Synthesis of selenium-containing Artemisia sphaerocephala polysaccharides: Solution conformation and anti-tumor activities in vitro.

It has been reported in our previous work that selenized Artemisia sphaerocephala polysaccharides (SeASPs) with the Se content range of 168-1703µg/g were synthesized by using Na2SeO3/HNO3/BaCl2 system. In the present work, the solution property of SeASP was studied by using size exclusion chromatography combined with multi angle laser light scattering (SEC-MALLS). A decrease in df values indicated that SeASPs with different conformational features that were highly dependent on MW. SeASPs exhibited a more rigid conformation (df value of 1.29-1.52) in low molecular weight range (MW of 1.026-1.426×10(4)g/mol) and compact spherical conformation in high molecular weight range (MW of 2.268-4.363×10(4)g/mol). It could be due to the degradation of polysaccharide chains in HNO3, which was supported in monosaccharide composition analysis. Congo red (CR) spectrophotometric method and atomic force microscopy (AFM) results also confirmed the conformational transition and the evidence on the shape of the rigid chains. In vitro anti-tumor assays, SeASP2 displayed greater anti-proliferative effects against three tumor cell lines (hepatocellular carcinoma HepG-2 cells, lung adenocarcinom A549 cells and cervical squamous carcinoma Hela cells) in a dose-dependent manner. This suggested that selenylation could significantly enhance the anti-tumor activities of polysaccharide derivatives in vitro.

Prevalence and risk factors of prolonged QTc interval among Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and the risk factors of prolonged QTc interval among Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: The retrospective study included 3156 outpatients from the Diabetes Centre, the 306th Hospital of PLA, during the period from September 2003 to June 2010. QT interval was measured manually in the 12-lead conventional electrocardiogram. The QT interval corrected for heart rate (QTc) was calculated using Bazett's formula. Additional demographic and laboratory data were also collected. Potential risk factors of prolonged QTc interval were assessed using multivariable regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of prolonged QTc interval among Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes was 30.1%. Height (OR 0.156, 95% CI 0.032~0.748), waist circumference (OR 1.025, 95% CI 1.010~1.040), diastolic blood pressure (OR 1.016, 95% CI 1.007~1.026), postprandial glucose (OR 1.040, 95% CI 1.022~1.059), fasting insulin (OR 1.014, 95% CI 1.003~1.025), and presence of microalbuminuria (OR 1.266, 95% CI 1.033~1.551) were significant risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of prolonged QTc interval among Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes is high. Risk factors for prolongation of QTc interval were low height, high waist circumference, increasing diastolic blood pressure levels, high postprandial glucose levels, high fasting insulin levels, and presence of microalbuminuria.

Incidence, risk factors for amputation among patients with diabetic foot ulcer in a Chinese tertiary hospital.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of amputation among patients with diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) and risk factors for amputations. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 450 inpatients treated in a multi-discipline based diabetic centre, 306th Hospital of PLA during the period of January 2000-September 2009. Hospital admission and discharge information including patient profile, grade of DFU, co-morbidities and complications, laboratory data and final outcome were collected. The risk factors for amputation were determined using univariate and stepwise logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The overall amputation rate among DFU was 21.5%. Significant univariate risk factors for amputation were peripheral vascular disease (PVD), white blood cell (WBC) counts, neutrophil granulocyte percentage, hemoglobin, triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C and serum sCRP. Upon stepwise logistic regression analysis, only PVD (odds ratio 4.529, 95% CI 1.500-13.676), WBC (odds ratio 1.146, 95% CI 1.075-1.222), sCRP (odds ratio 1.041, 95% CI 1.002-1.082) and triglyceride (odds ratio -0.488, 95% CI 0.433-0.869) were significant risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: The risk factors for amputation were presence of PVD, increased WBC, sCRP and decreased triglyceride.