Associations between remnant cholesterol levels and mortality in patients with diabetes

BACKGROUND Dyslipidemia is frequently present in patients with diabetes.The associations of remnant cholesterol and mortality remains unclear in patients with diabetes.AIM To explore the associations of remnant cholesterol with all-cause and cardiovas-cular mortality in patients with diabetes.METHODS This prospective cohort study included 4740 patients with diabetes who par-ticipated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 through 2018.Remnant cholesterol was used as the exposure variable,and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were considered outcome events.Outcome data were obtained from the National Death Index,and all participants were followed from the interview date until death or December 31,2019.Multivariate proportional Cox regression models were used to explore the associations between exposure and outcomes,in which remnant cholesterol was modeled as both a categorical and a continuous variable.Restricted cubic splines(RCSs)were calculated to assess the nonlinearity of associations.Subgroup(stratified by sex,age,body mass index,and duration of diabetes)and a series of sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the robustness of the associations.RESULTS During a median follow-up duration of 83 months,1370 all-cause deaths and 389 cardiovascular deaths were documented.Patients with remnant cholesterol levels in the third quartile had a reduced risk of all-cause mortality[hazard ratio(HR)95%confidence interval(CI):0.66(0.52-0.85)];however,when remnant cholesterol was modeled as a continuous variable,it was associated with increased risks of all-cause[HR(95%CI):1.12(1.02-1.21)per SD]and cardiovascular[HR(95%CI):1.16(1.01-1.32),per SD]mortality.The RCS demonstrated nonlinear associations of remnant cholesterol with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.Subgroup and sensitivity analyses did not reveal significant differences from the above results.CONCLUSION In patients with diabetes,higher remnant cholesterol was associated with increased risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality,and diabetes patients with slightly higher remnant cholesterol(0.68-1.04 mmol/L)had a lower risk of all-cause mortality.

Efficacy of Bushenjianpi prescription on autoimmune premature ovarian failure in mice

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of Bushenjianpi prescription(BSJPP), a formula from Traditional Chinese Medicine, on a mouse model of autoimmune premature ovarian failure(POF) induced by mouse zona pellucida(ZP3) and to investigate the mechanisms underlying the action.METHODS: After randomization, POF was induced in the model mice by immunization with ZP3. One week later, mice received low(8.1 mg/kg), moderate(16.2 mg/kg) and high(32.4 mg/kg) doses of BSJPP by gastrogavage once daily for 90 days. Premarin(0.03 mg/kg) served as the positive group. Serum samples were collected 1 week after the last dose and stored at-20 ℃ for analysis. After cervical dislocation, the uterus and ovaries were collected aseptically for evaluation by histological assessment, scanning electron microscopy, immunohistochemical staining, and Western blot and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses.RESULTS: Serum E2 levels in POF model mice were decreased, whereas follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH) and luteinizing hormone(LH) levels were dramatically increased. Serum levels of E2,LH and FSH were reduced in POF model mice treated with BSJPP(moderate and high doses) and premarin. Anti-bone morphogenetic protein 15(BMP-15) and connexin 43(Cx43) were repressed in autoimmune POF model mice, whereas high expression was observed in control mice and those treated with BSJPP(moderate and high doses)and premarin.CONCLUSION: BSJPP is effective in treating ZP3-induced POF in mice and the increase in the expression of BMP-15 and Cx43 may be implicated in the mechanism underpinning the action.

Differential Proteomics Analysis of Endometriosis in Blood Stasis Syndrome

Objective: To investigate the innate characters of 3 endometriosis(EMT) syndromes, blood stasis(BS), qi stagnation and blood stasis(QSBS) as well as Shen(Kidney) deficiency and blood stasis(KDBS) in terms of proteomics, lay a molecular biological basis for the differentiation of various blood stasis syndromes of EMT, establish a EMT microscopic syndrome differentiation and diagnosis system in terms of proteomics, discover the evolution principles and therapeutic targets of these EMT syndromes, and search their significant molecular markers and genetic intervention targets. Methods: Six specimens from the ectopic and entopic endometrium tissues of patients with EMT in each syndrome, BS, QSBS as well as KDBS, in the early proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle, and 6 specimens from normal endometrium tissues in the early proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle were obtained. Three groups were formed in each syndrome by mixing two random specimens in equal amount, and then their respective two-dimensional electrophoresis graphs were obtained after total protein extraction. Finally, the detected differences in protein expression were identified through matrix-assisted laser desorption Ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry(MALDI-TOF/MS) and protein database. Results: The results of differential proteins expressed in each syndrome were shown as follows: BS syndrome had 2 differential proteins in entopic endometrium and 1 differential protein in ectopic endometrium; KDBS syndrome had 3 in entopic endometrium and 3 in ectopic endometrium; and QSBS syndrome had 3 in entopic endometrium and 4 in ectopic endometrium. It was found out that annexin was highly expressed in both entopic and ectopic endometrium of KDBS syndrome; and myosin light chain 3 was highly expressed in both entopic and ectopic endometrium of QSBS syndrome. Conclusion: There are differential protein expressions among the 3 EMT syndromes, which might be the inner origin of syndrome characters, and these differential proteins might be the candidate biomarkers for the pathogenesis of various EMT syndromes.

Zichong granules(资冲颗粒)promote differentiation of ovarian granulosa-like cells from human embryonic stem cells in vitro

OBJECTIVE:To investigate whether Zichong granules(资冲颗粒,ZCKL),a very effective herbal formula for treating infertility,have an impact on the differentiation of ovarian granulosa cells from human embryonic stem cells(hESCs)in vitro,and to explore the cellular mechanisms of its clinical effects.METHODS:Serum from ZCKL-medicated rats was prepared and used to treat mesoderm cells derived from hESCs for 6 d.Normal rat serum and a set of growth factors were used as negative and positive controls,respectively.RESULTS:ZCKL-medicated rat serum,but not normal rat serum,induced hESCs-derived mesoderm cells to differentiate into functional ovarian granulosa-like cells(OGLCs)in a similar manner to defined growth factors.The induced OGLCs resembled the morphology of native human granulosa cells,expressed granulosa cell-specific markers at both the mRNA and protein levels,produced high levels of estradiol and strongly responded to follicle-stimulating hormone stimulation.Furthermore,mRNA levels of follistatin,mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 8 and bone morphogenetic protein 6 were dynamically changed during the process.CONCLUSION:In the ZCKL treatment of infertility,one mechanism by which ZCKL may act is by influencing ovarian granulosa cell differentiation and development,possibly through the follistatin and BMP/SMAD signaling pathways.

Wrist-Ankle Acupuncture and Ginger Moxibustion for Preventing Gastrointestinal Reactions to Chemotherapy:A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective:To evaluate the effects of wrist-ankle acupuncture combined with ginger moxibustion against gastrointestinal tract reactions(nausea,vomiting,and constipation)to chemotherapy in cancer patients.Methods:A total of 60 patients with gynecological tumors treated by chemotherapy were randomly divided into two groups.The treatment group(30 cases)underwent wrist-ankle acupuncture and ginger moxibustion,whereas tropisetron hydrochloride and dexamethasone were intravenously administered to the control group(30 cases)during chemotherapy.Results:The frequency of nausea in the treatment group was significantly less than that of the control group from the 2nd to the 5th day of chemotherapy(P<0.01).The anti-emetic effect in the treatment group was significantly better than that in the control group on the 3rd day of therapy(P<0.05).The incidence rate of constipation was significantly lower in the treatment group than that in the control group(P<0.01).Furthermore,the cost of therapy for the treatment group was significantly lower than that of the control group(P<0.01).Only 1patient manifested a post-acupuncture side effect in the form of subcutaneous blood stasis.Conclusion:Wrist-ankle acupuncture combined with ginger moxibustion could prevent gastrointestinal tract reactions to chemotherapy in cancer patients.In addition,the proposed method had fewer side effects,lower cost,and less risk.