[Relationship Between Social Isolation and Health Behaviors and Ulcer Severity in Diabetic Foot Patients].

Objective: To explore the relationship between social isolation and health behaviors and ulcer severity in patients with diabetic foot.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 160 patients suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus combined with diabetic foot. The patients received treatment at the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University between September 2020 and December 2021.

Turner syndrome with positive gene and non-classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia: A case report.

Background: Co-morbidity of gene turner syndrome (TS) with positive gene and non-classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia (NCAH) is extremely rare and has never been reported to date.

Case Summary: In this article, we present a 14-year-old girl who was referred to our hospital with short stature (weight of 43 kg and height of 143 cm, < -2 SD) with no secondary sexual characteristics (labia minora dysplasia). Laboratory tests indicated hypergonadotropic hypogonadism with significantly increased androstenedione and 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) levels.

Long noncoding RNA NEAT1 is involved in the protective effect of Klotho on renal tubular epithelial cells in diabetic kidney disease through the ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

Klotho, an antiaging protein, has been shown to play a protective role in renal tubular epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) during the development of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in the progression of EMT in many diseases. However, the effect of Klotho on lncRNAs during the development of DKD is still unknown.

LncRNA GAS5 exacerbates renal tubular epithelial fibrosis by acting as a competing endogenous RNA of miR-96-5p.

Renal fibrosis is at the core of various renal diseases, including diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are known players in the regulation of renal fibrosis. However, their expression and function in DKD still need to be elucidated.

Renoprotective effects of brown adipose tissue activation in diabetic mice.

Background: Brown adipose tissue (BAT) has been regarded as a potential target organ to combat obesity and related metabolic disorders. However, the effect of BAT activation on the development of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) remains unclear.

Methods: Diabetic mice were induced by streptozotocin (STZ) combined with a high-fat diet.

Early growth response protein-1 upregulates long noncoding RNA Arid2-IR to promote extracellular matrix production in diabetic kidney disease.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) has surpassed chronic glomerulonephritis as the leading cause of end-stage renal disease. Previously, we showed that early growth response protein-1 (Egr1) plays a key role in DKD by enhancing mesangial cell proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM) production. The long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) AT-rich interactive domain 2-IR (Arid2-IR) has been identified as a mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3 (Smad3)-associated lncRNA in unilateral ureteral obstructive kidney disease.

Rosiglitazone Elicits an Adiponectin-Mediated Insulin-Sensitizing Action at the Adipose Tissue-Liver Axis in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty Rats.

Rosiglitazone is an agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor- (PPAR-) that is principally associated with insulin action. The exact mechanisms underlying its insulin-sensitizing action are still not fully elucidated. It is well known that adiponectin mostly secreted in adipose tissue is an insulin sensitizer.

[Exendin-4 alleviates diabetic cardiomyopathy in mice by regulating Sirt1/PGC1α].

Objective: To investigate the protective effect of exendin-4 against diabetic cardiomyopathy in mice and explore the underlying mechanism.

Methods: C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal control group with normal diet and diabetic group with high-fat diet for 4 weeks before streptozotocin injection. The successfully established diabetic mouse models were divided into diabetic group with exendin-4 treatment and diabetic control group for daily treatment with intraperitoneal injection of 1 nmol/kg exendin-4 and saline of equivalent volume for 8 weeks, respectively.

Early Growth Response 1 (Egr1) Is a Transcriptional Activator of NOX4 in Oxidative Stress of Diabetic Kidney Disease.

Background: NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) plays a major role in renal oxidative stress of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). NOX4 was significantly increased in Egr1-expressing fibroblasts, but the relationship between Egr1 and NOX4 in DKD is unclear.

Methods: For the evaluation of the potential relationship between Egr1 and NOX4, both were detected in HFD/STZ-induced mice and HK-2 cells treated with TGF-1.

Role of p53/miR-155-5p/sirt1 loop in renal tubular injury of diabetic kidney disease.

Background: Diabetic kidney disease is a renal microvascular disease caused by diabetes, known as one of the most serious and lethal complications of diabetes. Early renal hypertrophy is the main pathological feature, which gradually leads to the deposition of glomerular extracellular matrix and tubulointerstitial fibrosis, eventually developing irreversible structural damage to the kidneys. Autophagy is a cell self-homeostatic mechanism that is activated under stress conditions and may serve as a protective response to the survival of renal fibrogenic cells.

Diagnosis and treatment of diffusible in human immunodeficiency virus-negative patients: A challenge for the physician.

Penicillium marneffei infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative patients is addressed far less often. In this article, a small cohort of HIV-negative patients who disseminated P. marneffei infection was included.

High glucose up-regulates microRNA-34a-5p to aggravate fibrosis by targeting SIRT1 in HK-2 cells.

Tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF) is crucial in the development of renal fibrosis in diabetic nephropathy(DN). Previous data shows that SIRT1 plays an important role on fibrosis, but the effect on TIF in DN and underlying mechanisms remains uncertain. In this study, we evaluated the vital role of SIRT1 and identified SIRT1 as a downstream target gene of microRNA-34a-5p (miR-34a-5p) in TIF of DN.

[Pathogen analysis in patients with diabetic foot osteomyelitis using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing].

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of pathogenic microorganisms in the infected bone tissues in patients with diabetic foot osteomyelitis (DFO) using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing to facilitate rapid and accurate detection of pathogens and effective infection control.

Methods: Between September, 2016 and April, 2017, 16 patients with DFO were admitted in our department and infected bone specimens were obtained during debridement. The pathogenic microorganisms in the specimens were identified using both 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and automatic blood culture analyzer, and the characteristics of the microflora were analyzed based on 16S rRNA sequencing data in comparison with the results of blood culture.

[Clinical analysis of 939 patients with adrenal lesions detected by abdominal computed tomography].

Objective: To investigate the prevalence, etiology and clinical characteristics of adrenal lesions detected by abdominal computed tomography (CT).

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in patients with adrenal lesions detected by abdominal CT examinations in Nanfang Hospital between July, 2014 and June, 2015. The clinical data of the patients were collected for analysis of the demographics, comorbidities, imaging characteristics, biochemical profiles, clinical diagnosis and intervention.

CKD-EPI creatinine-cystatin C glomerular filtration rate estimation equation seems more suitable for Chinese patients with chronic kidney disease than other equations.

Background: The aim of this study was to identify the optimal equation that accurately estimates the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and the chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage in the Chinese population.

Methods: A total of 1296 Chinese patients aged 18-65 years old were enrolled in this study. The estimated GFRs (eGFRs) calculated separately by three Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equations and three Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equations were compared with the reference GFR (rGFR) measured by the Tc-DTPA renal dynamic imaging method.

[Expressions of inflammatory and fibrogenic factors in perinephric and subcutaneous adipose tissues of patients with adrenocorticotropic hormone-independent Cushing's syndrome].

Objective: To investigate the expressions of inflammation- and fibrosis-related genes in perinephric and subcutaneous adipose tissues in patients with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-independent Cushing's syndrome.

Methods: The perinephric and subcutaneous adipose tissues adipose tissues were obtained from 8 patients with ACTH-independent Cushing's syndrome undergoing laparoscopic retroperitoneal adrenalectomy. Real-time PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP-2), TIMP metallopeptidase inhibitor 1 (TIMP-1), early growth response 1 (EGR1), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein β(CEBPβ), uncoupling protein 1(UCP-1), PPARγ coactivator 1 alpha (PGC1α) and cell death-inducing DFFA-like effector a (CIDEA).

Klotho down-regulates Egr-1 by inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling in high glucose treated human mesangial cells.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) has become the leading cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide and is associated with glomerular mesangial cell (MC) proliferation and excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) production. Klotho can attenuate renal fibrosis in part by inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling in DKD. Early growth response factor 1 (Egr-1) has been shown to play a key role in renal fibrosis in part by facilitating the formation of a positive feedback loop involving TGF-β1.

High glucose down-regulates microRNA-181a-5p to increase pro-fibrotic gene expression by targeting early growth response factor 1 in HK-2 cells.

Tubulointerstitial fibrosis (TIF) plays an important role in the progression of renal fibrosis in diabetic nephropathy (DN). Accumulating evidence supports a crucial effect of early growth response factor 1 (Egr1) on renal fibrosis in DN, but the underlying mechanisms are not entirely clear. Here, we explored the aggravating role of Egr1 and identified microRNA-181a-5p (miR-181a-5p) as an upstream regulator of Egr1 in TIF of DN.

[Blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome complicated by a ventricular septal defect: a case report].

The co-occurrence of blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome (BRBNS) and ventricular septal defects is rare. Here we present a case of BRBNS in a 15-year-old boy who was born with multiple cavernous hemangiomas and a ventricular septal defect. Examinations revealed the presence of hemangioma lesions in the subcutaneous and mucosal tissues as well as in the cerebrum, nasopharynx, tongue, esophagus, gastric body, sigmoid colon and adrenal gland.

[Anlysis of foot biomechanics characteristic in 303 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus].

Objective: To investigate foot biomechanics characteristic of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: This study was conducted among 303 patients with type 2 diabetes. The whole foot was divided into 10 regions, namely the first toe (T1); the second to fifth toes (T2-5); the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth metatarsals (M1, M2, M3, M4, and M5, respectively); midfoot (MF), and the heel medial (HM).

Let-7d miRNA prevents TGF-β1-induced EMT and renal fibrogenesis through regulation of HMGA2 expression.

TGF-β1-induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) process of tubular epithelial cells plays a leading role in the occurrence and progression of renal fibrosis as seen in diabetic nephropathy (DN). High mobility group AT-hook 2 (HMGA2) is considered to be involved in TGF-β1-mediated EMT via multifactorial mechanisms. Specific microRNAs (miRNAs) are closely associated with EMT, and here we focused on let-7d miRNA as a regulator of HMGA2.

[Effects of exendin-4 on extracellular matrix metabolism in human mesangial cells cultured in high glucose].

Objective: To explore effects of exendin-4 on the metabolism of extracellular matrix (ECM) in human mesangial cells (HMC) cultured in the presence of high glucose and explore the possible mechanism.

Methods: Human mesangial cells (HMC) were treated with exendin-4 under high glucose conditions. The cell proliferation was observed using CCK8 assay, and the expressions of collagen type I, fibronectin, transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ1) expression and extracellular signal- regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway activity were assessed using Western blotting.

Transcription Factor Egr1 is Involved in High Glucose-Induced Proliferation and Fibrosis in Rat Glomerular Mesangial Cells.

Unlabelled: Backgroud: Diabetic nephropathy is one of the most frequent causes of end-stage renal disease and is associated with proliferation of glomerular mesangial cells (MCs) and excessive production of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Several studies have shown that early growth response factor 1 (Egr1) plays a key role in renal fibrosis by regulating the expression of genes encoding ECM components. However, whether Egr1 also contributes to diabetic nephropathy is unclear.

Efficacy and safety of avandamet or uptitrated metformin treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin alone: a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial.

Background: At present, China has listed the compound tablet containing a fixed dose of rosiglitazone and metformin, Avandamet, which may improve patient compliance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Avandamet or uptitrated metformin treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin alone.

Methods: This study was a 48-week, multicenter, randomized, open-labeled, active-controlled trial.