Correlation between Cystatin C and retinopathy of type-two diabetes mellitus patients.

Diabetic retinopathy is one of most common diabetic microvascular complications. In recent years the incidence of the disease has increased, hence early diagnosis and treatment are of great importance. In order to find reliable biological indexes to diagnose and treat type-two diabetes mellitus promptly, this study focused on the correlation between Cystatin C (Cys C) and retinopathy of type-two diabetes mellitus patients. One hundred and eighty type-two diabetes mellitus patients and one hundred healthy controls (the control group) were chosen in this study. Of the patients ninety-eight patients had typetwo diabetes mellitus without retinopathy (non-diabetic retinopathy group) and eighty-two had typetwo diabetes mellitus with retinopathy (diabetic retinopathy group). Correlation of Cys C and typetwo diabetic retinopathy was analyzed by examining the waist-hip ratio, fasting blood glucose (FBG), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and Cys C of both groups. The results showed that FBG, TC, TG, LDL-C, HbA1c, Cys C in the type-two diabetes mellitus patients group were higher than those of the control group (P less than 0.05). Age, course of diabetes, FBG, HbA1c, and Cys C levels were statistically significant in both the DR group and NDR group (P less than 0.05). The result of logistic regression analysis indicates that there was a positive correlation between type-two diabetic retinopathy development and age, course of diabetes, and Cys C level (P less than 0.05). Thus, it can be seen that changes of Cys C levels can assist early diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy to some extent. The patients with high Cys C level, long course of diabetes, and old age are more likely to have diabetic retinopathy.

Possible scenario of forming a catalyst layer for proton exchange membrane fuel cells.

Ionomer in the catalyst layer provides an ion transport channel which is essential for many electrochemical devices. As the ionomer and electrochemical catalyst are packed together in the catalyst layer, it is difficult to have a clear image of the ionomer distribution in the catalyst layer and how the ionomer is in contact with Pt or carbon. A highly dispersed catalyst was deposited on the TEM SiN grid directly using the same (ultrasonic spray) or a similar way as the catalyst was deposited on the membrane. By analyzing the distribution of various elements (C, F, S, Pt etc.), we found that the ionomer may coexist in the catalyst layer in three ways: ionomer covered Pt particles due to the relatively strong interaction between Pt and the ionomer; ionomer covered C particles; packed free ionomer in between the aggregated catalyst particles. The results show that the ionomer is prone to covering the surface of Pt particles as further evidenced by the accelerated degradation test (ADT).

[Influence of electro-stimulation at auriculo-stomach point in electrogastrogram of peptic ulcer patients].

Through observation on electrogastrogramm (EGG) with electro-stimulation at Auriculo-Stomach and Auriculo-Heart points and in 60 gastric and duodenal ulcer patients without any treatment as control. Results showed that after electro-stimulation at Stomach point the EGG amplitude of ulcer patients' gastric antrum and corpus was reduced (P < 0.01). But there was no such effect in that at Heart point and in the control (P > 0.05). There were also no effects of three methods on the EGG frequency of ulcer patients' gastric antrum and corpus (P < 0.05). It proves that electro-stimulation at Stomach point has some therapeutic effect to ulcer patients.

[Improvement of blood pressure and left cardiac function in patients with hypertension by auricular acupuncture].

The authors observed 30 patients with hypertension, which blood pressure was lowered by Heart point of ear needling. Comparison of hypotensive effect of short-term between Heart point and Stomach point of ear needling showed that there was markable hypotensive effect by Heart point, whose hypotensive rate of short-term was 100% and forward effect rate was 63.3%. There was inefficacy for hypotensive by Stomach point. There was marked effect of left cardiac function, with II, III stage of hypertension, which was improved by Heart point. There was inefficacy for left cardiac function of normal being.

[The use of two-route Cisplatin chemotherapy in the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To study the feasibility and efficacy of two-route cisplatin chemotherapy for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity. METHODS: 23 cases with clinical advanced biopsy-proven oral squamous cell carcinoma received intraarterial chemotherapy with cisplatin (DDP), Pingyangmycin (PYM) and 5-fluorouracilum (5-Fu), at the same time intravenous infusion with natrii thiosulfas (STS) for rescue. DDP at 40-60 mg/d, PYM at 16 mg/d and 5-Fu at 500 mg/d were applied for 5-7 consecutive days. RESULTS: 7 cases (33.3%) obtained a complete response (CR), 11(52.4%) had partial response (PR) with an objective response rate (RR) of 85.7%. No severe toxicity was observed, whereas the most frequent grade I and II drug related toxicities were nausea and vomiting. No nephrotoxicity,hepatotoxicity and severe bone marrow suppression were noted. CONCLUSION: Two-route cisplatin chemotherapy is, in our experience,a new,effective and safe therapeutic method for oral squamous cell carcinoma.