Sleep duration and snoring associate with hypertension and glycaemic control in patients with diabetes

AIMS

Few studies have analysed the effect of sleep duration and snoring on hypertension and glycaemic control in patients with diabetes. This study aims to investigate the relationship of sleep duration and snoring on prevalent hypertension and glycaemic control in people with diabetes.

METHODS

In the baseline survey of the REACTION study, 56 032 patients with diabetes were categorized into four groups according to self-reported sleep duration: < 6, 6-7.9, 8-8.9 and ≥ 9 h. Snoring frequency was evaluated as 'usually', 'occasionally' or 'never'. Hypertension was assessed by systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, self-reported previous diagnosis and antihypertensive medications. 'Good' glycaemic control was defined as HbA1c < 53 mmol/mol (7.0%) and 'poor' glycaemic control as HbA1c ≥ 53 mmol/mol (7.0%).

RESULTS

Controlling for potential confounders and intermediates, sleep ≥ 9 h relative to intermediate sleep (6-7.9 h) was significantly associated with prevalent hypertension (OR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.18-1.32) and poor glycaemic control (OR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.05-1.18), and a U-shaped association was found between sleep duration and prevalent hypertension (P for quadratic trend = 0.019). Usually snoring was positively associated with prevalent hypertension (OR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.23-1.37), whereas the association between snoring and poor glycaemic control was only on the borderline of statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with a sleep duration of 6-7.9 h, longer sleep duration was associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension and poor glycaemic control in people with diabetes. Moreover, the relationship between sleep duration and prevalent hypertension was U-shaped. These findings may propose important public health implications for diabetes management.

Associations of depression with impaired glucose regulation, newly diagnosed diabetes and previously diagnosed diabetes in Chinese adults

AIM

To examine the association between depression and impaired glucose regulation, newly diagnosed diabetes and previously diagnosed diabetes in middle-aged and elderly Chinese people, and whether depression was associated with different treatment regimens or durations of diabetes.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was performed among 229,047 adults living in the community aged ≥ 40 years from 25 centres in China. The self-reported depression rating scale Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) was used to diagnose probable and sub-threshold depression. Glucose metabolism status was determined according to World Health Organization 1999 diagnostic criteria.

RESULTS

The numbers of participants with normal glucose regulation, impaired glucose regulation, newly diagnosed diabetes and previously diagnosed diabetes were 120,458, 59,512, 24,826 and 24,251, respectively. The prevalence of sub-threshold depression in the total sample of participants was 4.8% (4.8%, 4.8%, 4.4% and 5.6% from normal glucose regulation to previously diagnosed diabetes, respectively), and the prevalence of probable depression was 1.1% (1.1%, 1.0%, 0.9% and 1.8% from normal glucose regulation to previously diagnosed diabetes, respectively). Compared with participants with normal glucose regulation, those with previously diagnosed diabetes had increased odds of probable depression [odds ratio (OR) = 1.61, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.39-1.87] and sub-threshold depression (OR = 1.14, 95% CI 1.06-1.24), after adjustment for multiple confounding factors. Newly diagnosed diabetes or impaired glucose regulation was not associated with depression. Among those with previously diagnosed diabetes, insulin treatment was associated with greater odds of depression compared with no treatment or oral anti-diabetic medicine.

CONCLUSION

Previously diagnosed diabetes, but not newly diagnosed diabetes or impaired glucose regulation, was associated with a higher prevalence of depression. Patients receiving insulin were more likely to have depression than those not receiving treatment or being treated with oral anti-diabetic medicine.

Active yet extremely durable Co3O4 spheroids of different texture without/with Au deposition for CO oxidation

Co₃O₄ spheroids of different texture without/with Au deposition were highly active yet very durable at 60–90 °C for CO oxidation. The calcined Co₃O₄-based catalysts and the yolk–shell type one were even more durable. The catalysts encountered obvious enhancement in CO oxidation activity via in situ pretreatment.

LiSr4(BO3)3:Ce3+ phosphor as a new material for ESR dosimetry

LiSr4(BO3)3:0.01Ce(3+) phosphor was investigated to assess its potential as a material for measurements of radiotherapeutic doses with electron spin resonance (ESR). The ESR spectrum of the phosphor irradiated with (60)Co features five ESR signals. An isochronal annealing experiment has shown that the strongest of these signals is associated with the same trap center as the 473 K peak on the TL glow curve of this material. The dose-response is linear in the studied range from 0.89 to 90.30 Gy. Fading of the signal was also investigated.

Noncompeting channel approach to pair creation in supercritical fields

The Dirac and Klein-Gordon equations are solved on a space-time grid to study the strong-field induced pair creation process for bosons and fermions from the vacuum. If the external field is sufficiently strong to induce bound states that are embedded in the negative energy continuum, a complex scaling technique of the Hamiltonian can predict the longtime behavior of the dynamics. In the case of multiple bound states this technique predicts the occurrence of a new collective time scale. The longtime behavior of the pair creation is not determined by a single (most important) channel, but collectively by the sum of all individual widths of the embedded states.

Focal hepatic glycogenosis

Foci of altered hepatocytes (FAH) including clear cell foci excessively storing glycogen (focal hepatic glycogenosis) are well known as preneoplastic lesions in animal models of hepatocarcinogenesis induced by chemical, physical or viral agents. The occurrence of similar lesions has been studied in a series of 67 explanted and 2 resected human livers using histological and histochemical approaches. A high incidence of FAH was found in the liver of patients suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC, 14/14) and liver cirrhosis (21/42). FAH were also detected in one patient each with inborn hepatic glycogenosis type 1a, and cholangiocellular carcinoma. Two patients with focal nodular hyperplasia had FAH-like enzymatic changes within these lesions. No FAH were found in 5 donor livers. FAH excessively storing glycogen including clear and mixed cell foci predominated in most cases with these lesions. The focal hepatic glycogenosis was associated with a significantly increased cell proliferation compared to the extrafocal parenchyma, and with alterations in the activity of various enzymes. In the 175 FAH studied by enzyme histochemistry, two enzymes involved in glycogen breakdown, namely glycogen phosphorylase and glucose-6-phosphatase, showed the most consistent changes, being reduced in 98% and 95%, respectively. In addition, the activities of adenosine triphosphatase and gamma-glutamyltransferase were reduced in 46% and 53% of FAH, respectively. Inconsistent changes were observed in FAH concerning a number of other enzymes. The 14 HCCs investigated histochemically often contained clear cell populations rich in glycogen in well differentiated portions, but were poor in glycogen in moderately and poorly differentiated tumors or tumor components. There were some similarities in the enzyme histochemical pattern of HCC and FAH but also important differences were evident. In contrast to FAH, all HCCs (except one carcinoma of the fibrolamellar type) showed an increase in the activity of the mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and 50% of the cases had increased glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity. The activities of glucose-6-phosphatase and gamma-glutamyltransferase usually showed a reactivation, or even an increase compared to the extrafocal parenchyma, in moderately and poorly differentiated HCCs. Our results indicate that the focal hepatic glycogenosis is a putative preneoplastic lesion in human beings similar to laboratory animals. The focal hepatic glycogenosis appears to be a frequent initial step in neoplastic transformation of hepatocytes, a process associated with a fundamental shift in energy metabolism.

Magnetic control of the pair creation in spatially localized supercritical fields

We examine the impact of a perpendicular magnetic field on the creation mechanism of electron-positron pairs in a supercritical static electric field, where both fields are localized along the direction of the electric field. In the case where the spatial extent of the magnetic field exceeds that of the electric field, quantum field theoretical simulations based on the Dirac equation predict a suppression of pair creation even if the electric field is supercritical. Furthermore, an arbitrarily small magnetic field outside the interaction zone can bring the creation process even to a complete halt, if it is sufficiently extended. The mechanism for this magnetically induced complete shutoff can be associated with a reopening of the mass gap and the emergence of electrically dressed Landau levels.

HIV type 1 subtypes based on the pol gene and drug resistance mutations among antiretroviral-naive patients from Guangxi, Southern China

We investigated the distribution of HIV-1 subtypes and the prevalence of HIV-1 drug resistance among HIV-infected antiretroviral-naive patients in Guangxi, southern China. A total of 144 subjects from Liuzhou or Nanning, two cities having the most HIV-infected cases in Guangxi, were enrolled. HIV-1 pol fragments were amplified and sequenced from plasma of all patients. In all, 124 sequences were obtained, with 67 from Liuzhou and 57 from Nanning. All sequences were subtyped by phylogenetic analysis and analyzed for antiretroviral resistance using the HIVdb program. Our data showed that the sequences from Liuzhou were subtyped as CRF01_AE (77.6%), CRF07_BC(20.9%), and BC (1.5%), respectively, and the sequences from Nanning as CRF01_AE (78.9%), CRF08_BC (15.8%), B (3.5%), and C (1.8%), respectively. Of the sequences 11.9% from Liuzhou and 28.1% from Nanning harbored drug resistance-associated mutations, but there were only two sequences with mutations associated with significantly reduced phenotypic susceptibility to antiretroviral drugs.

ROS-mediated lipopolysaccharide-induced apoptosis in INS-1 cells by modulation of Bcl-2 and Bax

Overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) or exhaustion of antioxidants may cause oxidative stress which is a major factor of defective insulin secretion and increases apoptosis of pancreatic β-cells in diabetes. So there comes a consideration of whether antioxidant strategies can be used to protect deterioration of the β-cells. In this study, we explored the mechanism of oxidative stress mediated lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced apoptosis in insulin secreting (INS-1) cells from a rat pancreatic β-cell line. ROS was monitored by using intracellular ROS capture dihydroethidium (DHE) and dihydrorhodamine123 (DHR123). Apoptosis rate was measured by flow cytometry (FCM). The pro-apoptotic gene Bax and anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2 were analysed by Western blot and RT-PCR. The results demonstrate that LPS-stimulated INS-1 cells manifest intensified intracellular fluorescence in both dose- and time- dependent manners. Apoptosis rate of LPS stimulated INS-1 cells is significantly increased by FCM, with a significant increase in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio revealed by Western blot and RT-PCR. Furthermore, α-lipoic acid (α-LA) inhibits LPS-induced apoptosis, but can not restore the function of glucose stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in INS-1 cells.

Advanced glycation end-products induce injury to pancreatic beta cells through oxidative stress

AIM

This study evaluated the direct effects of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) on pancreatic β cells, including cellular viability, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and insulin secretion, and also looked for the main source of ROS in INS-1 cells and the possible molecular mechanism(s) of cell injury by AGEs.

METHODS

INS-1 cells were cultured with 100, 200 and 500 mg/L of AGEs for specific periods of time. Cell apoptosis was determined by ELISA and real-time PCR assays. ROS were detected by DCFH-DA and MitoSOX Red probes with a flow cytometer, NADPH oxidase activity was measured by lucigenin chemiluminescence and MAPK phosphorylation was measured by Western blot tests.

RESULTS

Both cell apoptosis and ROS generation increased in AGE-treated cells in a dose-dependent way, and both the mitochondrial electron transport chain and NADPH oxidase pathway participated in ROS generation, although the role of the mitochondrial pathway was earlier and more important. AGEs exerted a toxic effect on insulin secretion that could be largely reversed by inhibiting ROS.

CONCLUSION

AGEs injured INS-1 cells by oxidative stress mainly through the mitochondrial pathway, although the JNK and p38 MAPK signaling pathways were also key modulators in ROS-mediated β-cell death.

Effects of lipopolysaccharides on TLR4 expression in INS-1 rat insulinoma cells

The aim of the study was to obtain insight into the mechanism of sepsis-induced hyperglycemia, to explore the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) on INS-1 cells, the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on TLR4 expression and cell viability. The expression of TLR4 on INS-1 was detected by both RT-PCR and Western blot assays. After being intervened by LPS of various concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 1, 5, 10mg/L) for a certain time, the effects of LPS on TLR4 expression and cell viability were detected by quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, western blotting and CCK-8 assay. Then INS-1 cells were stimulated by LPS (0.1, 1mg/L) together with anti-TLR4 antibody, cell viability and TLR4 expression were detected again. TLR4 expressed in INS-1 cell line. Its expression was up-regulated by the stimulation of LPS higher than 0.1mg/L for 12h (P<0.05). However, there was a little down-regulation of TLR4 between the LPS treated groups and controls with further LPS treatment for 24 and 48 h (P>0.05). In certain concentrations(0.1~10mg/L), viability of INS-1 cells was inhibited by LPS in a dose dependent manner (P<0.05) These effects could be blocked by anti-TLR4 antibody partially. These results suggest that LPS may act directly on the pancreatic β cells via TLR4 on the β-cell membrane. LPS increased TLR4 expression in the early short period of time and caused injury to INS-1 cells after a certain time. It could be one of the mechanisms that hyperglycemia occurs in the early stage of sepsis.

Synthesis of one-dimensional TiO2/V2O5 branched heterostructures and their visible light photocatalytic activity towards Rhodamine B

We present the synthesis and visible-light-induced catalytic activity of one-dimensional (1D) TiO(2)/V(2)O(5) branched heterostructures. The 1D TiO(2)/V(2)O(5) heterostructures were prepared by RF reactive magnetron sputtering of V(2)O(5) onto electrospun TiO(2) nanofibers. Then, the samples were annealed at 300 °C for 2 h in air ambient to form the 1D TiO(2)/V(2)O(5) branched heterostructures. The photodecomposition rate of Rhodamine B (RhB) by the 1D TiO(2)/V(2)O(5) branched heterostructures under visible light was much faster than that of pure TiO(2) nanofibers, revealing that the visible-light-induced catalytic activity of the 1D TiO(2)/V(2)O(5) branched heterostructures was greatly improved. The enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of the 1D TiO(2)/V(2)O(5) branched heterostructures can be ascribed to the coupling with a small bandgap semiconductor material V(2)O(5), where the absorption range is extended, the photogenerated electrons and holes are highly separated and the surface charge carrier transfer rate is promoted.

Space-time resolved approach for interacting quantum field theories

An alternative approach to the usual perturbative S-matrix evaluation of quantum field theories is presented which is nonperturbative and provides full space-time resolution. We study the dynamical development of the force between two fermion wave packets for the Yukawa system. The spatial distribution of the virtual bosons that act as mediators of the force can be analyzed along with the fermionic densities. Using a potential function for the fermion-fermion interaction is a good approximation to the field theoretical calculations when the Fock space is restricted to only one boson, but in the full quantum field theory the fermion-fermion force is enhanced by higher-order multiboson processes. Furthermore, the normally attractive fermion-fermion Yukawa force can, in principle, be manipulated to even be repulsive if the momentum modes available to the virtual bosons are restricted.

Isolation of choline monooxygenase (CMO) gene from Salicornia europaea and enhanced salt tolerance of transgenic tobacco with CMO genes

Glycinebetaine (GB) is an osmoprotectant accumulated by certain plants in response to high salinity, drought, and cold stress. Plants synthesize GB via the pathway choline --> betaine aldehyde --> glycinebetaine, and the first step is catalyzed by choline monooxygenase (CMO). In the present study, by using RT-PCR and RLM-RACE, a full-length CMO cDNA (1844 bp) was cloned from a halophyte Salicornia europaea, which showed high homology to other known sequences. In order to identify its function, the ORF of CMO cDNA was inserted into binary vector PBI121 to construct the chimeric plant expression vector PBI121-CMO. Using Agrobacterium (LBA4404) mediation, the recombinant plasmid was transferred into tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). The PCR, Southern blot and RT-PCR analysis indicated the CMO gene was integrated into the tobacco genome, as well as expressed on the level of transcription. The transgenic tobacco plants were able to survive on MS medium containing 300 mmol/L NaCl and more vigorous than those of wild type with the same concentration salt treatment. In salt-stress conditions, transgenic plants had distinctly higher chlorophyll content and betaine accumulation than that of the control, while relative electrical conductivity of transgenic plants was generally lower. The results suggested the CMO gene transformation could effectively contribute to improving tobacco salt-resistance.

Effects of glucose and advanced glycation end products on oxidative stress in MIN6 cells

To explore the mechanism of oxidative stress induced by glucose and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in MIN6 cells. The MIN6 cells were exposed to various concentrations of glucose or AGEs for some time, MTT assay was used to evaluate the cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) was monitored using intracellular ROS capture Dihydroethidium (DHE) and dihydrorhodamine123 (DHR123). The signal was quantified using flow cytometry by measuring the mean fluorescent intensity (MFI). The NADPH oxidase activity was measured by chemiluminescence with lucigenin. Treatment of high glucose or AGEs decreased cell viability in a dose- and time- dependent fashion. Exposure of MIN6 cells to high glucose or AGEs significantly increased intracellular ROS production in a concentration- and time- dependent manner. In parallel with the results of ROS production, the NADPH oxidase in MIN6 cells was activated due to increased glucose or AGEs concentration. High glucose and AGEs stimulated ROS production via the activation of NADPH oxidase. The oxidative stress may consequently impair pancreatic beta-cell function and contribute to diabetes mellitus as a result.