Associations of serum amyloid A and 25-hydroxyvitamin D with diabetic nephropathy: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The present study investigated the relationships between serum amyloid A (SAA), 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)VD) and diabetic nephropathy (DN) to provide evidence for the prevention and management of DN. METHODS: A total of 182 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were enrolled in this study. The levels of SAA, 25(OH)VD, and other conventional indicators were measured and analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was applied for the combined measurement of SAA and 25(OH)VD, and risk factors for DN were evaluated using binary logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The levels of SAA in T2DM patients were significantly higher than those in healthy subjects, and the level significantly increased with the progression of DN (p < 0.05). In contrast, the level of 25(OH)VD in T2DM patients was significantly lower than that in healthy subjects, and the level significantly decreased with the progression of DN (p < 0.05). The combined measurement of SAA and 25(OH)VD distinguished DN patients from T2DM patients better than the measurement of SAA or 25(OH)VD alone. SAA was an independent risk factor for DN, and 25(OH)VD was an independent protective factor for DN. CONCLUSION: SAA and 25(OH)VD might be used as potential markers to identify patients at increased risk of developing DN.

Application of a six sigma model to evaluate the analytical performance of urinary biochemical analytes and design a risk-based statistical quality control strategy for these assays: A multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: The six sigma model has been widely used in clinical laboratory quality management. In this study, we first applied the six sigma model to (a) evaluate the analytical performance of urinary biochemical analytes across five laboratories, (b) design risk-based statistical quality control (SQC) strategies, and (c) formulate improvement measures for each of the analytes when needed. METHODS: Internal quality control (IQC) and external quality assessment (EQA) data for urinary biochemical analytes were collected from five laboratories, and the sigma value of each analyte was calculated based on coefficients of variation, bias, and total allowable error (TEa). Normalized sigma method decision charts for these urinary biochemical analytes were then generated. Risk-based SQC strategies and improvement measures were formulated for each laboratory according to the flowchart of Westgard sigma rules, including run sizes and the quality goal index (QGI). RESULTS: Sigma values of urinary biochemical analytes were significantly different at different quality control levels. Although identical detection platforms with matching reagents were used, differences in these analytes were also observed between laboratories. Risk-based SQC strategies for urinary biochemical analytes were formulated based on the flowchart of Westgard sigma rules, including run size and analytical performance. Appropriate improvement measures were implemented for urinary biochemical analytes with analytical performance lower than six sigma according to the QGI calculation. CONCLUSIONS: In multilocation laboratory systems, a six sigma model is an excellent quality management tool and can quantitatively evaluate analytical performance and guide risk-based SQC strategy development and improvement measure implementation.

Application of the sigma metrics to evaluate the analytical performance of cystatin C and design a quality control strategy.

BACKGROUND: Sigma metrics are commonly used to evaluate laboratory management. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the analytical performance of cystatin C using sigma metrics and to develop an individualized quality control scheme for cystatin C concentrations. METHODS: Bias was calculated based on the samples used for the external quality assessment. The coefficient of variation was calculated using six months of internal quality control measurements at two levels, and desirable specification derived from biological variation was used as the quality goal. The sigma value for cystatin C was calculated using the above data. The internal quality control scheme and improvement measures were formulated according to the Westgard sigma standards for batch size and quality goal index. RESULTS: The sigma values for cystatin C, for quality control levels 1 and 2, were 3.04 and 4.95, respectively. The 13s/22s/R4s/41s/6x multirules (n = 6, R = 1), with a batch size of 45 patient samples, were selected as the internal quality control schemes for cystatin C. With different concentrations of cystatin C, the power function graph showed a probability for error detection of 94% and 100% and a probability for false rejection of 4% and 2%, respectively. According to the quality goal index of cystatin C, its precision needs to be improved. CONCLUSIONS: With a 'desirable' biological variation of 6.50%, the Westgard rule 13s/22s/R4s/41s/6x (n = 6, R = 1, batch size of 45) with high efficacy for determining the detection error is recommended for individualized quality control schemes of cystatin C.

Effects of Chailong Jieyu Pill on Behavior, Monoamine Neurotransmitters, and Corticosteroid Receptors in a Rat Model of Anxiety Disorder.

Chailong Jieyu Pill (CJP) is composed of Radix Bupleuri, Radix Scutellariae, Rhizoma Pinelliae Preparata, Radix Codonopsis, Radix Glycyrrhizae preparata, keel, Concha Ostreae, Concha Margaritifera Usta, Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens, and Fructus Jujubae. CJP has shown good clinical effects on improving anxiety disorders. However, as the mechanism underlying such benefits remains unclear, the aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of action for CJP on anxiety-related behaviors in a rat model of anxiety disorder. After establishing a rat model of anxiety disorder using uncertain empty bottle stimulation, rats were divided into control, model, citalopram, low-dose CJP, and high-dose CJP groups. After 1 month of administration, effects of treatments on rat appearance, body weight, and open-field test scores were observed. In addition, hippocampal monoamine neurotransmitter (5-hydroxytryptamine, dopamine, and norepinephrine) contents were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and mRNA expression of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) were measured with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. CJP increased rat weight, and this effect was increased in the high-dose CJP group compared with the citalopram group (P < 0.05). CJP also elevated open-field test scores compared with the citalopram group (P < 0.05). While CJP decreased monoamine neurotransmitter contents in rat hippocampus, the regulatory effect of CJP on 5-hydroxytryptamine was reduced compared with citalopram (P < 0.01). CJP upregulated GR mRNA expression in both low-dose (P < 0.05) and high-dose (P < 0.01) CJP groups, but only the latter significantly downregulated MR mRNA expression and showed enhanced effects compared with citalopram (P < 0.05). Thus, CJP likely exerted its significant antianxiety effect by diminishing monoamine neurotransmitters and regulating mRNA expression of MR and GR in the hippocampus of our rat model of anxiety disorder.

Effects of Ureaplasma urealyticum Infection on Sperm Quality and Concentrations of Nitric Oxide and Cytokine in the Semen of Infertile Males.

PROBLEM: The relationship between genital infection and two sperm parameters, namely, concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) and cytokines [e.g., interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-18], in the semen of infertile males remains undetermined. METHOD OF STUDY: Semen samples from 81 infertile (with or without Ureaplasma urealyticum infection) and normal males were subjected to semen analysis. RESULTS: Nitric oxide concentration in the semen of infertile males with genital infection was higher than those of infertile males without genital infection and of normal males (P < 0.05). Sperm density, pH, percentage of forward, movement of sperm, sperm activation rate, sperm survival rate, and normal rate of the sperm morphology of infertile males with U. urealyticum infection were significantly lower than those of infertile males without genital infection and of normal males (P < 0.05). NO concentrations were also positively correlated with IL-17 and IL-18 concentrations in the semen of infertile males. CONCLUSION: Increased NO concentration and abnormal IL-17 and IL-18 expression were induced by genital infection and induced damage to male reproductive capacity, thereby causing male infertility.

Clinical significance of regulatory B cells in the peripheral blood of patients with oesophageal cancer.

B cell subsets have been found to exhibit a negative regulatory function, like Tregs. The present study investigates the effects of CD5+CD19+ interleukin (IL)-10 (B10) on the occurrence and development of oesophageal carcinoma by analysing B10 levels in the peripheral blood of patients with oesophageal carcinoma. Peripheral blood of 120 oesophageal cancer patients and 120 healthy controls were collected, and regulatory B cell counts were determined by flow cytometry. The level of B10 cells in the peripheral blood of patients with oesophageal carcinoma was significantly higher than that in healthy controls (p < 0.05). In addition, B10 levels in stage III-IV patients (3.5 ±0.7%) were higher than those in stage I-II patients (2.5 ±0.6%), which were in turn higher than those in the healthy controls (1.3 ±0.3%). The level of B10 increased with clinical progression of oesophageal cancer, suggesting that B10 cells may influence the development or progression of oesophageal cancer.