veli palatine. Comparisons of the chemerin level and the indexes of MS were made to analyze the relationship between chemerin and MS. Results The level of chemerin of space veli palatine in OSAHS patients was higher than that of the control groups. And the level of chemerin within the OSAHS patients also had positive correlation with TG、HOMA-IR and uric acid. We also found that the TG, HDL-C, FINS, HOMA-IR and the uric acid had statistical differences ( <0.05) between the two groups. Conclusion The level of chemerin of OSAHS group is exceed the control group and positively related with indexes of MS. Chemerin may take part in the development of fat deposition in pharynx of OSAHS patients , which may be through MS pathway.

OBJECTIVE Lychee seed, a famous traditional Chinese medicine, recently were reported to improve the learning and memory abilities in mice. However, it is still unclear whether lychee seed saponins (LSS) can improve the cognitive function and associated mechanisms. METHODS In present studies, we established the Alzheimer disease (AD) model by injecting Aβ25-35 into the lateral ventricle of rats. Then the spatial learning and memory abilities of LSS- treated rats were evaluated with the Morris water maze, meanwhile the protein expressions of AKT, GSK3β and Tau in the hippo?campal neuron were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. RESULTS The results showed LSS can improve the cognitive functions of AD rats through shortening the escape latency, increasing the number across the platform, platform quadrant dwell time and the percentage of the total distance run platform quadrant. The protein expression of AKT was significantly up-regulated and that of GSK3β and Tau were decreased remarkably in the hippocampal CA1 area. CONCLUSION Our study is the first to show that LSS significantly improve the cognitive function and prevent hippocampal neuronal injury of the rats with AD by activation of the PI3K/AKT/GSK3β signaling pathway, suggesting LSS may be developed into the nutrient supplement for the treatment of AD.

Objective To investigate the relationship between the levels of plasma adrenaline and norepinephrine and gene polymorphism of β1 adrenergic receptor G1165C in children with enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection in hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD). Methods The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect the expression of gene polymorphism of β1 adrenergic receptor G1165C in vitro. The levels of plasma adrenaline and norepinephrine were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results The plasma norepinephrine level of severe group was significantly higher than the mild group in children with EV71 infection in HFMD (P < 0.05); however, the levels of plasma adrenaline in two groups had no statistical differences (P > 0.05); There was no significant difference in the distribution of β1 adrenergic receptor G1165C genotype and allele between EV71 infection group and healthy control group (P > 0.05). Further analysis of EV71 infection group by dividing it into mild and severe groups showed that there was no significant difference in the distribution of genotype and allele between these two groups as well (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in the levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine in different genotypes of EV71 infection group (P > 0.05), and in the levels of plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine in the mild and severe groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions As the disease gets worse, the plasma norepinephrine level has a rising trend in children with EV71 infection in HFMD, which is an important indicator to evaluate the progress of the disease. However, the gene polymorphism of β1 adrenergic receptor G1165C have no significant correlation, not only with the susceptibility and severity of EV71 infection in hand, foot and mouth disease, but also with the levels of catecholamine.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the regulating role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase( PI3K) / protein kinase B( Akt)signaling pathway in the autophagy activity of rat NR8383 cells exposed to silicon dioxide( SiO_2). LY294002 was used to block PI3 K pathway. METHODS: i) The normal NR8383 cells were used and divided into blank group and silica exposure group( final concentrations of SiO_2 suspension were 0 and 50 mg / L respectively). They were cultured for 3,6,12,20 and24 hours. The enzyme linked immunosorbent assay( ELISA) was used to assess the amount of tumor necrosis factor-α( TNF-α) and transforming growth factor-β1( TGF-β1) in supernatants of cultured cells,and then the optimal time of cells exposed to dust was determined. ii) NR8383 cells were divided into control group( treated with a same volume of F-12 K medium without serum),silica group( treated with SiO_2 suspension,final concentration 50 mg / L) and intervention group( treated with SiO_2 suspension and PI3 K inhibitor LY294002,final concentration 50 mg / L and 20 μmol / L,respectively).Cells were harvested following incubation. ELISA was used to detect the levels of TNF-α and TGF-β1 at the time point of20 hours after incubation. To reveal the autophagy status of cells,Western blotting was used to detect Akt and microtubuleassociated proteins 1 light chain 3( LC3) protein at time point of 20 hours; laser scanning confocal microscope( LSCM)was used to observe the immunofluorescence expression of autophagy at time points of 3,6,12 and 20 hours. The cells were also treated with the lysosomal inhibitor chloroquine diphosphate( CDP) at the same time of SiO_2 treatment. RESULTS: i) The time point of 20 hours was confirmed to be the best dust exposure time for in vitro cell model of NR8383 cells.ii) The levels of TNF-α and TGF-β1 of supernatant in the silica group were higher than those of the control group( P <0. 05). The levels of TNF-α and TGF-β1 of supernatant in the intervention group were higher than those of the control group and silica group( P < 0. 05). The Akt protein expression of the intervention group was lower than those in the control group and the silica group,respectively. The LC3 Ⅱ / Ⅰ protein level of the silica group was higher than those of the control group and intervention group( P < 0. 05),but no statistical significance was found between the control group and intervention group( P > 0. 05). LSCM results indicated that autophagy expression at time points of 3 and 6 hours were stronger than those of 12 and 20 hours in control group; autophagy expression at time point of 12 hours was stronger than those of 3 and 6 hours in the silica group,while the autophagy expression at time point of 20 hours was slightly weaker than that of 12 hours,but still stronger than those of 3 and 6 hours. Compared with the same time point in control group,autophagy expression at 3 and 6 hours were weaker in the silica group,while the expressions increased obviously at time points of 12 and 20 hours. Autophagy expression at all time points decreased in the intervention group compared with silica group,especially at the time point of 20 hours. The autophagy expression in each group increased in varying degrees after added with CDP blocking. CONCLUSION: Silica dust exposure can induce autophagy in rat NR8383 cells. PI3 K inhibitor LY294002 can reduce the autophagy expression indicating that the PI3 K / Akt signaling pathway might participate in the autophagy process of silica dust inducing autophagy in alveolar macrophages.