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Background: This study sought to investigate the correlation between serum sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels and nutrition indicators and the malnutrition exposure risk in men and postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted, involving patients diagnosed with T2DM at the Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital between May 2018 and December 2019. Results: The study comprised 551 participants (363 men, mean age of 55.55 ± 11.57 years), among whom 167 (30.31%) were classified as with malnutrition exposure risk (GNRI ≤ 98). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that SHBG (OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.02–1.05, P < 0.001), glycated hemoglobin (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.22–1.51, P < 0.001), hemoglobin (OR = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.94–0.97, P < 0.001), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.23–0.73, P < 0.003) were independently associated with the malnutrition exposure risk. SHBG was inversely correlated with body mass index (males: r = -0.34; postmenopausal females: r = -0.22), albumin (males: r = -0.30; postmenopausal females: r = -0.20), transferrin (males: r = -0.28; postmenopausal females: r = -0.19), and prealbumin (males: r = -0.35; postmenopausal females: r = -0.30) (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: Serum SHBG levels are correlated with nutritional indicators and the risk of malnutrition in men and postmenopausal women with T2DM. A multicenter prospective study is imperative to verify this result in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies of maternal iron and birth outcomes have been limited to single indicators that do not reflect the comprehensive relationship with birth outcomes. We aimed to investigate the relationship between maternal iron metabolism and neonatal anthropometric indicators using comprehensive iron-related indicators. Methods: A total of 914 Chinese mother-child dyads were enrolled in this prospective study. Subjects' blood samples were collected at ≤ 14 weeks of gestation. Serum concentrations of iron-related indicators were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Femur length was measured by B-ultrasound nearest delivery. Neonatal anthropometric indicators were collected from medical records. Results: After adjustment for potential covariates, higher iron (per one standard deviation, SD increase) was detrimentally associated with − 0.22 mm lower femur length, whereas higher transferrin (per one SD increase) was associated with 0.20 mm higher femur length. Compared with normal subjects (10th-90th percentiles), subjects with extremely high (> 90th percentile) iron concentration were detrimentally associated with lower femur length, birth weight, and chest circumference, and a higher risk of low birth weight, LBW (HR: 3.92, 95%CI: 1.28, 12.0). Subjects with high concentration of soluble transferrin receptor, sTFR and transferrin (> 90th percentile) were associated with higher femur length. Subjects with low concentration of iron and ferritin concentrations (< 10th percentile) were associated with a higher risk of LBW (HR: 4.10, 95%CI: 1.17, 14.3) and macrosomia (HR: 2.79, 95%CI: 1.06, 7.35), respectively. Conclusions: Maternal iron overload in early pregnancy may be detrimentally associated with neonatal anthropometric indicators and adverse birth outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preterm labor, one of the common pathological phenomena during pregnancy, necessitates prompt and accurate detection to safeguard the health of both pregnant women and newborns. This study focused on placental alkaline phosphatase, a pregnancy-specific enzyme, and its potential role in identifying preterm labor. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between placental alkaline phosphatase, placental maturity, the nutritional status of newborns, and its utility in evaluating preterm labor. A total of 85 pregnant women with singleton pregnancy of more than 15 weeks of gestation admitted to our hospital from March 2022 to May 2023 were selected as study subjects. Our study revealed a positive correlation between PLAP levels and both gestational age and placental maturity (P < 0.05). Our findings indicated that with an increase in gestational age and placental maturity, there was a corresponding increase in placental alkaline phosphatase levels. However, there were no differences in placental alkaline phosphatase between pregnant women of Grade III and Grade II in terms of placental maturity (P > 0.05). There was a significant increase in placental alkaline phosphatase levels among pregnant women who gave birth prematurely (P < 0.05). The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that placental alkaline phosphatase had an excellent effect on the evaluation of preterm labor (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in placental alkaline phosphatase between the pregnant women with and without postpartum complications (P > 0.05). Lastly, placental alkaline phosphatase was found to have an inverse relationship with levels of neonatal albumin and transferrin levels (P < 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soybean-based Yingyang Bao complementary food supplement represents a special nutritional improvement method for anemic infants in many intervention projects across China, while its benefits lack rigorous evidence. Using a quasi-randomized controlled trial design, which adhered to randomization and control except for the blinding method, 248 anemic infants were divided randomly into an intervention group (128 cases received the Yingyang Bao intervention based on routine feeding) and a control group (120 cases only received routine feeding). Anthropometric indicators and 16 blood indicators were measured at baseline and 1 year after intervention. The levels of hemoglobin, 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D, homocysteine, retinol, vitamin D3, and soluble transferrin receptor and the height–age-Z score and weight–age-Z score of the intervention group were significantly improved after the intervention (p < 0.05). The homocysteine level improvement appeared to be moderately negatively correlated with the cobalamin level improvement (p < 0.05). The improvements of five indicators were significant correlated with the intervention duration (p < 0.05), and the corresponding three significant regression equations could predict the intervention effect and the intervention duration to a certain extent. This quasi-randomized controlled trial provided more convincing evidence that Yingyang Bao can effectively improve three kinds of malnutrition compared to previous research which only adopted self before and after comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice is the property of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice (Editorial Board, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Interleukin 21 (IL-21) is a receptor participating in innate immunity and correlates with the activation of innate immune cells. We sought to investigate the role of plasma IL-21 in patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). This was a cross-sectional and case-control study. We analyzed plasma IL-21 in patients with IMN, with other kidney diseases as the diseased controls (DCs), and the healthy controls (HCs), regarding their associations with the risk of having IMN and IMN severity. We enrolled 132, 22, and 38 patients with IMN, DC, and HC, respectively. Plasma IL-21 was significantly higher in those with IMN [9.42 (6.93, 12.60)] and DC [7.84 (2.90, 7.95)] compared with HC [5.60 (2.90, 7.10)] (p<0.05). Plasma IL-21 was significantly higher in those with IMN stage III [10.36 (6.94, 20.88)] and II [9.75 (7.60, 14.27)] than those with IMN stage I [6.99 (3.91, 9.08)] (p<0.05). Plasma IL-21 was significantly higher in those with a positive anti-phospholipase A2 receptor antibody (PLA2R) [9.60 (8.27, 12.93)] than those with a negative anti-PLA2R antibody [4.84 (2.90, 11.28)] (p<0.05). Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis showed that a cutoff value of 7.665 pg/mL distinguished patients with IMN from HC and DC with a sensitivity and specificity of 68.94 and 89.47 %, respectively, and the area under the curve was 0.8184. A cutoff value of 7.830 pg/mL identified those with IMN stage II with a sensitivity and specificity of 74.03 and 89.47 %, respectively, with an area under the curve of 0.8718 (p<0.001). Multivariate regression showed that plasma IL-21 was positively correlated with anti-PLA2R and 24 h urine protein, and negatively correlated with total protein and serum albumin. Plasma IL-21 levels increased significantly in patients with IMN. IL-21 may therefore serve as a biomarker for IMN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study systematically reviews and characterizes the existing literature on transferrin/transferrin receptor-mediated drug delivery. Transferrin is an iron-binding protein. It can be used as a ligand to deliver various proteins, genes, ions, and drugs to the target site via transferrin receptors for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes via transferrin receptors. This study is based on a cross-sectional bibliometric analysis of 583 papers limited to the subject areas of pharmacology, toxicology, and pharmaceutics as extracted from the Scopus database in mid-September 2022. The data were analyzed, and we carried out a performance analysis and science mapping. There was a significant increase in research from 2018 onward. The countries that contributed the most were the USA and China, and most of the existing research was found to be from single-country publications. Research studies on transferrin/transferrin receptor-mediated drug delivery focus on drug delivery across the blood–brain barrier in the form of nanoparticles. The thematic analysis revealed four themes: transferrin/transferrin receptor-mediated drug delivery to the brain, cancer cells, gene therapy, nanoparticles, and liposomes as drug delivery systems. This study is relevant to academics, practitioners, and decision makers interested in targeted and site-specific drug delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice is the property of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice (Editorial Board, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective. To investigate the effects of exposure to 5.8 GHz microwaves on testicular structure and function of male adult rats. Methods. After 30 days of exposure, we evaluated sperm quality by determining sperm concentration and quantifying the number of abnormal sperm. Testicular morphology was investigated by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The levels of testosterone (T), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), stem cell factor (SCF), and transferrin (TRF) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). We also used western blotting to determine the levels of GDNF and SCF and apoptosis-related protein (caspase-3) in the testis. Results. Compared with the sham group, there were no significant differences in terms of sperm count, sperm abnormality, and the levels of T, FSH, LH, GDNF, SCF, and caspase-3 in the microwave group. Conclusion. Under the experimental conditions, 5.8 GHz microwave exposure has no obvious effect on testicular structure and function of rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice is the property of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice (Editorial Board, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice is the property of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice (Editorial Board, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice is the property of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice (Editorial Board, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice is the property of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice (Editorial Board, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice is the property of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice (Editorial Board, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice is the property of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice (Editorial Board, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Iron overload has been found to be related with various cardiometabolic disorders, like dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. The disturbance of the iron status and lipid metabolism can contribute to organ damage such as atherosclerotic plaque growth and instability. An assessment on the associations of iron status with apolipoproteins and lipid ratios would be informative for maintenance of metabolic homeostasis and hinderance of disease progression. Hence, this study aims to establish the relationships of iron status with apolipoproteins and lipid ratios. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 7540 adult participants from the China Health and Nutrition Survey 2009 was conducted. Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the relationships between indicators of iron status and the prevalence of unfavorable apolipoprotein profiles. Multivariate linear regression models were constructed to assess the dose-response correlations between serum ferritin and lipid parameters. Results: After adjustment for confounding factors, in both sexes, the subjects in the top quartile of ferritin had the highest prevalence of an elevated apolipoprotein B (men: odds ratio (OR) 1.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.50–2.62; women: OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.53–2.97) and an elevated apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A1 ratio (men: OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.50–2.66; women: OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.04–1.92) when compared with individuals in the lowest quartile. Hemoglobin were also independently associated with unfavorable apolipoprotein B and apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A1 ratio both in men and women. However, transferrin (men: OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.56–0.99; women: OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.56–0.95) and soluble transferrin receptor (men: OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.57–0.99; women: OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.55–0.91) were found to be negatively associated with a decreased apolipoprotein A1. Moreover, after controlling for potential confounders, the ferritin concentrations were significantly associated with the levels of lipid ratios including TG/HDL-C, non-HDL-C/HDL-C, TC/HDL-C, apoB/apoA1, and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio in men (β coefficient = 0.147, 0.061, 0.043, 0.038, 0.032, respectively, all P values < 0.001) and in women (β coefficient = 0.074, 0.034, 0.025, 0.020, 0.018, respectively, all P values < 0.05). Conclusions: The indicators of iron status are significantly associated with unfavorable apolipoprotein profiles. Serum ferritin concentrations are positively correlated with the levels of lipid ratios. The management on the modifiable iron status and lipid metabolism has a clinical significance. The atherosclerotic lipid profiles of the patients with iron overload deserve special clinical concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Iron homeostasis abnormalities are associated with insulin resistance (IR), but studies on such associations in children and adolescents are limited and have contrasting results. The purpose of this study was to determine the associations between indicators of iron status and IR, and assesse if there are sex disparities in these associations.Methods and Study Design: We selected data of 689 children and adolescents (367 boys and 322 girls) aged 6-18 years in the analysis. Serum ferritin, transferrin, and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) levels were determined. The level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was assessed using highperformance liquid chromatography. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was used to indicate the status of insulin resistance. Stepwise and multivariate logistic regression analyses were computed to evaluate associations between iron status and glucose parameters.Results: The prevalence of IR (HOMAIR >3.16) and high HbA1c (HbA1c ≥5.7%) were 29.8% and 16.4%, respectively. Serum transferrin and sTfR were significant associated with HbA1c (p<0.001), while serum transferrin was associated with HOMA-IR (p<0.001). Furthermore, the highest transferrin concentrations were associated with higher risks of both HOMAIR and high HbA1c, while decreased sTfR concentrations were associated with a risk of higher HbA1c in both children and adolescents.Conclusions: Serum transferrin and sTfR were statistically significantly associated with glucose parameters, which may suggest that transferrin and sTfR levels should be taken into consideration when studying IR in both boys and girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exocarpium Citri grandis (ECG, Huajuhong in Chinese), the epicarp of C. grandis 'Tomentosa', has been used for hundreds of years as an anti-inflammatory, expectorant, hypoglycemic, and lipid-lowering medication in China. Nevertheless, there have been few papers that have explored the mechanism behind ECG's hypolipidemic characteristics from the perspective of treating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The purpose of our study was to confirm the therapeutic and preventative effects of ECG in NAFLD by regulating lipid accumulation and iron metabolism, and to explore the specific mechanism of ECG in enhancing hepatic iron transport and excretion capabilities. We constructed a NAFLD model by feeding male C57BL/6 J mice with a high-fat diet for 12 weeks. Mice were gavaged with ECG beginning in the seventh week of modeling, and three dosage gradients were established: low dose group (2.5 g/kg/d), medium dose group (5 g/kg/d) y, and high dose group (10 g/kg/d) until the end of model construction in week 12. We used network pharmacology to analyze the relationship between ECG and NAFLD. In addition, we constructed a nonalcoholic fatty liver disease model by feeding male C57BL/6 J mice a high-fat diet for 12 weeks. Finally, lipid accumulation, iron accumulation, inflammation and oxidative stress were evaluated by serological index detection, histological detection, immunofluorescent and immunohistochemical staining, and western blotting. Network pharmacology confirmed the treatment effect of ECG in NAFLD. Three active components of ECG, including Naringenin, Naringin and Neohesperidin, were detected by UHPLC-HRMS analysis. The results of serum TC, TG, LDL concentration, HE staining, Oil red staining and Nile red staining demonstrated that ECG could improve lipid metabolism disorders. The results of serum iron concentration, liver tissue iron concentration, iron metabolism-related proteins Ferritin light chain, Ferroportin1, Transferrin receptor, and Transferrin demonstrated that ECG improved the iron transport and storage capacities of hepatic cells. Our results demonstrated that ECG relieved liver injury by inhibiting lipid accumulation and iron accumulation in NAFLD. [Display omitted] • Exocarpium Citri Grandis reduces liver lipids accumulation and relieves liver damage in NAFLD. • Exocarpium Citri Grandis down-regulates hepatic iron intake by inhibiting TF/TfR pathway. • Exocarpium Citri Grandis is beneficial to the liver iron excretion and storage in NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Associations between genetic variants in the hepcidin regulation pathway and iron status have been reported in previous studies. Most of these studies were conducted in populations of European descent and relatively few studies have been conducted in Chinese populations. In this study, we evaluated associations between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the hepcidin regulation pathway, serum ferritin (SF) and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) in Chinese adolescents.Methods and Study Design: In total, 692 students from rural boarding schools were selected from six cities in China. The participants were divided into case and control groups according to criteria for SF and sTfR. Furthermore, 33 SNPs in TMPRSS6, TF, TFR2, BMP2, BMP4, HJV, CYBRD1, HFE, IL6, PCSK7, HAMP, KIAA1468, and SRPRB were selected. Associations between the genetic variants and SF or sTfR were detected.Results: For SF, rs4820268 in TMPRSS6 was associated with an SF <25 ng/mL status. Carriers of the G/G genotype of rs4820268 exhibited significantly lower SF levels than A allele carriers did (p=0.047). For sTfR, rs1880669 in TF, rs4901474 in BMP4, and rs7536827 in HJV were significantly associated with an sTfR >=4.4 mg/L status. However, in general linear model analysis, after adjustment for age, sex, and location, only rs1880669 exhibited a stable association with higher sTfR levels (p=0.032).Conclusions: We found rs4820268, in TMPRSS6 that was associated with a low SF level, as previously reported, and a new association between 1880669 in TF and sTfR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blood donors not only save the lives of patients but also play an important role in the development of medical and health services. Therefore, it is particularly important to pay attention to the blood health of blood donors who are at a high risk of iron deficiency. Detection of serum ferritin and transferrin is an important basis for the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia. However, to the best of our knowledge, the levels of serum ferritin and transferrin, and the influencing factors, such as age and type of donation, in blood donors have not been clarified. In the present study, the serum ferritin and transferrin levels of donors from two blood centers were investigated. Demographic data were collected from the donors, and their serum ferritin and transferrin levels were tested. A total of 1,817 donors were enrolled and were eligible for evaluation. Reference intervals (RIs) for ferritin and transferrin were obtained from blood donors, and it was revealed that the ferritin and transferrin levels of blood donors were associated with age. Furthermore, serum transferrin levels were associated with the type of donation; the serum transferrin RI level was significantly higher in platelet-only donors compared with in whole blood donors. It was also demonstrated that ferritin levels were negatively associated with transferrin levels. The present study identified RIs for ferritin and transferrin levels in blood donors, and indicated that age and type of donation were important factors affecting ferritin and transferrin levels in blood donors. These findings may prove useful for blood donation recruitment and screening strategies in China, and could promote the health of blood donors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High iron stores have been reported to be associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, evidence for the associations of iron metabolism with T2DM is inconsistent, and whether there is a threshold effect remains controversial. In the present study, we aimed to examine the associations between various iron biomarkers and the risk of T2DM as well as impaired glucose metabolism (IGM) and hyperglycemia in Chinese women of childbearing age. A total of 1145 women were divided into three groups (normal blood glucose metabolism group; IGM group; T2DM group). Biomarkers of iron metabolism (serum ferritin (SF), transferrin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), transferrin saturation, serum iron, total body iron, and sTfR-to-lgferritin index) were measured. After adjusting for various confounding risk factors, SF and sTfR were positively associated with the risk of IGM (fourth vs. first quartile: SF odds ratio (OR) = 1.93 (95% CI 1.17-3.20) and sTfR OR = 3.08 (95% CI 1.84-5.14)) and T2DM (SF OR = 2.39 (95% CI 1.40-4.06) and sTfR OR = 3.84 (95% CI 2.53-5.83)). There was a nonlinear relationship between SF and risk of T2DM and hyperglycemia ( p for nonlinearity < 0.01). Our findings suggested that SF and sTfR could be independent predictors of T2DM risk.

Protein–energy wasting (PEW) is strongly associated with high mortality in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. However, its clinical assessment has not been well defined. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between combined nutritional indicators and mortality in CAPD patients. In the present retrospective cohort study, a total of 885 incident CAPD patients were enrolled. Nutritional status at the initiation of CAPD was assessed by BMI and biochemical indices (serum albumin, prealbumin, transferrin, creatinine and total cholesterol). The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Principal components factor analysis was used to identify the combined nutritional parameters. Their association with mortality was examined by multivariable-adjusted Cox models. The mean age was 47·4 (sd 14·8) years, 59·2 % (n 524) were male and 24·6 % (n 218) were diabetic. Of the total patients, 130 (14·7 %) had BMI < 18·5 kg/m2, 439 (49·6 %) had albumin < 38 g/l ( < 3·8 g/dl), 303 (34·2 %) had prealbumin < 300 mg/l ( < 30 mg/dl), 404 (45·6 %) had transferrin < 2 g/l ( < 200 mg/dl), 501 (56·6 %) had total cholesterol < 5·2 mmol/l ( < 200 mg/dl) and 466 (52·7 %) had creatinine < 707 μmol/l ( < 8 mg/dl). Overall, three components such as visceral proteins, muscle-mass surrogate and BMI were extracted, which explained 69·95 % of the total variance of the nutritional parameters. After adjusting for demographic variables, co-morbid conditions, Hb, TAG and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, the factor score of visceral proteins including albumin, prealbumin and transferrin was independently associated with mortality (hazard ratio 0·73, 95 % CI 0·60, 0·89; P= 0·002). Lower visceral protein concentrations may be independently associated with higher mortality in incident CAPD patients. Simultaneous measurements of serum albumin, prealbumin and transferrin could be helpful to monitor PEW. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: The effects of orally administered β-lactoglobulin hydrolysate-iron complex (β-LGH-Fe) on haematological and biochemical parameters in anaemic rats were evaluated. Female weaning Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with iron-deficient diet to induce iron deficiency anaemia. After 6 weeks, the obtained anaemic rats were divided into five groups: iron deficiency control group (iron-deficient diet without β-LGH-Fe complex supplementation, IDC); three groups supplemented with different dosages of β-LGH-Fe complex (0.5 mg Fe/kg BW, iron-deficient diet with low β-LGH-Fe, IDLFe; 2.0 mg Fe/kg BW, iron-deficient diet with medium β-LGH-Fe, IDMF; 4.0 mg Fe/kg BW, iron-deficient diet with high β-LGH-Fe, IDHFe); and ferrous sulphate-supplemented group at a dosage of 2.0 mg Fe/kg BW. Results: β-LGH-Fe complex could significantly improve hematocrit and haemoglobin decrease, and normalise the serum iron level, total iron-binding capacity and transferrin saturation of anaemic rats in a dose-dependent manner. Serum ferritin content and hepatic nonheme iron level were also increased. In addition, the antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxidase dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase in both plasma and liver homogenate were improved. The production of malondialdehyde and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) decreased. Conclusions: It suggests that β-LGH-Fe complex can ameliorate iron deficiency anaemia, which might make it a potential ingredient with anti-anaemia activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusions: CT and MRI are helpful to detect the precise site of the fistula, which is crucial for carrying out the repair, and transnasal endoscopic surgery is an effective treatment for recurrent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea. Objective: To discuss the cause and treatment of recurrent CSF rhinorrhea. Methods: A retrospective study was undertaken to analyze the clinical characteristics of 32 patients with recurrent CSF rhinorrhea. After detailed examination and radiological evaluation by CT and MRI, all of them underwent transnasal endoscopic surgery. Results: Six patients presented a leakage at the posterior wall of the frontal sinus, 12 at the ethmoid roof, and 14 at the sphenoid roof. Four cases with a defect in the frontal sinus and frontal recess were repaired with the DRAF III procedure, four cases with a defect in the sphenoid lateral recess were repaired through transpterygoid intervention and under an image-guided navigation system, while the others were operated by routine endoscopic sinus surgery. No recurrence was found during the follow-up for 14–60 months (mean 36.8) in 31 cases, and 1 case with recurrence recovered well after further surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder with a strong genetic component. Several recent published studies have reported that the mRNA expression level of quaking homolog, KH domain RNA binding (QKI) is down regulated in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. Methods: We were interested in the genetic variants around the promoter region of QKI and selected seven variants in this region, namely rs4263561, rs3904720, rs387504, rs3763197, rs7772756, rs7758706 and rs4709716. For the study we recruited 288 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and 288 control subjects. All the recruits were from Shanghai and were Han Chinese in origin. Results: No individual SNP nor any haplotype was found to be associated with schizophrenia. Conclusions: These results suggest that the variants within the promoter region of QKI gene are unlikely to play a major role in susceptibility to schizophrenia in the Chinese population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Water pollution of heavy metals such as cadmium is a serious problem in China. Cadmium is toxic to cellular processes such as the transport and metabolism of iron. The nucleotide sequences of serum transferring (c-sTf) and hepcidin (c-Hep) genes from croceine croaker ( Pseudosciaena crocea) were determined. The full-length cDNAs of c-sTf and c-Hep were 2,486 and 850 nt, respectively. After cadmium exposure (CdE), fish serum iron increased significantly and reached a high level at 24 h, after which it decreased and reached normal levels after 72 h. TIBC increased to a high level at 24 h and maintained that to the end of the experiment. Tf saturation increased to a high level at 24 h, then decreased and returned to normal after 72 h. Higher erythrocyte numbers in the blood were found after 24 h. c-sTf mRNA in fish liver significantly increased at 24 h and maintained to the end of the experiment. c-Hep mRNA expression significantly increased at 24 h and reached a high level at 48 h, then decreased to normal by 72 h. Therefore, it suggests that iron status was the signal for mRNA expression of hepcidin in liver, while erythrocytes changes in blood were the signals for that of sTf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To conserve and utilize the genetic pool of gynogenetic gibel carp ( Carassius auratus gibelio), the Fangzheng and Qihe stock hatcheries have been established in China. However, little information is available on the amount of genetic variation within and between these populations. In this study, clonal diversity in 101 fish from these two stock hatcheries and 35 fish from two other hatcheries in Wuhan and Pengze respectively was analysed for variation in serum transferrin. Thirteen clones were found in Fangzheng and Qihe, of which 12 were novel. Six clones were specific to Fangzheng and three specific to Qihe, whereas four were shared among the Fangzheng and Qihe fish. To obtain more knowledge on genetic diversity and genealogical relationships within gibel carp, the complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region (∼920 bp) was sequenced in 64 individuals representing all 14 clones identified in the four hatcheries. Differences in the mtDNA sequences varied remarkably among hatcheries, with the Fangzheng and Qihe lines demonstrating high diversity and Wuhan and Pengze showing no variation. The Fangzheng and Qihe lines might represent two distinct matrilineal sources. One of the Qihe samples carried the haplotype shared by a most widely cultivated Fangzheng clone, indicating that a Fangzheng clone escaped from cultivated ponds and moved into the Qihe hatchery. Four Fangzheng samples clustered within the lineage formed mainly by Qihe samples, most likely reflecting historical gene flow from Qihe to Fangzheng. It is suggested that clones in Wuhan originated from Fangzheng, consistent with their introduction history, supporting the hypothesis that gibel carp in Pengze were domesticated from individuals in the Fangzheng hatchery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the trafficking of sterols, lipids and proteins in Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) cells. The NPC is an inherited disorder involving the accumulation of sterol and lipids in modified late-endosome/lysosome-like storage organelles. Most sterol accumulation studies in NPC cells have been carried out using low-density lipoprotein (LDL) as the sterol source, and it has been shown that sterol efflux from late endosomes is impaired in NPC cells. In this study, we used a fluorescent sterol analog, dehydroergosterol, which can be quickly and efficiently delivered to the plasma membrane. Thus, we were able to study the trafficking kinetics of the non-LDL-derived sterol pool, and we found that dehydroergosterol accumulates in the storage organelles over the course of several hours in NPC cells. We also found that dialkylindocarbocyanine lipid-mimetic analogs that recycle efficiently from early endosomes in wild-type cells are targeted to late endosomal organelles in NPC cells, and transferrin receptors recycle slowly and inefficiently in NPC cells. These data are consistent with multiple trafficking defects in both early and late endosomes in NPC cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body iron status is likely to be associated with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM); transmembrane protease serine 6 (TMPRSS6) polymorphisms may be associated with T2DM risk through their effects on body iron status. However, it remains unknown whether the TMPRSS6 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) affect the risk of GDM development. We aimed to determine whether the TMPRSS6 SNPs rs855791 (V736A) and rs4820268 (D521D) are associated with the risk of GDM in pregnant women. The two SNPs in TMPRSS6 gene were genotyped and examined for their associations with body iron status and GDM risk in 398 unrelated Chinese Han pregnant women. The 2 TMPRSS6 SNPs rs855791 and rs4820268 were both significantly associated with serum iron and transferrin saturation (P < 0.01 for all) rather than ferritin. After adjustment for covariates, the C allele of rs4820268 was nominally and significantly associated with an increased risk of GDM (OR = 2.531; 95%CI = 1.044-6.136, P = 0.040); when concentrations of ferritin were further adjusted, the association was still significant (OR = 2.528; 95%CI = 1.043-6.126, P = 0.040). There was a significant trend (P = 0.065) in the association between the T allele of rs855791 and an increased GDM risk in this study population. The 2 TMPRSS6 SNPs rs855791 and rs4820268 were both significantly associated with serum iron and transferrin saturation, and TMPRSS6 variants might be associated with the risk of GDM. Furthermore, the effects of TMPRSS6 SNPs on the risk of GDM may not be completely explained by the mediation of body iron status. Further studies are warranted.

Background: Several biomarkers are used to measure iron deficiency (ID) during pregnancy, but the prevalence of ID and its association with adverse birth outcomes shows inconsistent results. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of ID in third trimester using multiple indicators of iron status and the relationship with birth outcomes in Chinese population. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study of 11,581 pregnant women between 2016 and 2017 in Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China. We obtained the data (maternal characteristics and birth outcomes) and the concentrations of ID biomarkers from our hospitalization information system and laboratory information system, respectively. Using serum ferritin (SF), serum transferrin (ST) and their ratio as criteria of ID, we investigated associations between birth outcomes and late pregnancy ID. Results: The prevalence of ID in our study was 51.82% as defined by low SF (< 12 μg/L), 54.43% as defined by high ST (> 4 g/L) and 53.90% as defined by high ratio of ST/SF (Log 10 transform > 5.52). Maternal ST/SF ratio was associated with higher mean birth weight (97.04 g; 95% CI, 74.28, 119.81 for the highest vs. lowest quartile). Third trimester maternal ID, defined by ST/SF ratio, was associated with lower risks of preterm birth (PTB), low birth weight (LBW) and small for gestational age (SGA) infants, higher risks of macrosomia and large for gestational age (LGA) babies (for PTB: OR = 0.53, 95% CI, 0.36–0.77; for LBW: OR = 0.44, 95% CI, 0.31–0.62; for SGA: OR = 0.69, 95% CI, 0.57–0.83; for macrosomia: OR = 1.39, 95% CI, 1.13–1.70; for LGA: OR = 1.20, 95% CI, 1.04–1.39). Conclusions: ID in the third-trimester of pregnancy are frequent in Chinese women. Our findings suggest that the ratio of ST/SF measured in late pregnancy could be useful as a significant predictor of unfavorable birth outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: The evidence on the relationship between markers of iron, blood pressure and hypertension are limited and inconsistent. This prospective cohort study aimed to investigate the relationship of serum ferritin (SF), transferrin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTFR) and haemoglobin on blood pressure and incident hypertension in the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) study., Methods and Results: We studied 8337 adults aged 18 years old or above from CHNS in 2009 to investigate the association of markers of iron and blood pressure (BP). Among them, 4509 non-hypertensive participants who completed follow up were included to investigate the association of markers of iron and hypertension development. Linear regression model was used to assess the association between markers of iron and BP. Cox regression model was used to examine the association of markers of iron and hypertension development. SF and serum sTFR concentration had a non-significant effect on incident hypertension. Transferrin and haemoglobin concentrations were positively associated with incident hypertension. Compared to the participants with the lowest tertile of transferrin, those with the highest tertile had a higher risk of developing hypertension [HR: 1.26, 95% CI (1.04, 1.53), P = 0.017]. Similarly, participants with the highest tertile of haemoglobin had a significantly higher risk of incident hypertension [HR: 1.27, 95% CI (1.01, 1.59), P = 0.038]., Conclusion: The current study found that haemoglobin and transferrin levels were positively associated with blood pressure and incident hypertension. Further research in different ethnic groups is required to confirm the association of the full range of markers of iron with BP and incident hypertension., (Copyright © 2019 The Italian Society of Diabetology, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human Nutrition, and the Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)