Subclinical Hypothyroidism Is Associated with Increased Risk for Cancer Mortality in Adult Taiwanese—A 10 Years Population-Based Cohort

Background

The association between subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) and cancer mortality is seldom discussed.

Methods

A total of 115,746 participants without thyroid disease history, aged 20 and above, were recruited from four nationwide health screening centers in Taiwan from 1998 to 1999. SCH was defined as a serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level of 5.0–19.96 mIU/L with normal total thyroxine concentrations. Euthyroidism was defined as a serum TSH level of 0.47–4.9 mIU/L. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to estimate the relative risks (RRs) of death from cancer for adults with SCH during a 10-year follow-up period.

Results

Among 115,746 adults, 1,841 had SCH (1.6%) and 113,905 (98.4%) had euthyroidism. There were 1,532 cancer deaths during the 1,034,082 person-years follow-up period. Adjusted for age, gender, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking, alcohol drinking, betel nut chewing, physical activity, income, and education level, the RRs (95% confidence interval) of cancer deaths among subjects with SCH versus euthyroid subjects were 1.51 (1.06 to 2.15). Cancer site analysis revealed a significant increased risk of bone, skin and breast cancer among SCH subjects (RR 2.79, (1.01, 7.70)). The risks of total cancer deaths were more prominent in the aged (RR 1.71, (1.02 to 2.87)), in females (RR 1.69 (1.08 to 2.65)), and in heavy smokers (RR 2.24, (1.19 to 4.21)).

Conclusions

Subjects with SCH had a significantly increased risk for cancer mortality among adult Taiwanese. This is the first report to demonstrate the association between SCH and cancer mortality.     

Extreme Levels of HbA1c Increase Incident ESRD Risk in Chinese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: Competing Risk Analysis in National Cohort of Taiwan Diabetes Study

Background

Whether HbA1c is a predictor of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in type 2 diabetes patients remains unclear. This study evaluated relationship between HbA1c and ESRD in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods

Patients aged ≥ 30 years who were free of ESRD (n = 51 681) were included from National Diabetes Care Management Program from 2002–2003. Extended Cox proportional hazard model with competing risk of death served to evaluate association between HbA1c level and ESRD.

Results

A total of 2613 (5.06%) people developed ESRD during a follow-up period of 8.1 years. Overall incidence rate of ESRD was 6.26 per 1000 person-years. Patients with high levels of HbA1c had a high incidence rate of ESRD, from 4.29 for HbA1c of  6.0%–6.9% to 10.33 for HbA1c ≥ 10.0% per 1000 person-years. Patients with HbA1c < 6.0% particularly had a slightly higher ESRD incidence (4.34 per 1000 person-years) than those with HbA1c  of 6.0%–6.9%. A J-shaped relationship between HbA1c level and ESRD risk was observed. After adjustment, patients with HbA1c < 6.0% and ≥ 10.0% exhibited an increased risk of ESRD (HR: 1.99, 95% CI: 1.62–2.44; HR: 4.42, 95% CI: 3.80–5.14, respectively) compared with those with HbA1c of 6.0%–6.9%.

Conclusions

Diabetes care has focused on preventing hyperglycemia, but not hypoglycemia. Our study revealed that HbA1c level ≥ 7.0% was linked with increased ESRD risk in type 2 diabetes patients, and that HbA1c < 6.0% also had the potential to increase ESRD risk. Our study provides epidemiological evidence that appropriate glycemic control is essential for diabetes care to meet HbA1c targets and improve outcomes without increasing the risk to this population. Clinicians need to pay attention to HbA1c results on diabetic nephropathy.     

Effects of explant types and media salt strength on growth and secondary metabolite accumulation in adventitious roots of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Periploca sepium</Emphasis> Bunge

In order to study the capabilities of Periploca sepium adventitious root induction in different types of explants, we selected leaves, roots and stems with or without buds. The growth of adventitious roots and periplocin content in these roots were determined. In order to investigate the suitable media salt strength, we cultured the adventitious roots in different salt strength (0.25, 0.50, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0) of Murashige and Skoog (MS) media supplemented with 1 mg/l indole butyric acid (IBA) and 30 g/l sucrose. The results showed that both leaf and root explants were proven suitable for the adventitious root induction; however, the stems could hardly induce adventitious roots no matter whether the stems had buds or not. Further studies reported that adventitious root proliferation and periplocin production derived from root explants were higher than those derived from leaf explants. So the root explants were the optimum explants for adventitious root induction, growth and periplocin production. The salt strength experiment showed that with the increasing salt strength (1.0–2.0 MS), adventitious root growth decreased significantly, as well as periplocin content in comparison with lower (0.25–0.5 MS) salt strength media.     

分子生药学：一门新兴的边缘学科

分子生药学为生药学与分子生物学有机融合形成的新兴边缘学科。本文分析了分子生药学产生的背景、意义,介绍了分子生药学的研究内容,包括：生药分子鉴定、药用动植物的系统进化、药用动植物种质资源的评估及保存、药用动植物濒危机制及保护、药用植物活性成分的生物合成及调控、药用动植物的道地性及分子机理。认为分子生药学具有以下学科特色：（1）研究领域广泛,学科综合性很强;（2）次生代谢产物积累的研究贯穿分子生药学;（3）研究对象丰富多样,模式植物构建困难较大。简要介绍了分子生药学的常用技术方法,主要包括：DNA分析技术（分子杂交、分子标记技术、基因芯片、基因22程技术）、蛋白质分析技术、生物转化技术。指出分子生药学学科的发展呈现以下趋势：（1）学科理论体系进一步完善;（2）应用实践进一步加强;（3）生药资源永续利用的需求及技术发展导致特色领域成为热点,主要表现为分子鉴定稳步发展,biocoding成为分子鉴定的重要方向;次生代谢产物相关的功能基因组研究异军突起;基因组学、蛋白组学、代谢组学研究结果的整合和分析成为新热点;核心种质构建形成新思路和新方法。     

Reconstruction of Saccular and Dissected Intracranial Aneurysms Using Solitaire? AB Stents

Introduction

We aimed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, efficacy, and predictors for outcome of reconstructive treatment with Solitaire™ AB stent(s) based on 54 cases of saccular aneurysms and 14 of acute symptomatic dissecting aneurysms.

Methods

Fifty-eight consecutive patients (M/F = 28/30; median age, 53 years) harbouring 68 aneurysms (ruptured/unruptured = 12/56) underwent treatment with Solitaire™ AB stent(s) implantation between April 2010 and August 2011 in our institution. The data were retrospectively reviewed and analysed.

Results

The technical success rate of Solitaire™ AB stenting was 100%. The rates of the overall and the treatment-related adverse events were 9% (6/68) and 6% (4/68), respectively, and the recurrent rate was 1% (1/68). All of the adverse events (n = 6) occurred in tiny (n = 1, ≤3 mm) or small (n = 5, >3 to ≤10 mm) aneurysms. The majority (75%, 3/4) of thromboembolic events (thrombus, n = 2; infarction, n = 2) occurred in ruptured lesions, and 2 intraprocedural aneurysm ruptures occurred in the course of coiling when the stent(s) was/were applied within 6 months. Subarachnoid haemorrhages (SAH, p<0.05) and immediate occlusion grades (p<0.05) were predictors for overall adverse events by univariate analysis. Compared with the immediate post-treatment angiographic results, the follow-up angiographic imaging (mean, 13 months; range, 6–25 months) revealed that stent(s) implantation enhanced the rate of class I occlusion from 34% (23/68) to 93% (63/68). SAH was the only predictor for unfavourable outcomes (the modified Rankin Scale score [mRS], 2–6) during the mean 19-month (range, 12–27 months) of clinical follow-ups (p<0.05).

Conclusions

Although the complete obliteration of tiny and small aneurysms without complications remains a challenge, stent(s) implantation could lead to further occlusion of incompletely coiled aneurysms. SAH and the occlusion grade were the primary predictors for adverse events. SAH was the only predictor for unfavourable outcomes by univariate analysis.     

Reconstructive Treatment of Ruptured Intracranial Spontaneous Vertebral Artery Dissection Aneurysms: Long-Term Results and Predictors of Unfavorable Outcomes

Introduction

Few studies focused on predictors of unfavorable outcomes (modified Rankin Scale, 2–6) after reconstructive treatment of the ruptured intracranial spontaneous vertebral artery dissection aneurysms (ris-VADAs), which was evaluated based on 57 reconstructed lesions in this study.

Methods

Results of 57 consecutive patients (M:F = 29∶28; median age, 48 years; range, 27 to 69 years) harboring 57 ris-VADAs, which were treated with coils combined with single stent(n = 32), double overlapping stents (n = 16), and triple overlapping stents (n = 9) between October 2000 to March 2011, were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed.

Results

The available (n = 54) mean durations of angiographic and clinical follow-ups were 27 months (range, 12 to 78) and 62 months (range, 12 to 132), respectively. The involvement of PICA (p = 0.004), size of lesions (p = 0.000), quantity of stent (p = 0.001), and coil type (p = 0.002) affected the immediate obliteration grade, which was only risk factor for angiographic recurrences (p = 0.031). Although the post-treatment outcomes did not differ between single stent and multiple stents (p = 0.434), 5 angiographic recurrences, 1 rebleeding and 1 suspected rebleeding, all occurred in partial obliteration after single-stent-assisted coiling. Progressive thrombosis and in-stent obliteration were not detected on follow-up angiograms. Older age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.090; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.004–1.184; p = 0.040) and unfavorable Hunt-Hess scale (OR = 4.289; 95%CI, 1.232–14.933; p = 0.022) were independent predictors of unfavorable outcomes in the reconstructed ris-VADAs.

Conclusions

Immediate obliteration grade was only risk factor for angiographic recurrence after reconstructive treatment. Unfavorable Hunt-Hess grade and older age were independent predictors of unfavorable outcomes in ris-VADAs.     

基因重组大肠杆菌表达血红素加氧酶-1及培养条件优化

【背景】血红素加氧酶-1 (HO-1)具有抗氧化应激、抗凋亡和抗纤维化等多种生理效应,有望成为一种新型药物应用于临床疾病的治疗。【目的】构建表达HO-1的基因重组大肠杆菌(Escherichiacoli),并优化其表达培养条件,实现HO-1高产率的表达。【方法】PCR法克隆集胞藻(Synechocystissp.)PCC6803的HO-1基因(ho1),构建重组质粒pET-28a-ho1,转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)菌株,单因素实验优化表达培养基的种类、诱导剂添加时间、诱导培养时间、诱导剂浓度和诱导培养温度。【结果】构建了表达HO-1的基因重组大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)/pET-28a-ho1菌株,用甘油(GY)培养基培养至菌体浓度OD_(600)约为0.8时,加入终浓度为0.1 mmol/L的IPTG诱导,30°C诱导培养6 h,HO-1的表达量最高,Ni-NTA柱分离纯化得到的HO-1收率占细胞总蛋白的10.9%。【结论】获得了可溶性表达HO-1的基因重组大肠杆菌及其较佳的培养条件,为进一步研究集胞藻来源的HO-1的酶学性质和应用奠定了基础。     

Isolation of Plasmid DNA rescued from single colonies of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium tumefaciens</Emphasis> by means of rolling circle amplification

We report a simple method to isolate plasmids from single colonies ofAgrobacterium tumefaciens by means of rolling circle amplification. The amplified DNA can be digested by restriction enzymes for plasmid verification and transformed intoEscherichia coli for plasmid rescue. Compared with conventional procedures, this method eliminates liquid culturing ofAgrobacterium cells and subsequent DNA isolation and enables large-scale plasmid analyses.     

西藏不同生态型区苹果品质评价及其对气象因子的响应

通过对西藏4个不同生态型区‘金冠’苹果果实品质相关指标进行测定,并对果实品质与主要气象因子进行相关性分析及回归分析,以确定西藏‘金冠’苹果栽培主要气象因子评价体系。结果显示,在西藏4个不同生态型区‘金冠’苹果品质差异显著,其中,林芝‘金冠’综合表现较好。在西藏高海拔地区,年均温、7月均温、昼夜温差、≥10℃年均积温、年日照时数、年降水量及海拔是影响‘金冠’果实品质的主要气象因子。其中,海拔2857.9 m、年均气温13.2℃、7月平均气温15.9℃、年均昼夜温差12.7℃、≥10℃年均积温2310.5℃、年均日照时数2532.6 h、年均降水量636.7 mm是‘金冠’苹果形成最佳果实品质的适应气象因子,并且在一定范围内,昼夜温差越大,果实品质越好。本研究建立了西藏‘金冠’苹果栽培主要气象因子评价体系,并提出昼夜温差是影响西藏高海拔地区‘金冠’苹果品质的最主要评价因子。