Associations of Plasma Glucagon Levels with Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate, Albuminuria and Diabetic Kidney Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Hua-Xing Huang,Liang-Lan Shen,Hai-Yan Huang,Li-Hua Zhao,Feng Xu,Dong-Mei Zhang,Xiu-Lin Zhang,Tong Chen,Xue-Qin Wang,Yan Xie,Jian-Bin Su 대한당뇨병학회 2021 Diabetes and Metabolism Journal Vol.45 No.6

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by elevated fasting glucagon and impaired suppression of postprandial glucagon secretion, which may participate in diabetic complications. Therefore, we investigated the associations of plasma glucagon with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), albuminuria and diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in T2DM patients.Methods: Fasting glucagon and postchallenge glucagon (assessed by area under the glucagon curve [AUCgla]) levels were determined during oral glucose tolerance tests. Patients with an eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and/or a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) ≥30 mg/g who presented with diabetic retinopathy were identified as having DKD.Results: Of the 2,436 recruited patients, fasting glucagon was correlated with eGFR and UACR (r=–0.112 and r=0.157, respectively; P<0.001), and AUCgla was also correlated with eGFR and UACR (r=–0.267 and r=0.234, respectively; P<0.001). Moreover, 31.7% (n=771) presented with DKD; the prevalence of DKD was 27.3%, 27.6%, 32.5%, and 39.2% in the first (Q1), second (Q2), third (Q3), and fourth quartile (Q4) of fasting glucagon, respectively; and the corresponding prevalence for AUCgla was 25.9%, 22.7%, 33.7%, and 44.4%, respectively. Furthermore, after adjusting for other clinical covariates, the adjusted odds ratios (ORs; 95% confidence intervals) for DKD in Q2, Q3, and Q4 versus Q1 of fasting glucagon were 0.946 (0.697 to 1.284), 1.209 (0.895 to 1.634), and 1.521 (1.129 to 2.049), respectively; the corresponding ORs of AUCgla were 0.825 (0.611 to 1.114), 1.323 (0.989 to 1.769), and 2.066 (1.546 to 2.760), respectively. Additionally, when we restricted our analysis in patients with glycosylated hemoglobin <7.0% (n=471), we found fasting glucagon and AUCgla were still independently associated with DKD.Conclusion: Both increased fasting and postchallenge glucagon levels were independently associated with DKD in T2DM patients.

Identification of Polymorphisms in Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin (TSLP) Gene and Their Association with Allergic Rhinitis

Mei Hua Zhang,Yong Shin Kim,Eun Heui Jin,Ki Mo Kim,Jae Hoon Lee,Chun Shi Li,Qing Gao Zhang,Ki Jung Yun,Soo Cheon Chae,Hun Taeg Chung 한국유전학회 2008 Genes & Genomics Vol.30 No.5

Dendritic cell (DC) activator, thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) induces DCs to produce Th2-attracting chemokines, causing differentiation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells into effector cells. The differentiated cells are characterized by a typical pro-allergic phenotype. In this study, we identified four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and one variation site (g.-305delT) from the results of scanned human TSLP gene. The SNPs are as following: g.-1914A>G and g.-847C>T in promoter, g.-82C>T in 5` UTR and g.1117C>T in intron 2. We also evaluated the association of genotype and allele frequencies of these SNPs between non-allergic rhinitis controls and allergic rhinitis patients. We further investigated possible correlations between each genotype with serum total IgE levels and peripheral blood eosinophil counts in allergic rhinitis patients. The frequencies of haplotype constructed by these SNPs between these two groups were also compared. Our results demonstrate the two SNPs (g.-1914A>G and g.-847C>T) were associated with susceptibility of allergic rhinitis (P=0.006 and P=0.015 respectively), however, serum total IgE levels were not significantly related with the SNPs.

Soy Protein Supplementation Reduces Clinical Indices in Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome

Xi-Mei Zhang,Yun-Bo Zhang,Mei-Hua Chi 연세대학교의과대학 2016 Yonsei medical journal Vol.57 No.3

Purpose: Clinical trials have studied the use of soy protein for treating type 2 diabetes (T2D) and metabolic syndrome (MS). The purpose of this study was to outline evidence on the effects of soy protein supplementation on clinical indices in T2D and MS subjects by performing a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Materials and Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases up to March 2015 for RCTs. Pooled estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by the fixed-and-random-effects model. A total of eleven studies with eleven clinical variables met the inclusion criteria. Results: The meta-analysis showed that fasting plasma glucose (FPG) [weighted mean difference (WMD), -0.207; 95% CI, -0.374 to -0.040; p=0.015], fasting serum insulin (FSI) (WMD, -0.292; 95% CI, -0.496 to -0.088; p=0.005), homeostasis model of assessmentfor insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) (WMD, -0.346; 95% CI, -0.570 to -0.123; p=0.002), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (WMD, -0.230; 95% CI, -0.441 to -0.019; p=0.033), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (WMD, -0.304; 95% CI, -0.461 to -0.148; p=0.000), total cholesterol (TC) (WMD, -0.386; 95% CI, -0.548 to -0.225; p=0.000), and C-reactive protein (CRP) (WMD, -0.510; 95% CI, -0.722 to -0.299; p=0.000) are significant reduced with soy protein supplementation, compared with a placebo control group, in T2D and MS patients. Furthermore, soy protein supplementation for longer duration (≥6 mo) significantly reducedFPG, LDL-C, and CRP, while that for a shorter duration (<6 mo) significantly reduced FSI and HOMA-IR. Conclusion: Soy protein supplementation could be beneficial for FPG, FSI, HOMA-IR, DBP, LDL-C, TC, and CRP control in plasma.

Interaction and micellar behavior of ternary mixture of amphoteric amino sulfonate surfactant with traditional anionic and nonionic surfactants: Effect of hydrophilicity

Qing Hua Zhang,Rui Sheng,Zhao Hua Ren,Jing Huang,Yun Xiao Wang,Ben Ru Wang,Xi Lei Huang,Qin Cheng,Xue Mei Wu,Tong Bo Wang 한국공업화학회 2023 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.120 No.-

The micellization and the molecular interaction behaviors for two ternary mixtures constituted by anamphoteric sodium 3-(n-dodecyl ethylenediamino)-2-hydroxypropyl sulfonate (C12AS), an anionicsodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) and a nonionic octylphenol polyoxyethylated ether with thenumber (n) of oxyethylene glycol ethers OP-n (n = 10 or 7) in aqueous solution were investigated usingthe tensiometry and the effect of hydrophilicity on them was also discussed. In the framework of pseudophaseseparation model and based on the regular solution theory, the related micellization parametersincluding the mixed critical micelle concentration (cmc) values in the ideal and real cases, the activitycoefficients and the compositions in mixed micelle, etc. and thermodynamic parameters were estimatedby the Clint’s model and the Rubingh’ model. The mixed cmc value is dependent on the composition inaqueous solution and influenced by the hydrophilicity of nonionic surfactant. With increasing the nonionicin ternary mixture, the mixed cmc value is initially decreased and then slightly rise. An increasingin the hydrophilicity of nonionic will make the minimum value of mixed cmc be increased from1.299 mM to 1.705 mM. The resulting phenomena can be explained reasonably by the electrostatic effect,the steric hindrance, the hydrogen bonding, etc. Thermodynamic data indicate that the contribution ofentropy or enthalpy plays a vital role on the spontaneous process of micellization and the share ofentropy or enthalpy in free energy change is dependent largely on the amount of nonionic surfactantand the hydrophilicity. In ternary mixtures of C12AS/SDBS/OP-10, an increase in an amount of OP-10 willinduce the change from the enthalpy-driven micellization process to the entropically favorable process. Once an abundant amount of OP-7 is added, while, the enthalpy will make a main contribution on themicellization process, which can be described by the drop in the share of entropy at the composition(0.6970/0.0000/0.3030) of ternary mixture from 0.6478 to 0.4901. These findings will help with understandingthe molecular interaction behavior for the ternary surfactant mixture and the effect of the additionof nonionic surfactant and its hydrophilicity.

Use of Clozapine for the Treatment of Schizophrenia: Findings of the 2006 Research on the China Psychotropic Prescription Studies

Tian-Mei Si,Yun-shu Zhang,Liang Shu,Ke-Qing Li,Xie-He Liu,Qi-Yi Mei,Gao-Hua Wang,Pei-Shen Bai,Li-Ping Ji,Xian-Sheng Cheng,Cui Ma,Jian-Guo Shi,Hong-Yan Zhang,Hong Ma,Xin Yu 대한정신약물학회 2012 CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE Vol.10 No.2

Objective: Clozapine is one of the most commonly used antipsychotic drugs in China. To date, few studies have investigated the patterns the prescription of clozapine nationwide. The present study examined these patterns in China in 2006 and identified the demographic and clinical characteristics associated with the use of clozapine. Methods: Using a standardized protocol and data collection procedure, we surveyed 5,898 patients with schizophrenia in 10provinces with differing levels of economic development. Results: Overall, clozapine had been prescribed for 31.9% (n=1,883) of the patients; however we found considerable variation among the 10 provinces. The frequency of clozapine use was highest in Sichuan (39.3%) and lowest in Beijing (17.3%). The mean daily dose of clozapine was 210.36±128.72 mg/day, and 25.1% of the patients were treated with clozapine in combination with other antipsychotics. Compared with the group not receiving clozapine, clozapine-user had been treated for longer durations and had experienced a greater number of relapses and hospitalizations. Furthermore, those in the clozapine-user had lower family incomes, were less able to seek psychiatric services, and more likely to be male and have a positive family history of schizophrenia. A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that age, sex, professional help-seeking behaviors, duration of illness, economic status, educational level, and clinical manifestations were associated with the use of clozapine. Conclusion: Clozapine use is common in China. However, use of the antipsychotic varies among provinces, and demographic and clinical factors play important roles in the prescription of clozapine.

Tax is Involved in Up-regulation of HMGB1 Expression Levels by Interaction with C/EBP

Zhang, Chen-Guang,Wang, Hui,Niu, Zhi-Guo,Zhang, Jing-Jing,Yin, Ming-Mei,Gao, Zhi-Tao,Hu, Li-Hua Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.1

The high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein is a multifunctional cytokine-like molecule that plays an important role in the pathogenesis of tumors. In this study, real-time polymerase chain reactions and Western blot assays indicated that HMGB1 transcriptional activity and protein level are increased in $Tax^+$-T cells (TaxP). To clarify the mechanisms, a series of HMGB1 deletion reporter plasmids (pHLuc1 to pHLuc6) were transfected into $Tax^-$-T cells (TaxN, Jurkat) and $Tax^+$-T cells (TaxP). We found that promoter activity in $Tax^+$-T cells to be higher than that in $Tax^-$-T cells, indicating a significant increase in pHLuc6. Bay11-7082 (NF-${\kappa}B$ inhibitor) treatment did not block the enhancing effect. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that Tax was retained on a HMGB1 promoter fragment encompassing -1163 to -975. Bioinformatics analysis showed six characteristic cis-elements for CdxA, AP-1, AML-1a, USF, v-Myb, and C/EBP in the fragment in question. Mutation of cis-elements for C/EBP reduced significant HMGB1 promoter activity induced by Tax. These findings indicate that Tax enhances the expression of HMGB1 gene at the transcriptional level, possibly by interacting with C/EBP.

Transformation of nitrogen-containing compounds in atmospheric residue by hydrotreating

Mei Liu,Lin-Zhou Zhang,Cheng Zhang,Sheng-Hua Yuan,De-Zhi Zhao,Lin-Hai Duan 한국화학공학회 2018 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.35 No.2

Atmospheric residue from Saudi Arabia light crude oil was subjected to the hydrotreating process in a continuous fixed-bed reactor with hydrodesulfurization (HDS) and hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) catalysts. The detailed molecular composition of the polar heteroatom species in the feedstock and products was determined by electrospray ionization (ESI) Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) combined with other analytical methods. The ESI FT-ICR MS analysis indicates that the N1 class species have the highest relative abundance. In the hydrotreating process, small neutral N1 class species with high aromaticity and short side chains showed the highest relative abundance and were defined as easily removable compounds. High aromaticity and small molecule basic N1 compounds exhibited higher catalytic activity towards hydrogenation. The N1S1 class species were converted to the N1 class species, or even hydrocarbons, by the preferential removal of the sulfur atoms. Most of the N1O1 class species were difficult to remove, because of their stable chemical structure.

Segmentation for Range Image Based on Snake Active Contour Model

Zhang Mei,Wen Jing Hua,Peng Xing Xing 보안공학연구지원센터 2016 International Journal of Signal Processing, Image Vol.9 No.8

Range image segmentation is one of the most common problem in the field of computer vision. In view of the defect about traditional range image segmentation methods, this paper introduces a new range image segmentation method based on snake active contour model (SCAM). First, this paper expresses the snake active contour model in the form of parameters, and illustrates the contour line data points inside and outside of the movement and pseudo code description of the motion of a point algorithm; then constructs energy function, pushing the Euler equation and discretization; finally gets the results by Cholesky decomposition. Numerical experiment results show that the method is accurate and efficient, of good effect and the segmentation results are consistent with human subjective visual perception.

Efficient Production and Molecular Identification of Tetraploid Watermelons Using Colchicine and Oryzaline in Vitro

Zhang Ming-Fang,Zhang Quan-Mei,Yang Jing-Hua,Yang Jia-Fu,Lin Yi,Rao Li-Bing 한국원예학회 2006 한국원예학회 기타간행물 Vol.- No.-

Quantitative Analysis of Enlarged Cervical Lymph Nodes with Ultrasound Elastography

Zhang, Jun-Peng,Liu, Hua-Yan,Ning, Chun-Ping,Chong, Jing,Sun, Yong-Mei Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.16

Purpsoe: To investigate the diagnostic value of quantitative analysis of a tissue diffusion and virtual touch tissue imaging quantification (VTIQ) technique with acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography for assessing enlarged cervical lymph nodes. Materials and Methods: Fifty-six enlarged cervical lymph nodes confirmed by pathologic diagnoses were covered in the study. According to the results of pathologic diagnosis, patients were classified into benign and malignant groups. All the patients were examined by both conventional ultrasonography and elastography. AREA% and shear wave velocity (SWV) in ROI of different groups were calculated and compared using ROC curves. Cut-off points of AREA% and SWV were determined with receiver operating characteristic curves. Results: Final histopathological results revealed 21 cases of benign and 35 cases of malignant lymph nodes. The mean values of AREA% and SWV in benign and malignant groups were $45.0{\pm}17.9%$ and $2.32{\pm}0.57m/s$, and $61.3{\pm}21.29%$ and $4.36{\pm}1.25$)m/s, respectively. For the parameters of elastography, "AREA%" and SWV demonstrated significant differences between groups (p=0.002). AREA% was positively correlated with SWV with a correlation coefficient of 0.809 (P<0.001). Conclusions: Stiffness of different lymph node diseases in patients may differ. Elastography can evaluate changes sensitively and provide valuable information to doctors. The study proved that the VTIQ elastography technique can play an important role in differential diagnosis of lymph nodes.