Elevated serum homocysteine level in the development of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

The development of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is always followed by changes in vascular endothelial cells that are related to the reactivity of the homocysteine (Hcy) sulfhydryl group. In this meta-analysis, we investigated the association of Hcy with the pathogenesis and progression of DPN. We screened the Embase, Ovid, PubMed, Web of Science, Wangfang, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases. All analyses were performed by using the STATA software, version 12.0 (StataCorp, College Station, TX, USA) and the Comprehensive Meta-analysis 2.0 software (Biostatic Inc., Englewood, NJ, USA). The standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were further calculated. The electronic literature search identified six articles that included 603 patients with DPN and 687 healthy controls. The pooled SMD of those six studies revealed that increased serum levels of Hcy may be correlated with DPN (SMD = 1.23, 95%CI: 1.09-1.36, P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis according to ethnicity indicated that high serum Hcy levels might be an important risk factor for DPN in both Asian and Caucasian populations (Asians: SMD = 0.62, 95%CI: 0.45-0.79, P < 0.001; Caucasians: SMD = 2.32, 95%CI: 2.10-2.55, P < 0.001; respectively). Elevated serum levels of Hcy indicate the risk of development of DPN in patients, suggesting that Hcy levels could be used as a marker for new therapeutic approaches to DPN.

Porocarcinoma coexisting at a site of Bowen disease in a 63-year-old woman.

Porocarcinoma is an unusual, locally aggressive and potentially fatal neoplasm. Several cutaneous malignancies have been described in association with porocarcinoma, including squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma and tricholemmal carcinoma. Previous reports have indicated that the occurrence of malignant tumours in combination with porocarcinoma is extremely rare, in particular with regard to Bowen disease (BD). We report an uncommon case of porocarcinoma occurring synchronously in a single BD lesion in a 63-year-old woman with multiple BD lesions. The clinical and histological findings confirmed this diagnosis.

Clinical study of seven patients with special syndrome of post-epileptic dysfunction persisting over 24 hours.

OBJECTIVE: Todd's paralysis is the most common complication after epileptic seizures, especially status epilepticus, but other disabilities deriving from the postictal state are poorly understood. There is relatively little information on the underlying parameters that affect clinical features of post-epileptic dysfunction. The aim of this paper is to investigate clinical features of special post-epileptic dysfunction persisting over 24 hours. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seven patients with special syndromes of post-epileptic dysfunction were retrospectively analyzed and the related literature was reviewed. RESULTS: Six patients with post-epileptic dysfunction experienced status epilepticus. Of the seven patients, six had underlying structural brain lesions. Post-epileptic dysfunction has different syndromes, including post-epileptic paralysis, post-epileptic aphasia, cognitive disorder, gaze palsy and hemianopsia. The duration of the dysfunction in these patients lasted from 2 days to 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: The great majority of patients with post-epileptic dysfunction experience status epilepticus and have underlying structural brain lesions. Post-epileptic dysfunction includes various syndromes and can last from several days to 3 months with a good prognosis.

Relationship between the cholesterol ester transfer protein TaqIB polymorphism and the lipid-lowering effect of atorvastatin in patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) gene TaqIB polymorphism and the lipid-lowering effect of atorvastatin in patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease. Two hundred eighty-eight patients were divided into a control group, an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) group, and a stable coronary heart disease (CHD) group. Blood biochemical indices were determined using the enzyme method, and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis was performed to study the TaqIB polymorphism of the CETP gene. The ACS and stable CHD groups were treated with atorvastatin, and blood lipid levels were reexamined after three months. Plasma levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and lipoprotein(a) were all significantly higher in the ACS and stable CHD groups compared to the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). After three months of treatment with atorvastatin, plasma levels of TC, LDL-C, triglycerides (TG) (only in patients with genotype B2B2), and lipoprotein(a) (only in patients with genotype B1B2) were all significantly decreased (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). After treatment, the plasma level of TG was lower in patients with genotype B2B2 compared to patients with genotypes B1B1 or B1B2 (B1 carriers) (P < 0.01). Therefore, the CETP TaqIB polymorphism is associated with the lipid-lowering effect of atorvastatin in patients with CHD.

Combination of a novel photosensitizer DTPP with 650 nm laser results in efficient apoptosis and cytoskeleton collapse in breast cancer MCF-7 cells.

Luminal A type breast cancer was suitable for Photodynamic therapy (PDT) as its strong adhesion ability, low malignancy and easily being exposed to laser. To examine the novel photosensitizer agent 5-5-(4-N, N-diacetoxylphenyl-10, 15, 20-tetraphenylporphyrin)(DTPP) mediate PDT in breast cancer cell, Luminal A type breast cancer MCF-7 cells were used in this study, various concentrations of DTPP (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30 µg/mL) and different time intervals (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 min) of laser exposure at 650 nm wavelength (power of 20 mW) were tested in PDT. The survival rates of MCF-7 cells were measured using a sensitive cell proliferation assay (MTT) to establish optimal semilethal dose and optimal time exposure, a further study of effects on cytoskeleton and apoptosis were also performed. Cell cycle and apoptosis variation were assayed by flow cytometry. Microtubule, microfilament, and nuclei were observed using laser scanning confocal microscopy. Oncoproteins Bcl-2, beta-tubulin, and beta-catenin were detected by means of electrophoresis. The novel DTPP showed an efficient growth inhibition of MCF-7 during PDT, effective combinations in MCF-7 cells were shown to be 4 µg mL(-1) PS irradiated for 8 min at least or 15 µg mL(-1) irradiated for 2 min at least. Microtubule, microfilament, and nucleus staining demonstrated that cytoskeletal collapse occurs at 0.5 h after PDT. Bcl-2 and skeleton adhesion proteins beta-catenin were reduced in the level of expression; whereas, skeleton proteins beta-tubulin and actin maintained similar levels of expression 12 h after PDT. These results provided a better understanding of DTPP-PDT in MCF-7 cells.

Risk factors of peripheral arterial disease and relationship between low ankle brachial index and mortality from all-cause and cardiovascular disease in Chinese patients with hypertension.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and the relationship between ankle brachial index (ABI) and mortality from all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Chinese patients with hypertension. The ABI cohort Study was designed to investigate risk factors of PAD and the relationship between ABI and mortality from all-cause and CVD in Chinese patients. ABI was identified at baseline by measuring systolic pressure at bilateral brachial and tibial arteries. Mortality surveillance was completed from November 2005 to January 2006. Among 3047 participants with hypertension at baseline, 839 (27.5%) were in the low-ABI group. Older age, female gender, higher serum level of triglycerides, lower serum level of high-density lipoprotein, a history of diabetes and a history of smoking were associated with low ABI. During the 13-month follow-up, there were 252 deaths, of which 100 died of CVD. Low ABI was associated with mortality from all-cause and CVD, whose adjusted relative risk was 1.619 (95% confidence interval 1.190-2.203) and 2.454 (1.531-3.933), respectively, in Cox regression models. The survival rate was significantly lower in the low-ABI group than in the normal-ABI group. This study demonstrated that low ABI was independently associated with a high risk of all-cause and CVD mortality in Chinese patients with hypertension. ABI should be promoted as an ideal tool to predict mortality in diabetic patients.

Role of barium nitrate on the sulfur fixation of calcium oxide.

In this paper, the effect of Ba(NO3)2 on the efficiency of sulfur fixation of calcium oxide during coal combustion was studied. The results showed that addition of barium nitrate to the CaO can enhance the sulfur removal rate of CaO significantly. The X-ray diffraction spectrum of residual ash of coal added some sulfur fixative expressed that Ba2+ can form a compound of Ba-Al-Si-O which encloses the CaSO4 to prevent it's decomposition, so Ba2+ can improve the action of sulfur fixation of CaO. The combustion character of the original coal and original coal added sulfur fixative was researched with thermal-gravity analyzer and the results expressed that adding some sulfur fixative to the coal will make the combustion character of coal change little.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide: differentiation effects on human neuroblastoma NB-OK-1 cells.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide-38 (PACAP-38), PACAP-27 and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) increased intracellular cAMP content in human neuroblastoma NB-OK-1 cells transiently. PACAP and VIP also arrested cell growth and induced morphological differentiation, which lasted for 24 h in spite of removal of PACAP-38 and PACAP-27. The order of potencies for the neurite outgrowth and the arrest of cell growth is PACAP-38 > PACAP-27 > VIP. The results suggest the possibility that these neuropeptides are new candidates for differentiation activity.