Clinical epidemiological studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency is associated with infectious diseases, which is confirmed by recent studies implying the role of vitamin D as a key regulator of host defense against infections. Bioactive vitamin D triggers antimicrobial pathways against pathogens in mucous membrane and cells of the human innate immune system. In addition, vitamin D also attenuates excessive inflammation and acquired immunity, and thus limits collateral tissue damage. The observed effects of vitamin D on infectious diseases, particularly airway infections, should be addressed in the management of viral infections. Findings from cross-sectional studies should be confirmed by prospective research. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge regarding the effect of vitamin D on innate and acquired host defense against infections.

Objective To characterize the baseline status of Chinese diabetic patients based on data derived from Chinese cohort from SOLVETM study.Methods Patients with type 2 diabetes initiating basal insulin detemir at the decision of the physician were eligible for the study.Data on demographics,medical history,glycemic profile and treatment regimen at baseline were collected by physicians.Results A total of 3272 patients [female 42％,male 58％,mean age (56.2 ± 10.8) years] were included in the study.Their BMI was (25.3 ± 3.3) kg/m2.The duration of diabetes was 4.0 (0.1-27.0) years,and the duration of treatment with oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) was 3.0(0.0-20.2) years.The proportions of subjects with diabetic macro-and micro-vascular complications were 15.8％ (515 cases) and 27.1％ (866 cases),respectively.The hemoglobin Al c (HbAl c) at baseline was (8.33 ± 1.70) ％,and the fasting blood glucose (FPG) was (9.5 ± 2.6) mmol/L.Conclusions A large proportion of patients with type 2 diabetes remain in poor glycemic control,and the prevalence of diabetic complications is high,which requires optimal therapeutic strategy for the patients with suboptimal glycemic control.

Among 2625 patients with type 2 diabetes,body mass index,systolic blood pressure,HbA1C,triglyceride,ApoB,serum uric acid,highly-sensitive C reactive protein,tumor necrosis factor α levels,and common carotid artery intima-media thickness in hypertriglyceridemic-waist ( HTWC ) phenotype group were higher than those in non-HTWC group,while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and ApoA1 levels were lower( all P＜0.05 ).HTWC phenotype was an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis of carotid artery in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (OR 1.45,95％CI 1.07-1.96).

ObjectiveTo evaluate the relationship between waist to stature ratio (WSR) and hypertension,diabetes,dyslipidemia in Qingdao. MethodsData were collected from a 2001 - 2007 Qingdao area diabetes survey,population-based cross-sectional study,and 30 712 Chinese adults aged ＞ 18 years old were enrolled.Correlation analysis of BMI,WSR,hip circumference,waist circumference,waist to hip ratio (WHR) with blood glucose,blood pressure,blood lipid were conducted.ROC curve analysis in diabetes,bypertension,dyslipidemia and multivariate logistic regression analysis were also conducted.ResultsAnthropometric indicators were related with hypertension,diabetes and dyslipidemia in both men and women.Comparing with other anthropometric indicators,WSR was found to have the largest area under the ROC curve and the best cut-off point of WSR was 0.52.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that, after controlling age, disease history, physicalactivity, sex, thediabeteshypertension and dyslipidemia risk OR of WSR≥0.52 were largest.ConclusionsAnthropometric indicators intimately related with cardiovascular risk factors in Qingdao region,and may predict and evaluate the risk of cardiovascular disease.WSR may be the best index for predicting cardiovascular risk factors in Qingdao area.The optimal WSR cut off point for identifying cardiovascular risk factors clustering is 0.52.

Objective To investigate the prevalences of metabolic disorders of glucose and lipids in the first degree relatives (FDP) of type 2 diabetic patients in Qingdao,China. Methods 1392 subjects were recruited,including 528 T2DM-FDR(parent and/or siblings have T2DM) and 864 NC-FDR(parent and siblings did not have DM). All subjects received both standard 75g oral glucose tolerance test and measurements of body weight,height,waist and hip circumference,percentage of body fat,blood pressure,blood lipid,and plasma uric acid. Results (1) The prevalence of diabetes was higher in DM-FDR than in NC-FDR (24.24% vs 17.01%,P

Objective To investigate the role of islet B cell dysfunction in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods FBG and fasting plasma insulin of 49 healthy subjects and 125 first-degree relatives of type 2 diabetes mellitus were determined. HOMA model was used to calculate HOMAIR as an index of insulin resistance and HOMAB as an index of B cell function of pancreatic islet.The insulin sensitivity index(ISI) and early-stage secretion index of islet ?cell(△I_ 30 /△G_ 30 )were calculated. Results The HOMAB and △I_ 30 /△G_ 30 of the group of normal first-degree relatives were higher (P

Objective To investigate the relationship between ?3 adrenergic receptor(?3AR) gene Trp~(64)Arg mutation and insulin resistance(IR) in Chinese.Methods The 120 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(group DM) and 80 nondiabetic subjects as normal controls(group N)were involved in the study.Polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and the restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis(PCR-RFLP) were used to determine the ?3AR genotype.The indexes such as body weight,height,waist circumstance,hip circumstance,blood pressure,lipids,fast plasma glucose and insulin were detected in all subjects.The IR was estimated by homeostasis model assessment(HOMA-IR).The patients in the diabetes group were divided into relative insulin sensitive group and relative insulin resistant group by the 75th percentile HOMA-IR.Results The BMI of the patients with the ?3AR Trp~(64)Arg mutation was significantly higher than that of those without the mutation(P

Objective To study the relationship between serum C-reactive protein(CRP)levels and insulin resistance(IR)in patients with hyperglycemia and obesity.Methods Fasting plasma glucose(FPG),2h plasma glucose(2hPG),fasting insulin(INS),patient height and weight were measured.Body mass index(BMI)and Homa insulin resistance index(Homa-IR)were calculated.Based on BMI and PG,the participants were divided into 4 groups:normal control group(30 cases),simple obesity group(30 cases),impaired glucose regulation(IGR)obesity group(30 cases)and type 2 diabetic obese group(30 cases).Serum C-reactive protein levels were measured with immunoturbimetric assay.Results(1)CRP and the Homa-IR in other groups were significantly increased comparing with normal control group,with statistical difference observed(P

Objective To investigate the effects of basal and early phase insulin secretion on plasma glucose level in type 2 diabetes. Methods Plasma glucose and true insulin levels were measured at 0, 30, 60, 120 min during standard meal test in 81 patients with type 2 diabetes. Insulin sensitivity index (ISI) and insulin secretion index (?I 30 /?G 30 ) were calculated for evaluating the insulin sensitivity. Contributions of basal and early insulin secretion to plasma glucose level were evaluated by multivariate regression analysis with SAS software. Results ISI and ?I 30 /?G 30 showed nearly equal effects on plasma glucose levels by multivariate regression analysis. Among insulin levels of different time points during standard meal test, basal and postprandial 60 min insulin levels played important roles in changes of plasma glucose levels. The effect of fasting insulin on the area under plasma glucose curve was stronger than that of ?I 30 /?G 30 . Conclusion Both basal and early insulin secretions greatly contribute to glycemic control.

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of dehydroepiandrostrone (DHEA) on retinal capillary pericytes’ proliferation under high glucose and research the prevention and treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR).MethodsRetinas were dissected from eyes of fresh killed cattle and retinal capillary pericytes were separated and cultured.The effect of DHEA (10、50、100、500、1 000nmol/L) on pericytes’ proliferetion was evaluated by 3H-thymidine incorporation and li-quid scintillation techniques.ResultsThere was significant difference between DHEA (50、100、500、1 000nmol/L) and control culturing for 48h.The increasing rate was 42.67% in DHEA of 500nmol/L.ConclusionDHEA could promote pericytes’ proliferation under high glucose.This provided reliable evidence for selecting effective drugs for prevention and treatment of DR clinically.