A survey of bone mineral density of healthy Han adults in China

A recent survey of bone mineral density (BMD) in China recruited 7,042 healthy Han Chinese aged 20 years and older. The mean BMDs were different in gender, age, and region; the proportions of men and women older than 50 years with a high risk of osteoporosis were estimated as 10.4% and 31.2%, respectively

INTRODUCTION

A survey of BMD was completed during 2002-2006 in China. By three-stage sampling, a total of 7,042 healthy Han Chinese aged 20 years and older were recruited in ten cities: 2,694 subjects from Beijing, Tianjin, Haerbin, Lanzhou, and Yantai of northern China and 4,348 from Shanghai, Changsha, Chengdu, Haikou, and Foshan of southern China.

METHODS

Two dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) systems (Hologic and Lunar) were used with parallel measurements of the European spine phantoms in each center. The mean BMDs in age groups older than 50 and the peak bone mineral density (pBMD) at femoral neck and that at greater trochanter were higher for men than women, and the pBMDs for northern China were higher than those for southern China, ranging from 1% to 4%.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

This work has provided two useful references for the first time: one is the estimation of the proportion and number of individuals older than 50 years with a high risk of osteoporosis, 10.4% and 12.5 million men, 31.2% and 37.2 million women, which is important for health care planning and marketing projections, and another is the conversion equations for cross-calibration among different types of DXA instruments frequently used in China.

Evidence for microRNA-mediated regulation in rheumatic diseases

MicroRNA (miRNA), a group of short non-coding RNA of approximately 20-22 nucleotides modulating the stability and translational efficiency of target messenger RNA, present an important new layer controlling gene expression. Hundreds to a thousand miRNA have been identified and are predicted to regulate at least one-third of protein-coding transcripts in the mammalian genome. This study reviews the recent advances reinforcing the awareness that miRNA are key players in rheumatic diseases by regulating major pathogenic molecules, such as tumour necrosis factor, central signal pathways, such as type I interferon pathway and critical immunoregulatory cells, such as regulatory T cells. In animals, blockade of miRNA maturation by the deletion of Dicer or Drasha, interference with miRNA function by the mutation of Roquin and the altered expression of individual miRNA (miR-146a) or miRNA cluster (miR-17-92) all lead to the development of autoimmune diseases. Growing evidence also reveals the differential expression of certain immunity-regulating miRNA in rheumatoid patients. The features of miRNA-mediated regulation, the direction of future miRNA study in rheumatic diseases and the application of miRNA in diagnosis, therapy and prognosis will also be briefly discussed.

Observation of the large magnetocaloric effect in an orbital-spin-coupled system MnV(2)O(4)

The magnetocaloric effect (MCE) in an orbital-spin-coupled spinel vanadate MnV(2)O(4) is investigated by magnetization measurement. MnV(2)O(4) has ferrimagnetic ordering occurring at T(C) = 57 K. The maximum magnetic entropy change reaches 14.8 and 24.0 J kg(-1) K(-1) for field changes of 0-2 and 0-4 T, respectively. The maximum adiabatic temperature is about 2.9 K for a magnetic field change of 2 T. Except for the spin entropy change, the observed giant MCE is suggested to be related to the orbital entropy change due to the change of the orbital state of V(3+) induced by an applied magnetic field around T(C).

Poly-GLP-1, a novel long-lasting glucagon-like peptide-1 polymer, ameliorates hyperglycaemia by improving insulin sensitivity and increasing pancreatic beta-cell proliferation

AIM

The clinical value of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is restricted because of its short half-life. To overcome this limitation, a new polymer of GLP-1 was developed by prodrug strategy, termed Poly-GLP-1, and its pharmacological properties were investigated.

METHODS

The in vitro release kinetics of GLP-1 from Poly-GLP-1 was analysed by Western blot. Plasma GLP-1 levels following a single administration of Poly-GLP-1 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The in vitro effects of Poly-GLP-1 were evaluated using isolated pancreatic islets. The acute effects on glycaemic control and food intake were investigated in C57BL/6J mice s.c. administered with Poly-GLP-1. The chronic effects of Poly-GLP-1 on glycaemic control were further assessed in C57BL/6J and db/db mice treated twice daily for 6 weeks.

RESULTS

Pro-GLP-1 dose dependently increased insulin secretion and decreased glucose, but did not exhibit the insulinotropic action in isolated pancreatic islets without plasma. The glucose-lowering actions of Poly-GLP-1 (3 nmol/kg) remained no less than 12 h after a single injection. Poly-GLP-1 caused a durable restoration of glycaemic control, food intake and body weight gain in db/db mice following 6-week administration. The chronic treatment with Poly-GLP-1 improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity and increased beta-cell mass and proliferation in db/db mice. There was little effect on normal mice treated in the same manner.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicated that Poly-GLP-1, a novel GLP-1 polymer, has long-lasting and potent effects on glycaemic control in vivo, and these beneficial effects may be because of improvement of insulin sensitivity and promotion of islet growth and function.

Perception versus reality?: Virtual crossmatch--how to overcome some of the technical and logistic limitations

The goal of this work was to evaluate concordance between (a) actual flow cytometric crossmatch (FCXM) that is performed by the OPO laboratory servicing our transplant center and (b) virtual XM (vXM) prediction based on antibody identification by solid-phase methods performed in our laboratory. A total of 1586 FCXM, performed between June 2007 and September 2008, between all potential deceased donors in our region and sera from patients awaiting kidney or kidney-pancreas transplant, listed at Northwestern Memorial Hospital were evaluated. A key finding of this analysis was the understanding that a thorough vXM cannot be performed in some donor/recipient pairs due to the lack of certain antibody profile data specific to the donor in question. Obtaining more in depth and stringent information regarding antibody specificities, we demonstrate an excellent sensitivity and specificity of the vXM assays- 86.1% and 96.8%, respectively, with a positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratios of 26.9 and 0.14, respectively. The vXM can serve as an outstanding tool to predict HLA compatibility between donor and recipient, with the caveat that the presence/absence of all antibodies against the potential donor and their strength have been thoroughly investigated.

Sweet's syndrome representing a flare of Behçet's disease

A case of Sweet's syndrome (SS) associated with Behçet's disease (BD) is presented. A 42-year-old Chinese woman was admitted for an eruption of tender, erythematous papules over the neck, which histological changes were typical of SS. She had a three-year history of oral and genital ulcers that was in remission for two months, but flared shortly after the eruption. SS in association with BD has been reported only in few cases. On reviewing the literature, some overlapping manifestations exist between BD and SS and it is possible that some common pathogenesis pathways may be shared by BD and SS.