Sex Differences in the Association Between AST/ALT and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in Japanese Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objectives/introduction: The purpose of the current study was to investigate the association between Aspartate Transaminase (AST)/Alanine transaminase(ALT) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients and to determine whether there were sex differences.

Methods: In the retrospective study, we collected data on NAFLD patients (1, 896 men and 465 women) at Murakami Memorial Hospital from 2004 to 2015. Data were stratified by sex to investigate the association between AST/ALT and T2DM incidence by sex.

High Serum Neuron-Specific Enolase Level Is Associated with Mild Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Diabetic Retinopathy.

Purpose: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) can increase the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which has been confirmed by previous researches. With the frequent occurrence of MCI in patients with DR, the early detection of MCI has become a research hot-spot. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and MCI in patients with DR.

Psychological crisis intervention for college students during novel coronavirus infection epidemic.

At the beginning of the 2020 New year, novel coronavirus infection continues to affect our lives. The anxiety and stress caused by rising epidemic data, the helplessness and fear caused by city closure and isolation, and the boredom and irritability caused by extended holiday grounding all have a great impact on the psychology of students. In this special stress period of "suspension of classes and non-stop learning", teachers actively help and guide students, do a good job of students' psychological support, perform the duties of spiritual mentors, and do a good job of students' psychological care.

A new research hot spot: The role of NLRP3 inflammasome activation, a key step in pyroptosis, in diabetes and diabetic complications.

Pyroptosis is a form of cell death mediated by gasdermin D (GSDMD); it is characterised by NLRP3 inflammasome activation, caspase activation, cell membrane pore formation, and the release of interleukin-1β and interleukin-18. NLRP3 inflammasome activation plays a central role in pyroptosis. Recent research has suggested that NLRP3 inflammasome activation may be involved in the occurrence and development of diabetes mellitus and its associated complications.

Oridonin inhibits LPS-induced inflammation in human gingival fibroblasts by activating PPARγ.

Oridonin, the major terpene isolated from Rabdosia rubescens, has been used as dietary supplement. Recently, it has been known to exhibit anti-inflammatory effect. This study we employed an in vitro model of LPS-stimulated human gingival fibroblasts to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects and mechanism of oridonin.

Astragaloside IV protects RGC-5 cells against oxidative stress.

Astragaloside IV is the main active compound of Astragalus membranaceus. Astragaloside IV has strong anti-oxidative activities and protective effects against progression of peripheral neuropathy. In this study, we determined whether astragaloside IV protects retinal ganglion cells (RGC) from oxidative stress injury using the rat RGC-5 cell line.

Fibromodulin reduces scar formation in adult cutaneous wounds by eliciting a fetal-like phenotype.

Blocking transforming growth factor (TGF)β1 signal transduction has been a central strategy for scar reduction; however, this approach appears to be minimally effective. Here, we show that fibromodulin (FMOD), a 59-kD small leucine-rich proteoglycan critical for normal collagen fibrillogenesis, significantly reduces scar formation while simultaneously increasing scar strength in both adult rodent models and porcine wounds, which simulate human cutaneous scar repair. Mechanistically, FMOD uncouples pro-migration/contraction cellular signals from pro-fibrotic signaling by selectively enhancing SMAD3-mediated signal transduction, while reducing AP-1-mediated TGFβ1 auto-induction and fibrotic extracellular matrix accumulation.

Obestatin prevents HO-induced damage through activation of TrkB in RGC-5 cells.

Backgroud: In the early stage of diabetic retinopathy, the damage of retinal ganglion cells already exists, promoting the development of the disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective role and the mechanisms of obestatin against HO-induced damage in RGC-5 cells.

Methods: RGC-5 cells were incubated with various concentrations of obestatin for 24h before HO added.

Hyperthermia with different temperatures inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis through the EGFR/STAT3 pathway in C6 rat glioma cells.

Malignant gliomas are a group of aggressive neoplasms among human cancers. The curative effects of current treatments are finite for improving the prognosis of patients. Hyperthermia (HT) is an effective treatment for cancers; however, the effects of HT with different temperatures in treatment of MG and relevant mechanisms remain unclear.

Protective treatments and their target retinal ganglion cells in diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy(DR)is one of the complications of diabetes which could cause severe vision loss. Retinal ganglion cell(RGC)injury has been confirmed prior to micro-vascular damage. Over the past few decades, a number of animal and clinical studies have confirmed that RGC impairment leads to an early deterioration of vision in DR.

The role of RANKL/RANK/OPG system in the canine model of hip periprosthetic infection osteolysis.

Purpose: We aimed to investigate whether the RANKL/RANK/OPG system is associated with the incidence of periprosthetic osteolysis with septic loosening, and to investigate the differences of RANKL/RANK/OPG system expression in synovial fluid surrounding the normal and septic loosening hip prosthesis in canine models.

Methods: Twelve healthy adult mongrel canines were divided into two groups: experimental and control. Femoral head and stem replacements were conducted on the right side in both groups.

Function of obestatin in the digestive system.

Physical health has a direct relationship with digestive function. Any abnormalities in the link may cause malnutrition, endocrine disorders, and the decline of organ functions. Obestatin, a biologically active peptide, is encoded by the ghrelin gene.

Plasma miR-1, miR-208, miR-499 as potential predictive biomarkers for acute myocardial infarction: An independent study of Han population.

Background: It has been demonstrated that circulating muscle-enriched miR-1 and the cardiac-specific miR-208 and miR-499 might leak out of the necrotic myocardium and release into the circulation during the early stages of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study aims to investigate potential predictive value of the three miRNAs in AMI.

Methods: Plasma samples were taken from 70 AMI patients and 72 healthy controls.

Role of the calpain on the development of diabetes mellitus and its chronic complications.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with acute and chronic complications that cause major morbidity and significant mortality. Calpains, a family of Ca(2+)-dependent cytosolic cysteine proteases, can modulate their substrates' structure and function through limited proteolytic activity. Calpain is a ubiquitous calcium-sensitive protease that is essential for normal physiologic function.

Recent advances in understanding the biochemical and molecular mechanism of diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most common microvascular complications of diabetes and remains a major cause of preventable blindness among adults at working age. DR involves an abnormal pathology of major retinal cells, including retinal pigment epithelium, microaneurysms, inter-retinal oedema, haemorrhage, exudates (hard exudates) and intraocular neovascularization. Hyperglycemia is the driving force for the development of diabetic retinopathy.

Exercise training preserves ischemic preconditioning in aged rat hearts by restoring the myocardial polyamine pool.

Background: Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) strongly protects against myocardial ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury. However, IPC protection is ineffective in aged hearts. Exercise training reduces the incidence of age-related cardiovascular disease and upregulates the ornithine decarboxylase (ODC)/polyamine pathway.

Estrogen prevents high-glucose-induced damage of retinal ganglion cells via mitochondrial pathway.

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of acquired blindness in adults. Previous research has shown that the apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells(RGCs) plays an important role in the initiation and development of diabetic retinopathy. The positive effect of estrogen on the nervous system is currently attracting increasing attention.

Protective effects of the sodium/calcium exchanger inhibitor on endothelial dysfunction induced by high glucose.

This study was designed to investigate the protective effects of KB-R7943, an inhibitor of sodium/calcium exchanger (NCX) on endothelial dysfunction induced by high glucose in endothelial cells. NCX expression, NCX activity and oxidative stress index were determined after endothelial cells were exposed to high glucose in the absence and presence of KB-R7943. Coincubation of endothelial cells with high glucose for 6, 12, 24 and 48 h resulted in a significant decrease in NCX expression, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and the release of nitric oxide (NO), and increased NCX activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) production.

Decreased gastric body mucosa obestatin expression in abdominal obesity patients with normal body mass index.

The aim of the study was to investigate whether the expression of obestatin in gastric body mucosa in abdominal obesity patients with normal body mass index (BMI) is different compared with healthy controls. Twenty abdominal obesity patients with normal BMI and twenty healthy controls were included in the study. The number of obestatin-positive cells in gastric body mucosa was significantly lower in abdominal obesity patients with normal BMI than that in healthy subjects.

Benefits of exenatide on obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease with elevated liver enzymes in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the advantages of exenatide treatment on obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with elevated liver enzymes in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods: A total of 60 newly diagnosed patients with obesity, NAFLD with elevated liver enzymes and T2D were included in the study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups.

Exendin-4 shows no effects on the prostatic index in high-fat-diet-fed rat with benign prostatic hyperplasia by improving insulin resistance.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a prevalent disease globally, and accumulating evidence has indicated an association between BPH, insulin resistance (IR) and diabetes. Exendin-4 is widely used in clinics, which could enhance the proliferation of pancreatic β cells. The ability of exendin-4 to promote tumorigenesis has been of concern, and whether exendin-4 would enhance the propagation of BPH is not fully understood.

LPS induces cardiomyocyte injury through calcium-sensing receptor.

Calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) belongs to the family C of G-protein coupled receptors. We have previously demonstrated that CaSR could induce apoptosis of cultured neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes in simulated ischemia/reperfusion. It remains unknown whether the CaSR has function in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced myocardial injure.