Comparison of Risk Factor between Lacunar Stroke and Large Artery Atherosclerosis Stroke: A Cross-Sectional Study in China

Background

Stroke is the second most common cause of mortality in China. Although most subtypes of ischemic stroke share similar risk factors, they have different etiologies. Our study aimed to evaluate the different risk factor profiles between the stroke subtypes, lacunar infarcts (LI) and large-artery atherosclerosis (LAA), and clarify the characteristics of current acute ischemic stroke in China.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed the clinical characteristics of 1982 patients with acute ischemic stroke who were admitted to the neurology department at the Peking University First Hospital between 2007 and 2014. Ischemic stroke was further classified into LAA, LI, cardioembolism (CE) and undetermined causes of infarction (UDI) according to TOAST classification. Demographic characteristics, risk factors, as well as the findings of laboratory and imaging tests of 1773 patients with LAA and LI, were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic analysis.

Results

Of the 1982 ischemic stroke patients included in this study, 1207 were diagnosed with LAA, 566 with LI, 173 with cardioembolism (CE) and 36 with undetermined causes of infarction (UDI). By comparing the risk factors in multivariate logistic regression analysis, hypertension [odds ratio (OR) = 1.832] and white matter leukoaraiosis (WML) (OR = 1.865) were found to be more strongly correlated with LI than LAA. Low density lipoprotein- cholesterol (LDL-c) (OR = 0.774) were more strongly related to LAA than LI.

Conclusions

This study found that hypertension and WML were more strongly correlated with LI than LAA. LDL-c was more strongly related to LAA than LI.     

Glucose Uptake Activities of Bis (2, 3-Dibromo-4, 5-Dihydroxybenzyl) Ether,a Novel Marine Natural Product from Red Alga Odonthaliacorymbifera with Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B Inhibition,In Vitro and In Vivo

Background and Aims

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is a novel therapeutic target for type-2 diabetes, which negatively regulates the insulin signaling transduction. Bis (2, 3-dibromo-4, 5-dihydroxybenzyl) ether (BDDE), a novel bromophenol isolated from the Red Alga, is a novel PTP1B inhibitor. But the anti-diabetic effects are not clear. In the present study, we evaluated the in vitro and in vivo antidiabetic effects of BDDE.

Methods

The insulin-resistant HepG2 cells were used to evaluate the in vitro antidiabetic effects of BDDE. MTT assay was used to determine the safety concentrations in HepG2 cells. Glucose assay kit was used to check glucose uptake after treated with BDDE. Western blotting assay was used to explore the potent mechanisms. The db/db mice were used to evaluate the in vivo antidiabetic effects of BDDE. Body weight, blood glucose, Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), lipid profile, and insulin level were checked at the respective time points. Gastrocnemii were dissected and used to analyze the PTP1B and insulin receptor β (IRβ) expression.

Results

BDDE increased the insulin-resisted glucose uptake in HepG2 cells. BDDE also decreased the expression of PTP1B and activated the substrates and downstream signals in insulin signal pathway, such as IRβ, insulin receptor substrate-1/2 (IRS1/2), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), and protein kinase B (PKB/Akt). In the db/db mice model, BDDE significantly decreased the blood glucose, HbA1c and triglyceride (TG) levels. BDDE also decreased the expression of PTP1B and activated the phosphorylation of IRβ in gastrocnemii. Moreover, BDDE at high doses downregulated the body weight without affecting food and water intake.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that BDDE as a new PTP1B inhibitor improves glucose metabolism by stimulating the insulin signaling and could be used in the treatment of type-2 diabetes mellitus.     

Interleukin-6 Levels in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

The change of serum interleukin-6(IL-6) levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), as well as the relations between IL-6 levels and body mass index (BMI), insulin resistance(IR) and androgen status of PCOS patients, are not fully understood.

Methods

A literature search was performed in October 2015 using PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library databases to identify studies. Random-effects model was used to estimate the standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

Twenty articles with 25 case-control studies included 1618 women (922 PCOS patients and 696 controls) were included in this study. IL-6 levels in controls were significantly lower than that of PCOS patients (SMD = 0.78, 95%CI = 0.41–1.16, P<0.001), with significant heterogeneity across studies (I² = 91% and P<0.001). Meta-regression analysis model indicated IR status was the main source of heterogeneity (P = 0.005). Results from group analysis suggested that high IL-6 levels in PCOS were significantly associated with Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA2-IR) ratio and total testosterone ratio (T ratio), and was found in both lean and obese women with PCOS. Cumulative meta-analysis results indicated the total effect size (SMD) had tend to be stable since 2012(0.79 to 0.92).

Conclusions

A high IL-6 level is not an intrinsic characteristic of PCOS, but may be a useful monitoring biomarker for the treatment of PCOS.     

Epidural Co-Administration of Dexmedetomidine and Levobupivacaine Improves the Gastrointestinal Motility Function after Colonic Resection in Comparison to Co-Administration of Morphine and Levobupivacaine

Gastrointestinal motility may be impaired after intestinal surgery. Epidural morphine is effective in controlling postoperative pain, but can further reduce gastrointestinal motility. Here, we aimed to investigate the effects of epidural dexmedetomidine on gastrointestinal motility in patients undergoing colonic resection. Seventy-four patients undergoing colonic resection were enrolled in this clinical trial and allocated randomly to treatment with dexmedetomidine (D group) or morphine (M group). The D group received a loading dose epidural administration of 3 ml dexmedetomidine (0.5 μg kg^-1) and then a continuous epidural administration of 80 μg dexmedetomidine in 150 ml levobupivacaine (0.125%) at 3 ml h^-1 for two days. The M group received a loading dose epidural administration of 3 ml morphine (0.03 mg kg^-1) and then a continuous epidural administration of 4.5 mg morphine in 150 ml levobupivacaine at 3 ml h^-1 for two days. Verbal rating score (VRS), postoperative analgesic requirements, side effects related to analgesia, the time to postoperative first flatus (FFL) and first feces (FFE) were recorded. VRS and postoperative analgesic requirements were not significantly different between treatment groups. In contrast, the time to FFL and time to FFE were significant longer in M group in comparison to D group (P < 0.05). Moreover, patients in M group had a significantly higher incidence of nausea, vomiting, and pruritus (P < 0.05). No patients showed neurologic deficits in either group. In comparison to morphine, epidural dexmedetomidine is safe and beneficial for the recovery of gastrointestinal motility after colonic resection when used as an adjunct with levobupivacaine for postoperative pain control.

Trial Registration

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR-TRC-14004644     

Continental Refugium in the Mongolian Plateau during Quaternary Glacial Oscillations: Phylogeography and Niche Modelling of the Endemic Desert Hamster,Phodopus roborovskii

The Mongolian Plateau (MP), which is situated in the interior of Asia and possesses a typical continental climate, experienced harsh climatic conditions during the Quaternary glacial fluctuations. Although these events likely had huge impacts on the local animal populations, the current effects have hardly been explored. To investigate whether the MP supported a refugium along an oceanic-continental gradient (ROCG), and whether this refugium was glacial or interglacial, we investigated the demographic and phylogeographic history of an endemic mammal species, the desert hamster Phodopus roborovskii. We reconstructed the demographic variation, the phylogeographic diffusion, and modelled the potential habitat during historical periods. The genetic diversity in the MP was the highest among all the localities, and the MP was a suitable habitat throughout the modelled historical periods. A phylogeographic diffusion analysis emphasized the importance of the MP as the centre of origin, preservation and spread for P. roborovskii. The homogeneous landscape provided the opportunity for a wide gene flow, which resulted in low resolution of the phylogenetic relationships. Moreover, P. roborovskii was favoured by the interglacial condition, with both its demographical and geographical ranges expanded within the interglacial periods. The range variation from the Last Glacial Maximum to the current condition reflects a distinct longitudinal shift, while both ranges largely contracted from that of the Last Interglacial. Our results support that the MP served as a refugium and spread centre for P. roborovskii during the Quaternary climate fluctuations. The interglacial expansion and the longitudinal shifts highlighted the important effects of precipitations on the distribution range of species adapted to arid and semi-arid during glacial oscillations.     

新疆艾比湖沉积物中免培养放线菌的多样性北大核心CSCD

【目的】采用免培养的方法研究新疆艾比湖湖底沉积物放线菌组成及多样性。【方法】采集并混合5份艾比湖湖底沉积物样本,并提取其总DNA,采用放线菌通用引物对其16S r RNA基因序列进行Touchdown PCR,构建放线菌16S r RNA基因文库。蓝白斑筛选后随机挑选白色克隆分析,利用限制性内切酶HhaⅠ进行酶切分型,挑选具有独特限制性片段差异的阳性克隆进行测序分析。序列经Chimera Check检测,BLAST同源比对及构建16S r RNA基因序列系统发育树。【结果】随机挑选192个白色克隆,其中166个为阳性克隆,选取51个具有独特限制性片段差异的克隆进行序列分析。测序结果进行比对以及Chimera Check检测后,共获得36个可操作单元(Operational Taxonomic Units,OTUs),Gen Bank注册号为KR182090-KR182131。文库覆盖度结果表明克隆文库涵盖了本环境中90.4%的放线菌类群。聚类结果显示,艾比湖湖底沉积物中放线菌分为2个类群,第1个类群属于放线菌门(Actinobacteria),放线菌纲(Actinobacteria)中的放线菌目(Actinomycetales)、丙酸杆菌目(Propionibacteriales)、微球菌目(Micrococcales)和棒杆菌目(Corynebacteriales)4个目,该类群占克隆文库18.1%;另外1个类群属于Unclassified Actinobacteria的类群,分为3个不同的group,占整个克隆文库的81.9%。【结论】新疆艾比湖湖底沉积物中存在多种未知的放线菌类群。