To determine whether there is an association between serum ischemia-modified albumin and the risk factor profile in type 2 diabetic patients with peripheral arterial disease and to identify the risk ...markers for peripheral arterial disease.
Participants included 290 patients (35.2% women) with type 2 diabetes. The ankle-brachial pressure index was measured using a standard protocol, and peripheral arterial disease was defined as an ankle-brachial index <0.90 or ≥1.3. The basal ischemia-modified albumin levels and clinical parameters were measured and analyzed. The risk factors for peripheral arterial disease were examined by multiple logistic analyses.
Age, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, urine albumin, homocysteine, and ischemia-modified albumin were significantly higher in patients with peripheral arterial disease than in disease-free patients (p<0.05), while ankle-brachial index was lower in the former group (p<0.05). Ischemia-modified albumin was positively associated with HbA1c and homocysteine levels (r = 0.220, p = 0.030; r = 0.446, p = 0.044, respectively), while no correlation was found with ankle-brachial index. Multiple logistic analyses indicated that HbA1c, systolic blood pressure, homocysteine and ischemia-modified albumin were independent risk factors for peripheral arterial disease in the diabetic subjects.
The baseline ischemia-modified albumin levels were significantly higher and positively associated with HbA1c and homocysteine levels in type 2 diabetic patients with peripheral arterial disease. Ischemia-modified albumin was a risk marker for peripheral arterial disease. Taken together, these results might be helpful for monitoring diabetic peripheral arterial disease.
Propranolol has been widely used in the treatment of infantile hemangiomas since 2008. This study aimed to investigate complications of systemic propranolol therapy for infantile hemangiomas, ...especially its effect on infants' physical growth. In this study, propranolol was given at a dose of 2 mg/kg per day. Abnormal symptoms and growth parameters were recorded in detail during the therapy. Follow-up visits were arranged to continue at least through the age of 2 years. A total of 76 patients with complete growth parameters were enrolled into the study. Complications of propranolol were minor, and mainly included sleeping disorders, diarrhea, decrease in fasting glucose, bronchial hyperactivity and hyperkalemia. Four (5.26%) patients' growth curve dropped off more than 20 percentiles during therapy and half of them returned to normal after withdrawal of the medications. None of them suffered from underweight, wasting or stunning when medication was stopped. Systemic propranolol was proved to be a safe treatment for problematic infantile hemangiomas and did not affect the physical growth.
The barley (Hordeum vulgare) brittle stem mutants, fs2, designated X054 and M245, have reduced levels of crystalline cellulose compared with their parental lines Ohichi and Shiroseto. A ...custom-designed microarray, based on long oligonucleotide technology and including genes involved in cell wall metabolism, revealed that transcript levels of very few genes were altered in the elongation zone of stem internodes, but these included a marked decrease in mRNA for the HvCesA4 cellulose synthase gene of both mutants. In contrast, the abundance of several hundred transcripts changed in the upper, maturation zones of stem internodes, which presumably reflected pleiotropic responses to a weakened cell wall that resulted from the primary genetic lesion. Sequencing of the HvCesA4 genes revealed the presence of a 964-bp solo long terminal repeat of a Copia-like retroelement in the first intron of the HvCesA4 genes of both mutant lines. The retroelement appears to interfere with transcription of the HvCesA4 gene or with processing of the mRNA, and this is likely to account for the lower crystalline cellulose content and lower stem strength of the mutants. The HvCesA4 gene maps to a position on chromosome 1H of barley that coincides with the previously reported position of fs2.
•The law of subcritical crack growth under cyclic loading is revealed.•The subcritical crack growth rate under cyclic loading has been determined.•The possible damage mechanism and development ...characteristics of subcritical crack are proposed.
To further investigate the Mode I crack growth and damage mechanism, compression tests were performed on notched semi-circular bending (NSCB) specimens at different cycle amplitudes. The crack propagation gauge and digital image correlation (DIC) recorded the entire process of crack growth. The real-time crack growth rate and evolution of the horizontal strain field during crack growth were obtained. Based on the crack growth rate, the crack growth process can be divided into three stages: the cracking latent period (primary stage), stable crack growth stage (secondary stage), and accelerated crack growth stage (tertiary stage). The cracking latent period accounts for a large proportion of the entire crack growth. The stable crack (i.e., steady subcritical crack growth) expanded slowly to a certain extent after initiation, and then the accelerated crack growth led to failure. With the increase in the cyclic amplitude, the cracking latent period is shortened and the crack growth rate is accelerated. The crack growth rate is positively correlated with the stress intensity factor. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyse the development of the fracture process zone (FPZ) and the subcritical crack damage mechanism. The SEM images showed two damage phenomena: (1) intergranular cracks caused by grain debonding (primary mechanism) and (2) transgranular cracks (secondary mechanism).
Lightweight aggregate concrete consisting of glazed hollow bead (GHB) as lightweight aggregate is studied for the influence of nanosilica (NS) content, prewetting time for GHB, water-cement ratio, ...and curing humidity, on the interface structure between GHB and cement paste. This research analyzed the influences of various factors on the interface zone structure by measuring microhardness (HV) and hydration degree of cement paste (HD) nearby the interface zone (1 mm) between GHB and cement paste at different periods of aging. Due to the sampling limitation, the interface zone in this test is within 1 mm away from the surface of lightweight aggregate. The HD of cement paste was determined through chemically combined water (CCW) test. The results were expected to reflect the influence of various factors on the interface zone structure. Results showed that the rational control of the four factors studied could fully mobilize the water absorption and desorption properties of GHB to improve the characteristics of the interfacial transition zone.
•Carotenoid composition varies among different citrus varieties.•Carotenoid accumulation is highly regulated at the transcription level.•Carotenoid accumulation is affected by plant growth ...regulators.
Citrus juice sacs, the major edible part of fruit, are one of the richest sources of carotenoids for human nutrition. In the juice sacs, high amounts of carotenoids are accumulated, and their contents and compositions vary greatly among different citrus varieties. In the past decades, the carotenoid in citrus fruit drew a lot of researcher's attention, and significant progress has been made in the elucidation of carotenoid accumulation in the juice sacs of citrus fruit. In this review, the current information on carotenoid accumulation in the juice sacs of citrus fruit was summarized, and the molecular mechanisms that regulated the carotenoid biosynthesis were reviewed. In addition, to improve the carotenoid accumulation in the juice sacs, the effects of different plant growth regulators and environmental conditions on carotenoid content and composition were evaluated. This review contributes to a better comprehension of carotenoid accumulation in the juice sacs of citrus fruit, which will provide new strategies to enhance the nutritional and commercial values of citrus fruit.
Two new hydroxylated ethacrylic acid derivatives (compounds 1 and 2) and 11 new hydroxylated tiglic acid derivatives (compounds 3–13), together with one known compound (compound 14), were isolated ...from the stems and branches of Enkianthus chinensis. Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic analyses, while their absolute configurations were determined by X-ray crystallographic methods (compounds 1 and 2), Mo2(OAc)4-induced electronic circular dichroism experiments (compounds 3 and 4), and chemical methods (compounds 5–11). This study is the first investigation on the secondary metabolites of this species. The anti-inflammatory activities of all isolated compounds were evaluated in an LPS-induced mouse peritoneal macrophage model. Notably, compounds 3 and 12 both exerted potent inhibitory effects on NO production with IC50 values of 2.9 and 1.2 μM, respectively.
Nine new grayanoids (1–9), together with 11 known compounds, were isolated from the roots of Rhododendron molle. The structures of the new compounds (1–9) were determined on the basis of ...spectroscopic analysis, including HRESIMS, and 1D and 2D NMR data. Compounds 4, 6, 12, and 14–20 showed significant antinociceptive activities in an acetic acid-induced writhing test. In particular, 14 and 15 were found to be more potent than morphine for both acute and inflammatory pain models and 100-fold more potent than gabapentin in a diabetic neuropathic pain model.
Objective: To observe the antitumor effect and mechanism of recombinant human endostatin(Endostar) injection in tumor combined with intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin on subcutaneous transplanted ...Lewis lung cancer in rats. Methods: A total of 30 C57 rats were selected, and the monoplast suspension of Lewis lung cancer was injected into the left axilla to prepare the subcutaneous transplanted tumor models in the axilla of right upper limb. The models were randomly divided into Groups A, B, and C. Medication was conducted when the tumor grew to 400 mm3. Group A was the control group without any interventional treatment. Group B was injected with Endostar 5 mg.kg-1.d for 10 d. Group C was given the injection of Endostar 5 mg.kg-1.d combined with intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin 5 mg.kg-1.d for 10 d. All the rats in three groups were executed the day after the 10-d medication and the tumor was taken off for measurement of volume and mass changes and calculation of antitumor rate, after which the vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) concentration in rats’ plasma was determined by ELISA. The tumor tissues were cut for the preparation of conventional biopsies. After hematoxylin-eosin staining, the pathologic histology was examined to observe the structures of tumor tissues, VEGF score and microvessel density(MVD) in each group. Results: The volume and mass of tumor in Groups B and C were significantly lower than Group A(P < 0.05) while the tumor volume and mass in Group C were significantly lower than Group B(P < 0.05). The antitumor rate in Group C was significantly higher than Group B(P < 0.05), but the tumor VEGF score, MVD and plasma VEGF level in Group C were significantly lower than Groups A and B(P < 0.05). In Group B, the tumor VEGF score, MVD and plasma VEGF level were significantly lower than Group A(P < 0.05). The microscopic image of Group C showed that its number of active tumor cells and the blood capillary around tumor was significantly smaller than that of Groups A and B, and meanwhile atrophy and liquefactive necrosis were seen in local tumor. Conclusions: Endostar injection combined with intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin is effective in reducing tumor VEGF score and MVD of transplanted tumor tissues in rats with Lewis lung cancer to obstruct the nutrient supply of tumor cells and kill tumor cells, so that the inhibition of tumor cell proliferation and metastasis can be achieved with a remarkable effect.
Two oleanane-type triterpene saponins, named albizosides D and E (
1 and
2), together with a known compound, Julibroside J
8 (
3), were isolated from the stem bark of
Albizia chinensis. The ...structures of compounds
1 and
2 were established by 1D, 2D NMR experiments, and chemical methods, and they showed moderate cytotoxic activity against a small panel of human tumor cell lines.
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