老年2型糖尿病患者颈动脉内膜中层厚度与白介素6的相关性

目的讨论2型老年糖尿病患者颈动脉内膜中层厚度与白介素（IL-6）的相关性。方法入选老年2型糖尿病患者,共71例,用超声检测颈动脉内膜中层厚度（IMT）,并检测血清IL6水平。按照颈动脉IMT进行分组。IMT〈1．0mm者分入IMT正常组,IMT≥1．0mm者分入IMT增厚组。对两组血清IL-6水平进行t检验,对IL-6与IMT进行相关性分析及Logistic回归分析。结果IMT增厚组IL-6水平（41．23±9．66ng／L）高于IMT正常组（31．53±9．23ng／L）,P〈0．01;IL-6与糖化血红蛋白及IMT均成正相关,R=0．351,P〈0．01;IL水平升高者颈动脉IMT增厚的风险增加5．57倍（OR=3．81,95％CI1．07～13．66,P〈0．05）。结论血清IL-6水平与颈动脉内膜中层厚度水平有关,并可作为老年2型糖尿病患者动脉粥样硬化程度的参考指标。     

冠心病颈动脉内膜中层厚度与左心功能的相关性研究

目的探讨冠心病患者颈动脉内膜中层厚度及颈动脉斑块发生率与左心功能和结构的相关性。方法对70例冠心病患者行颈动脉超声检查测量颈总动脉内膜中层厚度（CCA—IMT）、颈总动脉内径及颈动脉斑块。依据颈总动脉内膜中层厚度厚度将患者分成两组：CCA—IMT〈1mm为正常组,39例;CCA-IMT≥1mam为增厚组,31例。两组患者均行超声心动图检查,分别测量室间隔、左室侧壁及左室下壁的组织多普勒Tei指数（TDI—Tei）和脉冲多普勒Tei指数（PD—Tei）、左室壁厚度、心腔大小,计算左室射血分数。抽取外周静脉血检测血脂及纤维蛋白原水平。结果室间隔TDI-Tei及平均TDI-Tei在两组间比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。增厚组粥样斑块发生率明显高于正常组（P〈0．05）。年龄、脂蛋白a水平在两组间比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。PD-Tei指数与下壁、侧壁及平均TDI—Tei指数存在正相关（r分别为0．39、0．40及0．51,P均〈0．05）。结论早期超声检测冠心病患者颈动脉内膜中层厚度,有助于预测患者左心功能的改变。     

2型糖尿病患者尿微量白蛋白与颈动脉内膜中层厚度的关系

目的观察糖尿病患者尿微量白蛋白与颈动脉内膜中层厚度的相关性，并探讨其临床意义。方法2型糖尿病患者98例（T2DM组），糖尿病合并颈动脉内膜中层增厚患者（T2DM＋IMT组）55例，正常对照组64例，分别测定空腹血糖、血脂、尿微量白蛋白，并统计微量白蛋白尿的阳性例数及阳性率。结果T2DM组、T2DM＋IMT组空腹血糖、血脂、尿微量白蛋白水平及阳性率高于正常对照组（P〈0．05），T2DM＋1MT组尿微量白蛋白水平及阳性率高于单纯T2DM组（P〈0．05），尿微量白蛋白水平与颈动脉内膜中层厚度呈正相关（r=0．22，P〈0．05）。结论T2DM患者尿微量白蛋白与颈动脉内膜中层厚度密切相关。     

初诊2型糖尿病颈动脉内膜中层厚度、胰岛素抵抗及高敏C反应蛋白之间的关系

新诊断2型糖尿病76例，按照有无颈动脉内膜中层厚度（IMT）增厚分成增厚组39例和无增厚组37例；另取正常健康者32例作对照组。分别测定三组IMT、高敏C反应蛋白（hs—CRP）、胰岛素抵抗指数（IRI）进行分析比较。结果IMT增厚组和无增厚组hs—CRP水平高于正常对照组（P均〈0．05）；IMT增厚组IRI高于无增厚组和对照组（P〈0．05）。初诊2型糖尿病颈动脉IMT与IR／、hs—CRP呈正相关（r=0．451，0．057；P均〈0．01）。认为颈动脉IMT的增厚提示糖尿病患者存在胰岛素抵抗；hs—CRP水平的升高是患者动脉粥样硬化程度加重的危险因素。     

MMP-9、hs-CRP与颈动脉IMT、肱动脉内皮功能的相关性研究

目的探讨基质金属蛋白酶（MMP）-9、超敏C-反应蛋白（hs—CRP）与颈动脉内膜中层厚度、肱动脉内皮功能的关系。方法选择180例患者，采用高分辨血管外超声法对所有患者颈动脉、肱动脉进行扫查，检测颈动脉IMT及粥样斑块；在静息、反应性充血时分别测量肱动脉内径。根据颈动脉IMT及斑块情况，分为内膜正常组和内膜增厚组。内膜增厚组中再分亚组为内膜弥漫性增厚组、稳定性斑块组、不稳定性斑块组。用免疫学方法测定血清中MMP-9、hs—CRP浓度并分析其与超声结果的关系。结果内膜增厚组血清中MMP-9、hs-CRP浓度较内膜正常组明显增高（P〈0．01）；不稳定性斑块组、稳定性斑块组与内膜弥漫性增厚组相比，血清中MMP-9、hs-CRP浓度明显增高（P〈0．05，P〈0．01）；不稳定性斑块组与稳定性斑块组相比，血清中MMP-9、hs-CRP浓度明显增高（P〈0．05）；内膜增厚组肱动脉内皮功能（Flow—MD）与血清中MMP-9、hs-CRP浓度呈负相关，相关系数分别是-0．791，-0．886（P〈0．001）。结论血清中MMP-9、hs—CRP浓度增高与颈动脉内膜中层厚度（IMT）、斑块的不稳定性及肱动脉内皮细胞功能受损关系密切。     

代谢综合征患者氧化型低密度脂蛋白与颈动脉硬化的相关性

目的探讨血清中氧化型低密度脂蛋白（oxidized low density lipoprotein,ox-LDL）水平与代谢综合征（metabolic syndrome,MS）患者危险因素和颈动脉内膜中层厚度（intima-media thickness,IMT）的关系及临床意义。方法入选86例MS患者和39例正常体检者,根据危险因素的数目分为低危MS组（n=42）和高危MS组（n=44）,用彩色超声多普勒测定IMT,ELISA方法检测受试者血清中ox-LDL,进行单因素方差分析和Logistic回归分析。结果血清ox-LDL水平、IMT在正常对照组、低危MS组和高危MS组中依次增高,各组间差异有显著性（P〈0.01）。以IMT〉0.9mm为颈动脉硬化（carotid atherosclerosis,CA）,Logistic回归分析结果示ox-LDL与CA独立相关,优势比为1.189（95%CI：1.078～1.312）。结论 ox-LDL是MS患者的CA的独立危险因素之一,血清ox-LDL可作为临床评价MS病情发展和CA的危险因子。     

老年高血压病病人动态脉压与颈动脉硬化的关系

目的 观察老年高血压病病人动态血压包括脉压（PP）的变化，以及脉压（PP）与颈动脉内膜-中膜厚度（IMT）的相关性。方法 测量110例老年高血压病病人24h动态脉压，计算昼夜PP的水平及PP的变化幅度，根据24hPP的水平分为24hPP〈60mmHg组和24hPP-60mmHg组，多普勒超声检查颈动脉内膜中层厚度。比较两组血压参数与内膜-中膜厚度的差异，分析IMT和脉压各项指标的相关性。结果 24hPP≥60mmHg组与24hPP〈60mmHg组的颈动脉IMT比较有统计学意义（P〈0．01），24h脉压、白天均脉压、夜间平均脉压与颈动脉IMT有明显相关性（r值分别为0．427、0．352、0．576，P〈0．05或P〈0．01）。结论 老年高血压病病人的脉压尤其是夜间脉压对颈动脉IMT的影响明显。     

2型糖尿病患者血清血管生成素2与血管内皮生长因子和颈动脉内膜中层厚度的关系

目的 探讨血清血管生成素2（Ang-2）与血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）与2型糖尿病（T2DM）患者颈动脉内膜中层厚度（IMT）的关系.方法 用ELISA法测定T2DM患者80例（其中IMT增厚组44例、IMT正常者36例）及正常者对照组（36例）的血清Ang-2及其Tie-2受体、VEGF的血清水平.结果 T2DM患者IMT增厚组Ang-2及VEGF血清中位数水平明显高于T2DM患者IMT正常组及正常对照组（Ang-2为4.62ng/ml比2.83ng/ml和1.71ng/ml,P值分别＜0.05,＜0.01）;（VEGF为297.5pg/ml比182.1pg/ml和97.4pg/ml,P值分别＜0.05,＜0.01）;T2DM患者IMT正常组又明显高于正常对照组（P＜0.01）;Tie-2在三组间差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）.在T2DM组,Spearman相关性分析表明,IMT与VEGF、糖尿病病程、收缩压、Ang-2呈正相关（r值分别为0.32,0.29,0.24,0.22,均P＜0.05）;Ang-2与VEGF及Tie-2强相关（r值分别为0.42,0.41,均P＜0.05）;Logistic回归分析显示,糖尿病病程、VEGF与T2DM患者IMT独立相关.结论 血清Ang-2及VEGF水平与2型糖尿病颈动脉内膜中层厚度密切相关,提示Ang-2和VEGF可能是导致T2DM患者早期动脉粥样硬化的主要危险因素.     

血清胱抑素C与急性脑梗死患者颈动脉内膜中膜厚度的相关性

目的 探讨血清胱抑素C (CysC)与急性脑梗死患者颈动脉硬化的相关性.方法 顺序入选2010年7月至2012年3月期间急性脑梗死患者98例.所有患者行动脉超声检测分为颈动脉内膜中膜厚度(IMT)≥0.9 mm组50例及IMT＜0.9 mm组48例,并做血清CysC及相关临床资料检查.结果 IMT≥0.9 mm组患者血清CysC水平较IMT＜0.9 mm组明显增高(0.95±0.24 mg/L比0.76±0.15 mg/L,P＜0.01);CysC与高密度脂蛋白胆固醇显著负相关(P＜0.01),与年龄、体质指数、收缩压、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇、颈动脉内膜中膜厚度显著正相关(P＜0.01).多元逐步回归分析显示,CysC、收缩压、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇是颈动脉IMT增厚的独立相关因素.结论 血清CysC与急性脑梗死患者颈动脉硬化有相关性,CysC是颈动脉IMT增厚的独立相关因素.     

阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停综合征患者血栓形成前状态分子与颈动脉内膜中层厚度关系

目的： 探讨阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征(OSAHS)患者血栓形成前状态(PTS)分子标志物与颈动脉内膜中层厚度关系。方法： 选择OSAHS患者56例和对照组28例,采用采用酶联免疫吸附法测定血清血小板颗粒膜蛋白-140(GMP-140)、血管性血友病因子(vWF)和抗凝血酶Ⅲ(ATⅢ)水平,采用底物发光法测定组织型纤溶酶原激活剂(t-PA)和血浆纤溶酶原激活物抑制剂1(PAI-1)水平；使用彩色多普勒超声检测颈动脉内膜中层厚度(IMT)。结果：OSAHS组血清GMP-140、vWF、Fbg、PAI-1水平高于对照组,血清ATⅢ、t-PA水平低于对照组,颈动脉内膜中层厚度高于对照组(P均＜0.05)。血清GMP-140、vWF、Fbg、PAI-1水平与IMT呈正相关(r=0.507,0.411,0.392和0.458,均P＜0.05)。血清ATⅢ、t-PA水平与IMT呈负相关(r=-0.401,-0.367,均P＜0.05)。OSAHS患者GMP-140、vWF、t-PA水平与IMT成线性回归关系。结论：OSAHS患者存在着明显的PTS,同时颈动脉内膜增厚明显。PTS是导致患者颈动脉内膜增厚的重要因素之一。     

Three layer functional model and energy exchange concept of aging process

Relying on a certain degree of abstraction, we can propose that no particular distinction exists between animate or living matter and inanimate matter. While focusing attention on some specifics, the dividing line between the two can be drawn. The most apparent distinction is in the level of structural and functional organization with the dissimilar streams of ‘energy flow’ between the observed entity and the surrounding environment. In essence, living matter is created from inanimate matter which is organized to contain internal intense energy processes and maintain lower intensity energy exchange processes with the environment. Taking internal and external energy processes into account, we contend in this paper that living matter can be referred to as matter of dissipative structure, with this structure assumed to be a common quality of all living creatures and living matter in general. Interruption of internal energy conversion processes and terminating the controlled energy exchange with the environment leads to degeneration of dissipative structure and reduction of the same to inanimate matter, (gas, liquid and/or solid inanimate substances), and ultimately what can be called ‘death.’ This concept of what we call dissipative nature can be extended from living organisms to social groups of animals, to mankind. An analogy based on the organization of matter provides a basis for a functional model of living entities. The models relies on the parallels among the three central structures of any cell (nucleus, cytoplasm and outer membrane) and the human body (central organs, body fluids along with the connective tissues, and external skin integument). This three-part structural organization may be observed almost universally in nature. It can be observed from the atomic structure to the planetary and intergalactic organizations. This similarity is corroborated by the membrane theory applied to living organisms. According to the energy nature of living matter and the proposed functional model, the decreased integrity of a human body's external envelope membrane is a first cause of the structural degradation and aging of the entire organism. The aging process than progresses externally to internally, as in single cell organisms, suggesting that much of the efforts towards the restoration and maintenance of the mechanisms responsible for structural development should be focused accordingly, on the membrane, i.e., the skin. Numerous reports indicate that all parts of the human body, like: bones, blood with blood vessels, muscles, skin, and so on, have some ability for restoration. Therefore, actual revival of not only aging tissue of the human body's membrane, but the entire human body enclosed within, with all internal organs, might be expected. We assess several aging theories within the context of our model and provide suggestions on how to activate the body's own anti-aging mechanisms and increase longevity. This paper presents some analogies and some distinctions that exist between the living dissipative structure matter and inanimate matter, discusses the aging process and proposes certain aging reversal solutions.     

Unusual responses of nocturnal pineal melatonin synthesis and secretion to swimming: Attempts to define mechanisms

Abstract: The effect of swimming at night on rat pineal melatonin synthesis was compared with that of light exposure at night. Rats were forced to swim at 0030 hr (lights out at 2000 hr) and sacrificed by decapitation 15 and 30 min later, immediately after swimming. Other groups of animals were exposed to white light (650μW/cm²) for 15 and 30 min at same time. Swimming caused a rapid and highly significant drop in the melatonin content in the pineal gland; however, the activity of N-acetyltransferase (NAT), the supposed rate limiting enzyme in the melatonin production, was not changed. Despite the drop in pineal melatonin levels, serum concentrations of the indole remained elevated in the rats that swam. In contrast, melatonin levels in the pineal and serum of light exposed rats fell precipitously, accompanied by a significant suppression of NAT activity. Since we anticipated that the strenuous exercise associated with swimming may induce release of artrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) from the heart, which in turn could cause the release of pineal melatonin, in a second study we injected physiological saline intravenously to stretch the cardiac muscle and release ANP. Three milliliters of normal saline was injected during the day into the jugular vein of anesthetized rats that were pretreated with isoproterenol to stimulate pineal melatonin production. Animals were killed 15 min after the saline injection, and pineal NAT activity and pineal melatonin levels were measured. The saline injections caused no alteration in the elevated levels of either NAT or melatonin. These data suggest that the disparity in pineal NAT activity (which was high) and pineal melatonin (which was low), in animals swum at night, may not be caused by ANP which is released during strenuous exercise such as swimming.     

Melatonin and photoperiodic time measurement: Seasonal breeding in the sheep

Abstract: Well-established circadian physiology supports the view that photoperiodic time measurement utilizes the coincidence between the presence of light and a photosensitive phase of a 'biological clock' to alter reproductive status—the so-called external coincidence model of seasonal breeding. In this review, we examine the mechanism whereby photoperiod interacts with presumed suprachiasmatic nuclei activity to allow endogenous melatonin to normally synchronize reproductive activity to the optimal time of year. The Romney Marsh sheep is particularly explored as an experimental model. It is suggested that the on/off activity of seasonal reproduction may be a robust mechanism able to be predictably manipulated by the judicious use of the light/dark cycle and exogenous melatonin, but firmly based on circadian principles.     

Serological survey of HIV and syphilis in pregnant women in Madagascar

Objectives Peripartal transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Treponema pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis, leads to severe consequences for newborns. Preventive measures require awareness of the maternal infection. Although HIV and syphilis testing in Madagascar could be theoretically carried out within the framework of the national pregnancy follow‐up scheme, the required test kits are rarely available at peripheral health centres. In this study, we screened blood samples of pregnant Madagascan women for HIV and syphilis seroprevalence to estimate the demand for systemic screening in pregnancy. Methods Retrospective anonymous serological analysis for HIV and syphilis was performed in plasma samples from 1232 pregnant women that were taken between May and July 2010 in Ambositra, Ifanadiana, Manakara, Mananjary, Moramanga and Tsiroanomandidy (Madagascar) during pregnancy follow‐up. Screening was based on Treponema pallidum haemagglutination tests for syphilis and rapid tests for HIV, with confirmation of positive screening results on line assays. Results Out of 1232 pregnant women, none were seropositive for HIV and 37 (3%) were seropositive for Treponema pallidum. Conclusions Our findings are in line with previous studies that describe considerable syphilis prevalence in the rural Madagascan population. The results suggest a need for screening to prevent peripartal Treponema pallidum transmission, while HIV is still rare. If they are known, Treponema pallidum infections can be easily, safely and inexpensively treated even in pregnancy to reduce the risk of transmission.     

Variabilité des concentrations plasmatiques de l’angiotensinogène et risque d’hypertension artérielle chez le rat transgénique

Aim

Genetic polymorphisms of the human angiotensinogen gene are frequent and may induce up to 30% increase of plasma angiotensinogen concentrations with a blood pressure increase of up to 5 mmHg. Their role for the pathogenesis of human arterial hypertension remains unclear. High plasma angiotensinogen levels could increase the sensitivity to other blood pressure stressors.

Methods

Male transgenic rats with a 9-fold increase of plasma angiotensinogen concentrations and male non-transgenic rats aged 10 weeks were treated or not with NG-Nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester for 3 weeks in their drinking water (n = 3/group). Systolic blood pressure and body weight were measured at baseline and at the end of the study when left ventricular weight and ventricular expression of angiotensin I-converting enzyme and procollagen Iα1 were determined (polymerase chain reaction).

Results

At baseline, transgenic rats had +18 mmHg higher bood pressure and –8% lower body weight compared to non-transgenic rats (P < 0.05) without significant changes for the vehicle groups throughout the study (P > 0.05). NG-Nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester increased blood pressure, left ventricular weight and left ventricular weight indexed for body weight by +41%, +17.6% and +18.6% (P < 0.05) in transgenic and +25%, +5.3% and +6.7% (P > 0.05) in non-transgenic rats compared to untreated animals, respectively. Cardiac gene expression showed no differences between groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Increased plasma angiotensinogen levels may sensitize to additional blood pressure stressors. Our preliminary results point towards an independent role of angiotensinogen in the pathogenesis of human hypertension and associated end-organ damage.     

Morphological and immunocytochemical heterogeneity of cultured pinealocytes from one-week-and two-month-old rats: Planimetric and densitometric investigations

Abstract: In vitro preparations of rat pinealocytes are widely used for biochemical analyses of signal transduction processes. This paper deals with morphological and immunocytochemical features of such preparations. Special attention was paid to the problems of whether pinealocytes represent a heterogeneous cell population and how such heterogeneity may develop during ontogeny. The investigations were performed with cells which were obtained from the pineal organ of one-week-and two-month-old rats, attached to synthetic peptide-coated coverslips or tissue culture chamber slides, and maintained under in vitro conditions overnight. The attached cells were then fixed with paraformaldehyde. These preparations yielded monolayers of spherical cells of different sizes; most cells were isolated, but some of them were aggregated and formed small clusters. On the average, the cells from the one-week-old animals were smaller than the cells from the two-month-old animals. Immunocytochemical demonstration of S-antigen, a pinealocyte-specific marker, showed that the majority of the cells from two-month-old animals were intensely or moderately labelled. Pinealocytes from one-week-old animals were less S-antigen immunoreactive. Only very few cells (less than 1% displayed glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-immunoreactivity. Planimetric investigations of the cell size and semiquantitative densitometric investigations of the intensity of the S-antigen immunoreaction revealed that (i) pinealocytes kept in vitro form a heterogeneous cell population, and that (ii) this heterogeneity increases during postnatal development from one-week-old to two-month-old animals. Two groups of pinealocytes can be distinguished based on their developmental fate: pinealocytes of one group grow dramatically, but show only a moderate increase in S-antigen immunoreactivity, and pinealocytes of the other group retain their size, but display a distinct increment in S-antigen immunoreacti vitv.     

Effects of pinealectomy and melatonin administration on certain indices of ovarian hyperplasia and/or hypertrophy in rats with both ovaries intact or after unilateral ovariectomy

Abstract: In earlier studies from other laboratories it was shown that melatonin decreased ovarian weight in rats and inhibited compensatory hypertrophy of the remaining ovary after unilateral ovariectomy. This study was designed to examine the influence of melatonin on certain indices of ovarian hyperplasia and/or hypertrophy in adult female rats with both ovaries preserved and with either an intact pineal gland or with the pineal gland removed (pinealectomy, PX) or, finally, in sham-PX animals. Similar studies were conducted on rats after unilateral ovariectomy, referring the examined parameters to the remaining intact ovary. The studies included mitotic activity of granulosa layer cells and corpus luteum cells, ovarian weight, ovarian cross-sectional area, cross-sectional area of the granulosa layer of all the Graafian follicles and the cross-sectional areas of the corpora lutea, visible on the ovarian cross-section. On the basis of results, we conclude that: 1) the effect of PX on the processes of ovarian hyperplasia and hypertrophy may vary; analogously, exogenous melatonin administration may influence ovarian hyperplasia and hypertrophy in different ways; 2) PX and exogenous melatonin may, under certain conditions, exert similar biological effects, even synergistic effects; 3) melatonin inhibits ovarian growth processes, while the effects of PX are variable; 4) the results indicate that in experiments performed on rats, with the use of two control groups, i.e., intact and sham-PX, melatonin effects on these two groups may differ.