The Reduced Gray Matter Volume and Functional Connectivity of the Cerebellum in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with High Insulin Resistance.

Introduction: Insulin resistance is widely thought to be a critical feature in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and there is significant evidence indicating a higher abundance of insulin receptors in the human cerebellum than cerebrum. However, the specific structural or functional changes in the cerebellum related to T2DM remain unclear, and the association between cerebellar alterations, insulin resistance, cognition, and emotion is yet to be determined.

Methods: We investigated neuropsychological performance, and structural and functional changes in specific cerebellar subregions in 43 T2DM patients with high insulin resistance (T2DM-highIR), 72 T2DM patients with low insulin resistance (T2DM-lowIR), and 50 controls.

De novo Transcriptome Sequencing of MeJA-Induced Taraxacum koksaghyz Rodin to Identify Genes Related to Rubber Formation.

Increase in the consumption of natural rubber (NR) has necessitated the identification of alternative sources of NR. The quality of NR produced by Taraxacum koksaghyz Rodin (TKS) is comparable to that from Hevea brasiliensis (H.brasiliensis), and therefore, TKS is being considered as an alternative source of NR.

Evaluation of the efficacy of steroid therapy on acute liver failure.

The effects of corticosteroids in the treatment of patients with acute or subacute liver failure (ALF or SALF) are controversial. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the efficacy of corticosteroids in improving spontaneous survival (SS) rate in patients with ALF and SALF, and to determine the groups with the highest rates of response to, and the most effective timing of, corticosteroid administration. A retrospective analysis was performed of all patients with ALF and SALF who were hospitalized in the Department of Infectious Diseases, Southwest Hospital, Chongqing, China from 2000-2012.

Changing etiologies and outcome of liver failure in Southwest China.

Background: The prognosis of liver failure depends greatly on the underlying cause, and there were few data about the prognosis, etiologies or trigger factors of liver failure in China based on long-term and large samples cohorts.

Methods: We screened out 3171 liver failure cases from 25467 patients hospitalized in our department between 2000 and 2012 according to Chinese criteria, and determined their etiologies and prognosis.

Results: 97.

[Distribution of pathogenic microorganisms and its relationship with clinical features in children with community-acquired pneumonia].

Objective: To study the distribution of pathogenic microorganisms in different genders, age groups and seasons in children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and the relationship between the distribution of pathogenic microorganisms and clinical features.

Methods: A total of 1,155 children with CAP were enrolled, among whom there were 670 boys and 485 girls, with a mean age of 3.1±2.

[Program optimization in the stage treatment of periarthritis of shoulder with acupuncture, moxibustion and positive functional exercise].

Objective: To optimize the therapeutic programs for periarthritis of shoulder treated with acupuncture, moxibustion and kinetohterapy with orthogonal design method adopted.

Methods: The orthogonal design table of L8 (2(7)) hierarchical principle was used to randomly divide 192 patients of periarthritis of shoulder into 8 groups, 24 cases in each one. Separately, 4 factors and each different 2 levels were adopted in treatment, named acupuncture timing (factor A: A, acute stage, A2 adhesion stage), acupoint combination (factor B: B, local acupoints, B2 local acupoints and distal acupoints along meridians), filiform needling and warm needling therapy (factor C: C1 acupuncture with filiform needle, CZ acupuncture with filiform needle and warm needling therapy) and positive functional exercise (factor D: D1 without positive functional exercise, D2 with positive functional exercise).

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in human retinal endothelial cells.

Aim: To investigate the mechanism underlying the anti-inflammatory effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs).

Methods: HRECs pre-treated with EGCG (0-100 µmol/L) were stimulated with LPS (250 ng/mL). Levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and nitric oxide (NO) in the supernatants were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Griess assay.

[Epigallocatechin gallate attenuates the expression of regulated upon activation normal T cell expressed and secreted induced by lipopolysaccharide in human retinal endothelial cells].

The present study was undertaken to determine the effect of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of inflammatory chemokine regulated upon activation normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) in human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs) and to explore the underlying regulatory mechanism. HRECs were stimulated with LPS in the presence or absence of EGCG at various concentrations (100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.

Serum lipids and other risk factors for diabetic retinopathy in Chinese type 2 diabetic patients.

Objective: To investigate the association of serum lipids and other risk factors with diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Chinese type 2 diabetic patients.

Methods: Five hundred and twenty-three type 2 diabetic patients underwent ophthalmic examination by experienced retinal specialists to assess their DR. Serum lipids, including triglycerides, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), were measured using Roche automated clinical chemistry analyzers.

Efficacy of pegylated interferon α2a in patients without HBeAg loss after the withdrawal of long-term lamivudine therapy.

Background: Improving the HBe seroconversion rate of patients without HBeAg loss after long-term lamivudine therapy has become an urgent clinical problem that we have to face. Unfortunately, there is no consensus on the mananement of these patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) α2a in patients without HBeAg loss after the withdrawal of long-term lamivudine therapy.

Severe acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B during pegylated interferon treatment and early intervention with corticosteroid.

Severe acute exacerbation or liver failure induced by standard interferon-α(IFN-α) therapy had been reported to occur in few patients with chronic hepatitis B. However, no report showed that pegylated interferon-α therapy was able to induce severe acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B. Here, we describe three patients with severe acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B during pegylated interferon-α2a (Pegasys) treatment.

Efficacy of short-term dexamethasone therapy in acute-on-chronic pre-liver failure.

Aim:   Acute-on-chronic pre-liver failure (pre-ACLF) is defined as a severe acute episode of chronic hepatitis B characterized by serum bilirubin of 171 µmol/L or more, alanine aminotransferase of five times or more the upper limit of normal and prothrombin activity of more than 40%, having a potential for progression to acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). This study is to evaluate the efficacy of short-term dexamethasone in pre-ACLF.

Methods:   One hundred and seventy patients were assigned to dexamethasone therapy and control group at a ratio of 1:2.

[The changes of TSP-1 expression in the retina of STZ-induced rat diabetic mellitus model with pioglitazone].

To observe the changes of TSP-1 expression in the retina of STZ-induced rat diabetic mellitus model with pioglitazone and to elucidate the possible mechanism involved and the effects of thiazolidinediones compound pioglitazone on the early stages of diabetic retinopathy. 30 Male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: control group, DM group and pioglitazone treated DM group (DP group). DM group and pioglitazone treated DM group were injected with STZ intraperitoneally.

[The study of thrombospondin-I (TSP1) expression in the early stages of diabetic retinopathy induced by streptozotocin].

Thrombospondin1 (TSP1) is a known antiangiogenic factor, but its possible alteration during the early stages of diabetic retinopathy has not been explored yet. The present study sought to investigate the expression of TSP1 using a model of streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetes in the rat. Diabetes was induced in male SD rats by an intraperitoneal injection of STZ.