Causal relationship between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart failure: A Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Causal association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart failure (HF) has been controversial. This study used Mendelian Randomization (MR) analysis to clarify the potential causal connection between these two conditions.

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to investigate the causal relationship between COPD and HF based on the hypothesis that the genetic predisposition to COPD could lead to an increased risk of developing HF METHODS: A two-sample MR analysis of genetic data was performed for COPD and HF.

The Influence of Hyperglycemia on Liver Triglyceride Deposition in Partially Pancreatectomized Rats.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and diabetes always coexist. The relationship of fatty liver and hyperglycemia is not clear. We studied the influence of hyperglycemia on triglyceride (TG) accumulation in the liver and explored its possible mechanisms.

Influence of ursodeoxycholic acid on blood glucose, insulin and GLP-1 in rats with liver fibrosis induced by bile duct ligation.

Background: The prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes is much higher in people with cirrhosis than that in the general population. However, there are inadequate concrete guidelines for the management of diabetes in these patients, particularly in the early stage. Bile aids (BAs) have been found to exert hormone-like functions in the control of lipid and glucose metabolism.

Influence of Liver Cirrhosis on Blood Glucose, Insulin Sensitivity and Islet Function in Mice.

Background: The relationship between cirrhosis and diabetes is controversial. We studied the influence of cirrhosis on glucose levels and islet function and explored its possible mechanisms.

Materials And Methods: Cirrhosis was induced in male C57BL/6 mice by bile duct ligation (BDL).

Ginsenoside Rg3 protects heart against isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction by activating AMPK mediated autophagy.

Background: Panax ginseng is a well-known medicinal herb that is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for treating various diseases. Ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3) is thought to be one of the most important active ingredients of Panax ginseng. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the beneficial effects of Rg3 has been elusive.

Influences of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c silencing on glucose production in HepG2 cells treated with free fatty acid.

Background: Elevation of exogenous free fatty acid (FFA) level leads to insulin resistance (IR) in liver, IR is manifested by elevated hepatic glucose production. We aim to study whether inhibition of endogenous fatty acid synthesis could decrease hepatic glucose production.

Methods: Low-passage HepG2 cells derived from human liver tissue were cultured in medium supplemented with FFA to induce IR, the influences of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) silencing on glucose production of HepG2 cells were investigated, and genes responsible for fatty acid and glucose metabolism were detected by real-time PCR.

miR-181c-3p and -5p promotes high-glucose-induced dysfunction in human umbilical vein endothelial cells by regulating leukemia inhibitory factor.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease with high blood glucose level and closely related to endothelial dysfunction, an important factor in the pathogenesis of vascular changes. Several miRNAs have been reported to be altered in a diabetic environment including miR-181c. In the article, we found that the expression of miR-181c-3p and miR-181c-5p was significantly downregulated under glucose treatment in a dose-dependent manner and in peripheral blood from diabetic patients compared with healthy participants.

Coronary Flow Reserve in Non-Infarcted Myocardium Predicts Long-Term Clinical Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Purpose: Coronary flow reserve (CFR) is recognized as an indicator of myocardial perfusion. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between CFR in the non-infarcted myocardium and the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs).

Materials And Methods: 100 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were enrolled in the present study, and divided into MACE and non-MACE groups according to the incidence of 12-month MACEs.

A 3-year observation of testosterone deficiency in Chinese patients with chronic heart failure.

Testosterone deficiency is present in a certain proportion men with chronic heart failure (CHF). Low testosterone levels in American and European patients with CHF lead to the high mortality and readmission rates. Interestingly, this relationship has not been studied in Chinese patients.

The plasma levels of CST and BCKDK in patients with sepsis.

Objectives: CST has been recently identified as a mediator of various beneficial effects in animal models of sepsis. At present, no data are available concerning the levels of CST in sepsis patients. In sepsis the plasma amino acid pattern is characterized by decreased branced chain amino acids (BCAAs).

Genetic Variant rs10757278 on Chromosome 9p21 Contributes to Myocardial Infarction Susceptibility.

Large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed that rs10757278 polymorphism (or its proxy rs1333049) on chromosome 9p21 is associated with myocardial infarction (MI) susceptibility in individuals of Caucasian ancestry. Following studies in other populations investigated this association. However, some of these studies reported weak or no significant association.

Coronary flow reserve in the remote myocardium predicts left ventricular remodeling following acute myocardial infarction.

Purpose: Coronary flow reserve (CFR) in the non-infarcted myocardium is often impaired following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the clinical significance of CFR in the non-infarcted myocardium is not fully understood. The objective of the present study was to assess whether a relationship exists between CFR and left ventricular remodeling following AMI.

LINE-1 hypomethylation is associated with the risk of coronary heart disease in Chinese population.

Background: Global methylation level in blood leukocyte DNA has been associated with the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), with inconsistent results in various populations. Similar data are lacking in Chinese population where different genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors may affect DNA methylation and its risk relationship with CHD.

Objectives: To examine whether global methylation is associated with the risk of CHD in Chinese population.

Sequence of fat partitioning and its relationship with whole body insulin resistance.

Background: Currently it is unclear whether lipid accumulation occurs in a particular sequence and its relationship with whole body insulin resistance (IR). This study aimed to answer this question.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were fed on a normal or a high-fat diet for 20 weeks.

[Effects of fenofibrate on the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated-gamma coactivator-1α in skeletal muscle of rats infused with intralipid].

Objective: To observe the effects of fenofibrate on the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated (PPAR)-gamma coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) in skeletal muscle of rats with insulin resistance (IR) induced by elevated plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups: control group (Con, infused with saline), lipid infusion group (FFA) and fenofibrate treatment plus lipid infusion group (F-FFA). Plasma glucose, insulin and FFA were measured.

[Relationship between oxidative stress and beta cell lipoapoptosis in rats].

Objective: To investigate the effect of beta cell lipoapoptosis after long term high-fat feeding in rats, and to investigate the relationship between oxidative stress, gene expression and beta cell lipoapoptosis.

Methods: Forty-one SD male rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: high-fat diet group (HF group) and control group (NC group). At the end of 28 weeks, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutamylcysteinylglycine (GSH) in plasma and pancreatic tissue,the early-phase insulin secretion in beta cells, the beta cell apoptosis (TUNEL technology) and the uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) gene expression in islets were measured.

[Relationship between islet beta cell dysfunction and gene expression of uncoupling protein-2 and possible mechanism thereof].

Objective: To study the effects of high fat diet on the functions of islet beta cells and the role of uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2) therein and possible mechanism.

Methods: Forty SD rats were randomly divided into two equal groups: high-fat-(HF) diet group, fed with HF diet for 20 weeks, and normal diet control (NC) group, fed with normal diet. At the end of the twentieth week blood samples were collected from the heart to determine the serum fasting blood glucose (FBG) and fasting insulin (FINS), and plasma nitrotyrosine, malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutamylcysteinylglycine (GSH), indicators of oxidative stress.

[Effects of fenofibrate on gene expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 in liver and skeletal muscle and its influence on insulin sensitivity].

Objective: To study the effects of fenofibrate (FF), a peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) alpha activator, on the expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT-1) mRNA in liver and muscle and its influence on insulin sensitivity.

Methods: Thirty-two normal 8 week-old male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: normal control group, fed with normal food for 3 weeks (NC group, n = 10), high fat diet group, fed with high fat food (HF group, n = 10), and high fat diet supplemented with FF group, fed with high fat food and given with gastric perfusion of FF (50 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) (FF group, n = 12). Fast serum triglyceride (TG) level was tested by automatic biochemical analyzer after 8-10 h fasting.

[The mechanism of and relationship between lipid metabolism genes expression and insulin resistance in high fat-fed mice].

Objective: To observe the relationship between changes of genes expression related to lipid metabolism and insulin resistance induced by high fat diet in SD rats.

Methods: Normal 8-week old male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups. They were fed with normal chow (NC, n = 10), high fat diet (HF, n = 10) and high fat diet supplemented with pioglitazone 15 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) (HP, n = 12).

[The relationship between islet alpha cell insulin resistance and inflammatory pathway activation and its mechanism].

Objective: To study the changes of inflammatory path molecules in the islet alpha cells in high-fat-diet fed plus beta cell-deleted rat models and the effects of pioglitazone intervention.

Methods: Forty five normal male SD rats, 8 week old, were randomly divided into 3 groups, i.e.

[Effect of lipid infusion on the function of islet beta cells and gene expression of insulin signal transduction system].

Objective: To study the changes and mechanism of the function of islet beta cells and insulin signal transduction molecules after lipid infusion.

Methods: Twenty five SD rats were randomly divided into 2 groups, FFA group and NS group. Catheters were implanted under pentobarbital anesthesia in the right atrium via the jugular vein and the left carotid artery.

[The expression of insulin signal transduction molecules and islet alpha cell insulin resistance].

Objective: To study the changes of insulin signal transduction molecules in islet alpha cells in high-fat-diet plus beta cell-deleting rat models and its underlying mechanism.

Methods: Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into 2 equal groups and fed with high-fat-diet (HF group) or normal diet (normal control group, NC group) respectively. At the end of twenty-week feeding, the fasting serum insulin (Ins), glucagon (Glc), free fatty acid (FFA), and triglyceride (TG were measured.