A common variant of NOS1AP is associated with QT interval duration in a Chinese population with Type 2 diabetes

AIMS

Electrocardiographic ventricular repolarization QT parameters are independent risk factors for cardiovascular events and sudden cardiac death in diabetic patients. The aim of the study was to investigate the association of polymorphisms of the nitric oxide synthase 1 adaptor protein (NOS1AP) gene with QT interval in Chinese subjects with or without Type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs10494366, rs12143842 and rs12029454) were genotyped in 1240 Type 2 diabetic patients (631 men and 609 women) and 1196 normal controls (433 men and 763 women). Individuals with overt diseases other than diabetes were excluded. Heart-rate corrected QT interval (QTc) was determined by standard 12-lead ECG and Bazett formula. Sex-pooled analysis and sex-specific analysis for genotype-phenotype association were both conducted.

RESULTS

In the diabetic group, the rs12143842 T allele was associated with a 3.87-ms (P = 0.014, empirical P = 0.039) increase in QTc duration for each additional allele copy, while rs10494366 and rs12029454 exhibited no significant association with QTc. We found no evidence of association for the three SNPs in subjects with normal glucose regulation. No significant SNP-gender and -diabetes affection interaction was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

The genetic variant rs12143842 in NOS1AP is associated with QT interval duration in a Chinese population with Type 2 diabetes. Future studies in different populations are needed to validate this finding and to evaluate the impact of NOS1AP variants on cardiovascular events and sudden cardiac death in diabetic patients.

Quasimonoenergetic proton bunch generation by dual-peaked electrostatic-field acceleration in foils irradiated by an intense linearly polarized laser

It is found that stable proton acceleration from a thin foil irradiated by a linearly polarized ultraintense laser can be realized for appropriate foil thickness and laser intensity. A dual-peaked electrostatic field, originating from the oscillating and nonoscillating components of the laser ponderomotive force, is formed around the foil surfaces. This field combines radiation-pressure acceleration and target normal sheath acceleration to produce a single quasimonoenergetic ion bunch. A criterion for this mechanism to be operative is obtained and verified by two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation. At a laser intensity of ∼5.5×10(22)  W/cm(2), quasimonoenergetic GeV proton bunches are obtained with ∼100  MeV energy spread, less than 4° spatial divergence, and ∼50% energy conversion efficiency from the laser.

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.

Palmitate induced insulin resistance by PKCtheta-dependent activation of mTOR/S6K pathway in C2C12 myotubes

The underlying mechanism of palmitate-induced insulin resistance in skeletal muscle cells is obscure. In this study, we showed that palmitate inhibited the insulin signaling in C2C12 myotubes, accompanied with the enhanced phosphorylation of protein kinase C-theta (PKCΘ). The inhibitory effects of palmitate on the insulin signaling were diminished in PKCΘ- and mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin)-deficient C2C12 myotubes, and C2C12 myotubes pre-treated with rapamycin. In addition, the phosphorylation of mTOR and p70 ribosomal S6 kinase (S6K) enhanced by palmitate was attenuated in PKCΘ-deficient C2C12 myotubes and in C2C12 myotubes treated with PKCΘ pseudosubstrate. Taken together, our results suggested that palmitate-induced insulin resistance in C2C12 myotubes is mediated by PKCΘ/mTOR/S6K pathway.

Wingspan experience at Beijing Tiantan Hospital: new insights into the mechanisms of procedural complication from viewing intraoperative transient ischemic attacks during awake stenting for vertebrobasilar stenosis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Intracranial vertebrobasilar artery (VBA) stenosis portends a stroke and death rate of 8.5-22.8% annually despite medical therapy. Stenting has emerged as a treatment option but also carries substantial risk. Awake stenting under local anesthesia to minimize major procedural complication was investigated.

METHODS

Between January 2007 and December 2008, 43 of 46 consecutive patients with severe symptomatic intracranial VBA stenosis underwent elective angioplasty assisted with self-expanding Wingspan stent under local anesthesia at our institute. All data were collected prospectively.

RESULTS

All 43 patients tolerated the stenting procedure under local anesthesia well. Forty-two patients (97.7%) were stented successfully. Within 30 days, there were three periprocedural strokes, including thromboembolic infarct, pontine perforator infarct and intracranial hemorrhage, without fatality. In addition, five patients had intraoperative brainstem transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) seconds after the deployment of the stent delivery system across the tortuous VBA. The symptoms and signs included impaired consciousness (n=5), dysarthria (n=3), convulsion (n=2), conjugate horizontal gaze palsy (n=2), nystagmus (n=2) and pinpoint pupils (n=1). There was angiographic evidence of VBA straightening without thromboembolism. The TIAs resolved within minutes of prompt removal of the delivery catheter.

CONCLUSIONS

VBA stenting under local anesthesia is feasible with a 7% periprocedural stroke risk. Awake stenting allows timely detection of intraoperative TIAs. The mechanism of intraoperative TIA appears to be stent delivery system induced VBA straightening and distortion of its vascular tree. A devastating stroke may ensue if the TIA is not detected and distortion of VBA perforators is not reversed promptly.

Universal indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for monitoring of human and animal brucellosis in Kazakhstan

Combinations of conventional serological methods and new ELISA procedures were evaluated to develop the most efficient and effective diagnostics for the detection of brucellosis in humans and animals. Sera from humans (n=249) and animals (n=99) were collected from brucellosis endemic areas (Zhambyl district and Enbekshi-Kazakh district of Almaty region in Kazakhstan) for serologic analysis. Sera from the humans reacted positively in the RBT (38.5%), SAT (43.3%), iELISA (42.5%) while sera from the animals reacted positively in RBT (79.8%), SAT (89.9%), CF (87.8%), iELISA (100%). Greater seropositivity was detected in animals as compared to human samples. All positive sera were also evaluated on an indirect ELISA (iELISA). Bacterial isolation was attempted on seropositive human sera. Our data indicate that the combination of conventional serological tests (SAT and CF), combined with the iELISA is optimal for the processing of large numbers of samples and the most efficient detection of human and animal brucellosis.

Distribution of small integrin-binding ligand, N-linked glycoproteins (SIBLING) in the condylar cartilage of rat mandible

The Small Integrin-Binding LIgand, N-linked Glycoprotein (SIBLING) family is one category of non-collagenous proteins closely related to osteogenesis. In this study, the authors systematically evaluated the presence and distribution of four SIBLING family members, dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP), dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1), bone sialoprotein (BSP) and osteopontin (OPN), in rat mandibular condylar cartilage using protein chemistry and immunohistochemistry. For protein chemistry, SIBLING proteins in the dissected condylar cartilage were extracted with 4M guanidium-HCl, separated by ion-exchange chromatography, and analyzed by Western immunoblotting. Immunohistochemistry was employed to assess the distribution of these four SIBLING proteins in the condylar cartilage of 2-, 5- and 8-week-old rats. Results from both approaches showed that all four members are expressed in the condylar cartilage. DSPP, unlike that observed in dentin and bone, exists as a full-length form (uncleaved) in the condylar cartilage. The NH(2)-terminal fragment of DMP1 is mainly detected in the matrix of the cartilage while the COOH-terminal fragment is primarily localized in the nuclei of cells in the chondroblastic and hypertrophic layers. The data obtained in this investigation provide clues about the potential roles of these SIBLING proteins in chondrogenesis.

A noninvasive imaging approach to assess plaque severity: the carotid atherosclerosis score

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The presence of IPH and/or FCR in the carotid atherosclerotic plaque indicates a high-risk lesion. The aim of this multicenter cross-sectional study was to establish the characteristics of lesions that may precede IPH and/or FCR. We further sought to construct a CAS that stratifies carotid disease severity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Three hundred forty-four individuals from 4 imaging centers with 16%-99% carotid stenosis by duplex sonography underwent carotid MR imaging. In approximately 60% of the study sample (training group), multivariate analysis was used to determine factors associated with IPH and FCR. Statistically significant parameters identified during multivariate analysis were used to construct CAS. CAS was then applied to the remaining arteries (40%, test group), and the accuracy of classification for determining the presence versus absence of IPH or, separately, FCR was determined by ROC analysis and calculation of the AUC.

RESULTS

The maximum proportion of the arterial wall occupied by the LRNC was the strongest predictor of IPH (P < .001) and FCR (P < .001) during multivariate analysis of the training group. The subsequently derived CAS applied to the test group was an accurate classifier of IPH (AUC = 0.91) and FCR (AUC = 0.93). Compared with MRA stenosis, CAS was a stronger classifier of both IPH and FCR.

CONCLUSIONS

LRNC quantification may be an effective complementary strategy to stenosis for classifying carotid atherosclerotic disease severity. CAS forms the foundation for a simple imaging-based risk-stratification system in the carotid artery to classify severity of atherosclerotic disease.

Phenopedia and Genopedia: disease-centered and gene-centered views of the evolving knowledge of human genetic associations

Summary: We developed web-based applications that encourage the exploration of the literature on human genetic associations by using a database that is continuously updated from PubMed. These applications provide user-friendly interfaces for searching summarized information on human genetic associations, using either genes or diseases as the starting point.

Availability: Phenopedia and Genopedia can be freely accessed at http://www.hugenavigator.net/HuGENavigator/startPagePhenoPedia.do and http://www.hugenavigator.net/HuGENavigator/startPagePedia.do, respectively.

Contact:wby0@cdc.gov

Supplementary information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Observation of the naive-T-odd Sivers effect in deep-inelastic scattering

Azimuthal single-spin asymmetries of leptoproduced pions and charged kaons were measured on a transversely polarized hydrogen target. Evidence for a naive-T-odd, transverse-momentum-dependent parton distribution function is deduced from nonvanishing Sivers effects for pi(+), pi(0), and K(+/-), as well as in the difference of the pi(+) and pi(-) cross sections.

Geometric and compositional appearance of atheroma in an angiographically normal carotid artery in patients with atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Arterial remodeling may enable atherosclerotic disease without luminal stenosis. We sought to assess the prevalence and characteristics of atherosclerosis in angiographically normal carotid arteries.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-six arteries with 0% stenosis by MRA were evaluated with multicontrast carotid MR imaging at 3T. For each artery, the percentage wall volume (wall volume/[lumen volume + wall volume] x 100%) and the presence versus absence of an LRNC, calcification, IPH, and fibrous cap rupture were recorded. In addition, the relative size of each plaque component (eg, percentage LRNC = LRNC volume/wall volume x 100%), when present, was calculated.

RESULTS

The mean of percentage wall volume in arteries with 0% stenosis was 43.0 +/- 6.9% with a range from 31.6% to 60.1%. An LRNC was present in 67.4% (31/46) of arteries, calcification was present in 65.2% (30/46), IPH was present in 8.7% (4/46), and fibrous cap rupture was present in 4.3% (2/46). In arteries with an LRNC (n = 31), the average percentage LRNC volume was 8.8 +/- 7.3% with a range from 1.0% to 31.5%. For calcification (n = 30), the mean percentage calcification volume was 3.8 +/- 4.2% with a range of 0.1%-17.4%. The mean percentage IPH volume (n = 4) was 2.7 +/- 1.7% with a range of 0.5%-4.1%.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that stenosis by MRA may underestimate the presence of carotid atherosclerosis, and they demonstrate the need for improved methods for accurately identifying carotid atherosclerotic plaque severity.

Effect of fat on measurement of bone mineral density

OBJECTIVE: To determine if increasing fatness interferes with the measurement of fat and bone mineral density (BMD) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (Lunar iDXA). METHODS: We performed measurements of BMD and fat on a section of a beef femur defatted by prolonged boiling in detergent, completely surrounded by increasing thicknesses of lard. Initially the bone was placed in the marked spine area, overlying a 6L plastic bottle which was placed in the marked trunk area of the iDXA. The plastic bottle was then removed and further measurements were carried out with increasing thicknesses of lard surrounding the bone. Measurements were repeated 4 times. RESULTS: The reported measurement of BMD progressively increased with each increased layer of lard surrounding the bone. All the iDXA BMD measurements were significantly (P<0.01) different from one another. When surrounded by 3 layers of lard the reported BMD was 20.5% greater than the reported BMD when the bone was not surrounded by any lard. The differences between the actual amount of fat measured by chemical analysis and weighing, and the reported measurement of fat by iDXA were significant with all 3 thicknesses of lard (P<0.01); the percentage difference between the fat measured by iDXA and that measured chemically decreased as the number of layers of lard increased. CONCLUSION: We found that iDXA overestimated fat by up to 11.1%. The percentage overestimation of fat diminished as the amount of fat increased. BMD was overestimated by 20.5% when surrounded by 3 layers of fat compared to when there was no surrounding fat. In contrast to fat, the percentage overestimation of BMD increased as increasing amounts of fat surrounding the bone Using earlier generation DXAs, others have reported that measurements were ± 20-50% inaccurate and differed according to the configuration of the phantoms. The measurement of BMD and fat is the main clinical purpose of iDXA; the present experiment has shown that there are substantial inaccuracies in the measurement of BMD and fat. It is not known how these inaccuracies compare with those of earlier generations of DXA machines.