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Tristetraprolin (TTP), also known as zinc finger protein 36, is an RNA binding protein that has a significant role in regulating the expression of mRNAs containing AU-rich elements. We postulated that TTP might regulate interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-18 expression in diabetes. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the levels of TTP are correlated with nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes.Eighty-seven patients (61.3±9.6 years old) who had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 41 age and sex matched healthy control subjects were enrolled. The diabetes patients were classified into those without proteinuria, with microalbuminuria, and with clinical proteinuria groups according to the ratio of urinary excretion of albumin/creatinine (ACR).Serum and urinary levels of IL-6 and IL-18 were significantly elevated, but those of TTP were significantly decreased in patients with diabetes as compared with control subjects. In addition, serum and urinary levels of IL-6 and IL-18 were significantly higher, but those of TTP were significantly lower in patients with proteinuria than in patients without proteinuria or with microalbuminuria. There was a significant correlation between serum TTP and IL-6/IL-18 (correlation coefficients of -0.572 and -0.685, P < 0.05).These results show that diabetes with clinical proteinuria is accompanied by decreased urinary and serum level of TTP and increased levels of IL-6 and IL-18. Decreased TTP expression might occur prior to the increase in IL-6 and IL-18, and decrease of TTP might provide an earlier marker for glomerular dysfunction than IL-6 and IL-18.

The deterioration of alpine grassland has great impact on ecosystem services in the alpine region of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. However, the effect of grassland degradation on ecosystem services and the consequence of grassland deterioration on economic loss still remains a mystery. So, in this study, we assessed four types of ecosystem services following the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment classification, along a degradation gradient. Five sites of alpine grassland at different levels of degradation were investigated in Guoluo Prefecture of Qinghai Province, China. The species composition, aboveground biomass, soil total organic carbon (TOC), and soil total nitrogen (TN) were tested to evaluate major ecological services of the alpine grassland. We estimated the value of primary production, carbon storage, nitrogen recycling, and plant diversity. The results show the ecosystem services of alpine grassland varied along the degradation gradient. The ecosystem services of degraded grassland (moderate, heavy and severe) were all significantly lower than non-degraded grassland. Interestingly, the lightly degraded grassland provided more economic benefit from carbon maintenance and nutrient sequestration compared to non-degraded. Due to the destruction of the alpine grassland, the economic loss associated with decrease of biomass in 2008 was $198/ha. Until 2008, the economic loss caused by carbon emissions and nitrogen loss on severely degraded grassland was up to $8 033/ha and $13 315/ha, respectively. Urgent actions are required to maintain or promote the ecosystem services of alpine grassland in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Background: Evidence from observational studies suggests that increased calcium exposure may elevate the risk of adverse events in patients with coronary artery disease, while magnesium may exert a protective effect on disease risk. However, there have been limited investigations into the relationship between these minerals and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Therefore, this study aimed to explore the association between the Serum calcium-magnesium ratio (Ca/Mg ratio) in patients with acute coronary syndrome and their clinical outcomes. Methods: This retrospective analysis reviewed the clinical data of 1,775 patients with ACS who underwent coronary angiography and/or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at the Fujian Heart Center between May 2017 and December 2022. The patients were categorized into four groups based on their Ca/Mg ratio at admission (Group 1, ≤2.373, n = 443; Group 2, 2.374–2.517, n = 442; Group 3, 2.518–2.675, n = 446; Group 4, ≥2.676, n = 444). Single-factor analysis and multivariate logistic regression were employed to analyze the clinical characteristics and postoperative clinical outcomes of patients in different groups. The primary outcome included major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs), while the secondary outcomes included contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN)、all-cause rehospitalization raten and hematorrhea. Results: Univariate analysis showed that the patients had a mean age of 64.50±10.79 years, with 370 female patients (20.8%). Additionally, 1,158 patients had hypertension (65.2%), and 710 patients had diabetes (40.5%). Univariate analysis showed an inverse relationship between the serum calcium-to-magnesium ratio and all-cause in-hospital mortality, with patients in the lowest quartile having the highest mortality rate. Multivariate analysis showed that the Ca/Mg ratio at admission was independently associated with MACCEs. Among them, this ratio was inversely associated with all-cause mortality [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.07; 95% CI 0.01–0.63; P<0.05] and positively associated with new-onset atrial fibrillation (aOR 1.86; 95% CI 1.08–3.21; P<0.05). Additionally, the Ca/Mg ratio was positively correlated with an increased risk of postoperative major bleeding (aOR 6.58; 95% CI 1.43–30.29; P<0.05). Conclusion: In this large retrospective study, serum calcium and magnesium levels at admission were significantly associated with adverse outcomes in patients with ACS. The Ca/Mg ratio was identified as a reliable predictor of poor prognosis in ACS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The ADAM33 gene has been identified as a potentially important asthma candidate gene and polymorphisms in this gene have been shown to be associated with asthma and seasonal allergic rhinitis. Objective: To assess whether the ADAM33 polymorphisms are associated with persistent allergic rhinitis (PER) due to house dust mites in a Chinese population. Methods: In a hospital-based case-control study of 515 patients with mite-sensitized PER and 495 healthy controls, we genotyped seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ADAM33. Serum levels of eosinophil cationic protein, total IgE and allergen-specific IgE against Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae were measured by the ImmunoCAP assays. Results: In the single-locus analysis, three polymorphisms, rs3918392 (F1), rs528557 (S2) and rs2787093, were significantly associated with mite-sensitized PER. SNP S2 was associated with significantly increased risk both of asthmatic and nonasthmatic mite-sensitized PER. In the combined genotypes analysis, individuals with 2–4 risk alleles had a significantly higher risk of mite-sensitized PER (adjusted OR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.50–2.62) than those with 0–1 risk alleles. Haplotype-based association analysis revealed that the ACAGCCT haplotype might have potential to protect against mite-sensitized PER (adjusted OR = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.49–0.90). Conclusions: Polymorphisms in the ADAM33 gene may contribute to susceptibility of mite-sensitized PER in this Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consumption of antibiotics is a major driver in the development of antimicrobial resistance. This study aims to identify the trends and patterns of the total antibiotic consumption in China's tertiary hospitals from 2011 to 2015 by retrospectively analyzing aggregated monthly surveillance data on antibiotic sales made to 468 hospitals from 28 provinces. Antibiotic consumption was expressed in DDD per 1,000 inhabitants per day (DID). We compared population weighted antibiotic consumption patterns in China with European countries using indicators from the European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption (ESAC). Total antibiotic consumption, including all the specific antibiotic class except for aminoglycoside antibacterials, were significantly increased during the study period from an average of 7.97 DID in 2011 to 10.08 DID in 2015. In 2015, the eastern regions of China consumed the most antibiotics using population denominator while the western regions consumed the most using inpatient denominator. Cephalosporins accounted for 28.6% of total DID, followed by beta-lactam-beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations (20.0%), macrolides (17.4%), and fluoroquinolones (10.5%). Antibiotic in parenteral form accounted for nearly half of all antibiotics. Although over the past few years major efforts had been made to reduce the risks of excessive antibiotic use through antibiotic stewardship, total antibiotic consumption showed a significant upward trend during the study period. A consistent preference for cephalosporins, macrolides, beta-lactam-beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations, as well as parenteral preparations was observed.