Mechanism of self-recovery of hydrophobicity after surface damage of lotus leaf.

The surfaces of lotus leaves with micro- and nano-waxy cuticle structures are superhydrophobic and possess a self-healing ability to regain hydrophobicity after damage. Inspired by this phenomenon, the problem of water-repellent coatings used in natural environments failing to perform after damage can be solved if these coatings are endowed with rapid self-repair and self-growth functions. However, there has been almost no exploration into the hydrophobicity self-repair process in lotus leaves. The changes in surface morphology during the hydrophobicity recovery process are not understood. There is a lack of research on the hydrophobicity recovery in lotus leaves. In this study, the damage and recovery experiments on lotus leaf surfaces were carried out in an artificial climate chamber, and the water repellency recovery process and typical water repellency roughness parameters regained time were obtained. Upon analyzing the differences in the recovery process of different damage types, the recovery mechanism after lotus leaf surface damage was obtained. Finally, it was found that the microscopic roughness determined the static contact angle (WCA) of the lotus leaf surface, and the nanoscopic roughness determined the rolling angle (SA). The dual factors of the recovery of the extruded epidermal tissue and the regeneration of the epidermal wax crystals determined the hydrophobicity recovery process in damaged lotus leaves.

Mechanic study based on untargeted metabolomics of Pi-pa-run-fei-tang on pepper combined with ammonia induced chronic cough model mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Pi-pa-run-fei-tang (PPRFT), a traditional Chinese medicine formula with long-standing history, demonstrated beneficial effect on chronic cough. However, the mechanism underlying efficacy unclear. In current research, we explored the impact and molecular mechanism of chronic cough mouse stimulating with capsaicin combined with ammonia. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the metabolic modulating effects, and potential mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effect of PPRFT in chronic cough. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Chronic cough mouse models were created by stimulating mice by capsaicin combined with ammonia. Number of coughs and cough latency within 2 min were recorded. With lung tissue and serum samples collected for histopathology, metabolomics, RT-qPCR, immunohistochemistry, and WB analysis. Lymphocytes were isolated and flow cytometric assays were conducted to evaluate the differentiation between Th17 and Treg cell among CD4+ cells. RESULTS: Results indicated that PPRFT obviously reduced the number of coughs, prolonged cough latency, reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and lung tissues damage, and decreased the serum level of IL-6, IL-1ß, TNF-α, and IL-17 while increasing IL-10 levels. Notably, PPRFT suppressed Th17 cell divergence and promoted Treg cell divergence. Furthermore, serum metabolomic assays showed that 46 metabolites differed significantly between group, with 35 pathways involved. Moreover, mRNA levels of IL-6, NF-κB, IL-17, RORγT, JAK2, STAT3, PI3K and AKT in lung tissues remarkably reduced and mRNA levels of IL-10 and FOXP3 were elevated after PPRFT pretreatment. Additionally, PPRFT treatments decreased the protein levels of IL-6, NF-κB, IL-17, RORγT, p-JAK2, p-STAT3, p-PI3K, and p-AKT and increased the protein levels of IL-10 and FOXP3, but no significantly effects to the levels on JAK2, STAT3, PI3K, and AKT in the lungs. CONCLUSION: Conclusively, our result suggested the effect with PPRFT on chronic cough may be mediated through IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 and PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway, which regulate the differentiation between Th17 and Treg cell. This beneficial effect of PPRFT in capsaicin and ammonia-stimulated chronic cough mice indicates its potential application in treating chronic cough.

Performance Characteristics of Silicone Rubber for Use in Acidic Environments.

Silicone rubber insulators are widely used in power grids because of their excellent performance, but aging has been an inevitable problem of silicone rubber, especially in extreme conditions, such as acidic conditions. In order to clarify the performance changes in silicone rubber in an acidic environment, this paper uses the developed acid-resistant silicone rubber sheet and common silicone rubber samples as the research objects, and conducts an aging comparison test on them in a natural acidic environment. The electrical properties, physical properties, and chemical properties of the two types of silicone rubber specimens with different aging times are analyzed to obtain the performance characteristics of silicone rubber under a natural acidic environment. The research results show that the dry flash voltage and pollution flashover voltage of the acid-resistant silicone rubber after one year of aging are greater than those of the common type; the water repellency of both types of silicone rubber remains in good condition. The silicone rubber produced by our team according to the self-developed acid-resistant silicone rubber formula has indeed played a role in delaying aging in an acidic environment compared with the common-type silicone rubber.

Construction and validation of NSMC-ASIL, a predictive model for risk assessment of malignant hepatic nodules.

Most malignant hepatic nodules (MHNs) eventually progress to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, assessment of the risk of malignancy in high-risk groups of patients with hepatic nodules remains a challenge. This study aimed to develop and validate a simple scoring system to predict the risk of development of MHNs. 1144 patients with primary nodular lesions of hepatic were divided into training cohort and validation cohort. The nomogram model for predicting the risk of MHNs was established according to age, sex, nodule size, prothrombin time (PT), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II), γ-glutamine acyltransferase isoenzyme (γ-GT), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total bile acid (TBA), and total bilirubin (TBIL) in training cohort by logistic regression and validated in validation cohort. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the predictive model for diagnosing MHNs in training cohort was 0.969 (95% CI: 0.959-0.979), with sensitivity 93.38% and specificity 90.75%, and the AUC in the validation cohort was 0.986 (95% CI: 0.975-0.996), with sensitivity 90.81% and specificity 94.26%. The AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of this model for the diagnosis of early-stage HCC were 0.942, 88.64% and 87.35% in training cohort, and 0.956, 87.04% and 91.85% in validation cohort, respectively. We established a nomogram model that used intuitive data for reliably predicting the risk of MHNs, and this model also showed good diagnostic accuracy in predicting early-stage HCC.

Application of Infrared Spectroscopy in Research on Aging of Silicone Rubber in Harsh Environment.

Polymer insulators using silicone rubber materials as sheds and sheaths are widely used in power systems to replace traditional porcelain and glass insulators which are heavy, inconvenient to install, and prone to pollution flashover. However, in recent years, polymer insulators that have been operating in harsh outdoor environments for many years have experienced different degrees of aging. The aging degree and aging products of silicone rubber are the focus of research. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is a technical method to analyze the internal molecular bonds and functional groups of materials, and it is often used to study the aging degree and aging products of silicone rubber. In this paper, the aging characteristics of silicone rubber samples in a high altitude area, salt fog environment, and acid environment were studied by FTIR. The results showed that the silicone rubber in a harsh environment, such as strong radiation, salt fog, and acid fog was degraded to some extent, and its main chain was cut off, the degree of polymerization was reduced, and the content of hydrophobic functional groups was reduced. Infrared spectroscopy can be used to analyze the aging phenomenon of polymers.

Mechanical Properties of High Temperature Vulcanized Silicone Rubber Aged in the Natural Environment.

Composite insulators operate in harsh field environments all year round. Their various properties and states of aging require attention. It is important to study the performance changes of composite insulator sheds after aging to evaluate the life of insulators operating on grids. For this reason, 22 composite insulator sheds from different factories, with different voltage levels and different ages years were selected to conduct mechanical properties testing. The mechanical properties include hardness, tensile strength, and elongation at break, and were investigated by thermogravimetric (TGA) testing, surface morphology, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) characterization. The changes in mechanical properties of high temperature vulcanization (HTV) composite insulator silicone rubber aged in the natural environment were analyzed, including the reasons for these changes. The results showed that the transverse relaxation time T2 of the sample was closely related to its aging state. The more serious the silicone rubber's aging, the smaller was the T2. The state of the composite insulator can be evaluated by using T2 and aging years simultaneously. With the actual degree of aging in the silicone rubber intensified, its tensile strength and elongation at break generally showed a downward trend.

Research on Silicone Rubber Sheds of Decay-Like Fractured Composite Insulators Based on Hardness, Hydrophobicity, NMR, and FTIR.

The safety and stability of power systems are seriously threatened by the decay-like fracture of composite insulators. This paper analyzes the aging characteristics (physical properties, NMR, and FTIR) of the silicone rubber sheds of the decay-like fractured insulator. The same V-string insulator and a new insulator are used for comparison. The study shows that the sheds' degradation is concentrated on the side with heavy pollution. The physical properties (appearance, pollution, hardness, and hydrophobicity) of the high voltage end decrease significantly compared to other positions, but there is no direct connection between the physical properties of sheds and the decay-like fracture of the core rod. The severity of aging increases with a decrease in the equivalent transverse relaxation time T2. The main chain of the PDMS material was severely damaged at the location of the insulator fracture. NMR and FTIR can well judge the aging degree of silicone rubber housings. However, no definite characteristic quantity can characterize the decay-like fracture. It is challenging to evaluate the decay-like fracture of the silicone rubber shed only by its aging degree.

The Dynamic Behaviour of Multi-Phase Flow on a Polymeric Surface with Various Hydrophobicity and Electric Field Strength.

The dynamic behaviour of rain droplets on the insulator surface is a key measure to its reliability and performance. This is due to the fact that the presence and motion of rain droplets cause intensive discharge activities, such as corona and low current arcing, which accelerate the ageing process and flashovers. This article aims to investigate and characterize the movement of a rain droplet placed on an inclined insulator surface subject to an intensive electric field. The rain droplets' movement on hydrophobic surfaces in the absence of an electric field is investigated. A high speed camera is used to capture the footage and finite element method (FEM) is used to simulate the multi-physics phenomenon on two polymeric surfaces, namely, silicon rubber (SiR) and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene). A 'creepage' motion was observed. The inception of motion and the movement speed are analysed in correlation with various surface conditions. Models are established to estimate the moisture and potential discharge characteristics on the inclined polymeric surfaces. They are further utilized to analyse the actual insulators subject to wet conditions.

Electric Field Improvement for High-Voltage Bushings.

Resin-impregnated paper (RIP) bushing has gained significant interest due to its extended application in Extra High Voltage (EHV) and Ultra High Voltage (UHV) electricity transmission systems. However, the design criterion of its overall structure, the geometry parameters of the condenser layers, and stress release devices, etc., are still not fully understood. This article proposes a unique electric field optimization technique to integrate both the analytical and the numerical methods. The charge simulation method (CSM) is employed to create the overall equipotential surface, within which the finite element analysis (FEA) is adapted to study the localized field enhancement effects, taking into consideration the multi-physics coupled fields. A case study is performed on an actual UHV bushing. The results are compared to the traditional methods, to demonstrate the benefit of the hybrid method.

Lipoxin A4 attenuates uric acid-activated, NADPH oxidase-dependent oxidative stress by interfering with translocation of p47phox in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

LipoxinA4 (LXA4) is a well-known key mediator of endogenous anti-inflammation and of the resolution of inflammation. Considerable oxidative stress occurs during inflammation due to the generation of reactive oxidative species (ROS). Moreover, high levels of uric acid (UA) contribute to endothelial cell dysfunction, which can promote disease-related morbidity, and NADPH oxidase-derived ROS are crucial regulatory factors in these responses. However, LXA4 also has the potential to reduce oxidative stress. The aim of the present study was to examine whether LXA4 could suppress UA-induced oxidative stress in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and to investigate its mechanisms of action in vitro. HUVECs were incubated with or without LXA4, followed by the addition of UA. ROS levels were then measured using 2,7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate and lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence was used to evaluate NADPH oxidase activity. p47phox or p22phox small interfering (si)RNA were transfected into HUVECs and protein levels of p47phox were detected using western blot analysis. LXA4 significantly inhibited UA-induced generation of ROS to the same extent as the NADPH oxidase inhibitor, diphenyleneiodonium chloride. Notably, transfection of p47phox siRNA attenuated the generation of ROS and the activation of NADPH oxidase. Cells transfected with p22phox siRNA demonstrated a significant reduction in the expression of p47phox on the membrane. Further experiments demonstrated that LXA4 interfered with the transfer of p47phox from the cytoplasm to the cell membrane. These findings suggested that LXA4 inhibited the release of NADPH oxidase derived ROS in HUVECs stimulated by UA. A potential mechanism of action underlying this effect could be LXA4-mediated suppression of NADPH oxidase activity, leading to inhibition of p47phox translocation from the cytoplasm to the cell membrane.

Electrical Strength and Physicochemical Performances of HTV Silicone Rubber under Salt-Fog Environment with DC Energized.

In recent years, the performances of rubber composite insulators, which operate in the coastal foggy regions, have attracted researchers' concern because of the observation of their degradation. In this paper, salt-fog experiments with DC test voltage of high-temperature vulcanized (HTV) silicone rubber (SR) have been conducted. The electrical strength and material performances of samples with salt-fog treatment were focused on. The DC flashover voltage, hydrophobicity, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and dielectric parameter were investigated. It was found that the samples' performances deteriorated after salt-fog treatment. The DC flashover voltage of HTV SR decreased in the salt-fog environment. The hydrophobicity of the material deteriorated and the static contact angle (CA) became small. Under the action of electric and thermal stress, the surface of samples after salt-fog treatment became rough and porous. The absorption peak of the hydrophobic groups decreased, indicating that the molecular chain of SR material was broken, and the filler was consumed, bringing down the arc resistance of the sample. The absorption of moisture further led to insulation performance loss and then reduced the electrical strength of the material. Degradation of physicochemical properties will eventually lead to a decline in electrical strength.

Glassy carbon electrode modified with G­MoS2­Nafion acts as an electrochemical biosensor to determine uric acid in human serum.

At present, the majority of methods used for uric acid (UA) detection are not able to meet the detection requirements with speed, accuracy, high sensitivity, high specificity, a wide linear range or a low cost. Compared with other methods, the electrochemical method has a high sensitivity and fast detection. The present study aimed to identify an electrochemical sensor with high sensitivity, fast detection and a wide linear range for the detection of UA. A glassy carbon electrode modified with graphene­molybdenum disulfide­Nafion (G­MoS2­Nafion) composites was prepared for use as the working electrode. The morphologies and elemental compositions of the G­MoS2 composites were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, elemental distribution spectrometry and X­ray diffraction, respectively. The electrochemical behaviors were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry and the amperometric i­t curve (i­t). The interference of glucose, ascorbic acid and dopamine, and the accuracy and precision of the electrochemical method were subsequently evaluated. The present study identified the following: (1) Only the reduction peak of UA was detected in human serum, indicating that the method established in the present study has a high specificity for the determination of UA in human serum; (2) UA concentration has a linear correlation with current intensity (y=0.012x+0.998; R2=0.998), wide linear range and high sensitivity (minimum detectability=13.91 µM; signal­to­noise ratio=3); (3) the values of UA content in human serum were positively proportional to the clinical results (y=0.9802x+11.494; R2=0.978); (4) the average recovery rate of UA (95.28%) and the replicability assay of the i­t electrochemical method (coefficient of variation=2.04%), suggest that the method had a high accuracy and good precision for UA detection. Due to its characteristics of good accuracy, high sensitivity, wide linear range, good anti­interference ability and replicability, G­MoS2­Nafion has good prospects for UA detection in the clinical setting.

Increased circulating Th22 cells in patients with acute gouty arthritis: A CONSORT-compliant article.

BACKGROUND: T-helper 22 (Th22) cells are involved in host immunity against pathogen invasion and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases. However, the roles of Th22 cells in acute gouty arthritis remain unclear. METHODS: A case-control study was employed to illustrate the clinical significance of Th22 cells in acute gouty arthritis. In this study, 27 patients with acute gouty arthritis, 22 patients with intercritical gout (IG), and 20 healthy controls were recruited, and peripheral blood cells and plasma were collected for the detection of Th22, Th17, and Th1 cells, and plasma interleukin (IL)-22. RESULTS: The relative and absolute numbers of Th22 and Th17 cells were significantly higher in patients with acute gouty arthritis than in patients with IG and healthy controls. Plasma IL-22 levels were consistently higher in patients with acute gouty arthritis than in patients with IG and healthy controls (P < .05). Th22 cell numbers were positively correlated with Th1 (r = 0.648, P < .05) and Th17 (r = 0.379, P < .05) cell numbers in patients with gout. Moreover, Th22 cell numbers and plasma IL-22 levels were positively correlated with C-reactive protein levels (Th22: r = 0.444, P < .05; IL-22: r = 0.282, P < .05). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that peripheral blood levels of Th22 cells increase during acute gouty arthritis suggesting a role for these cells in the pathophysiology of the disease.

Diagnostic value of urinary-to-serum human epididymis protein 4 ratio in ovarian cancer.

Human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) is one of the best-known tumor markers for ovarian cancer (OC). Emerging evidence indicates that the evaluation of serum HE4 (S-HE4) levels may be problematic when patients have chronic kidney disease (CKD). Assaying urine for HE4 levels is non-invasive alternative for the diagnosis of OC. However, whether the combined detection of S- and urinary HE4 (U-HE4) levels distinguishes OC from CKD remains unknown. To investigate this issue, the present study recruited 31 female patients with OC, 38 female patients with CKD, and 36 healthy control (HC) females. Serum and urine samples were preoperatively collected for HE4 level detection. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to assess the diagnostic performance of S-HE4 level, U-HE4 level and the ratio of urinary-to-serum HE4 level (R-HE4). Data from the current study indicated that serum HE4 levels in the OC and CKD groups were significantly higher than that in the HC group. The U-HE4 level in the OC group was significantly higher than that in the CKD and HC groups. The highest R-HE4 was observed in the HC group, followed by the OC group, and the lowest R-HE4 was observed in the CKD group. ROC analysis demonstrated that the R-HE4 was useful in differentiating OC from CKD and HC. Based on the diagnostic interval of optimal cut-off values from 36.85 to 96.15, the sensitivity and specificity of R-HE4 in differentiating OC patients from non-OC patients were 82.6 and 85.4%, respectively. Thus, the combined detection of S- and U-HE4 levels facilitates the diagnosis of OC, and R-HE4 is an effective marker for differentiating OC from CKD.

Oxidized low density lipoprotein and inflammation in gout patients.

To analyze the levels of oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and inflammatory cytokines in the plasma of gout patients. The levels of ox-LDL, hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-1ß, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured in the plasma of 41 gout patients [28 in acute phase episode, 13 in intermittent phase (IP)], and in 40 healthy controls. The relationship between ox-LDL and inflammation was also explored by measuring the levels of several pro-inflammatory cytokines in the plasma. The plasma levels of ox-LDL, hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly increased in patients with gout in the acute phase compared to those in the IP group and healthy controls (P < 0.05), but the levels of TGF-ß were significantly lower in the acute phase group than in the IP group and healthy controls (P < 0.01). The levels of ox-LDL in the gout patients in the IP were significantly higher than those in healthy controls (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis indicated that the levels of ox-LDL were positively correlated with hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α (r = 0.343, r = 0.386, r = 0.659, P < 0.01, respectively), but negatively correlated with TGF-ß levels in patients in the acute phase (r = -0.240, P < 0.05). The levels of ox-LDL in gout patients were significantly higher than those in healthy controls. The changes in ox-LDL levels may be associated with enhanced inflammation in gout patients.

[Oxidative mechanism of uric acid induced CRP expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the oxidative mechanism of uric acid (UA) induced CRP expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. METHODS: Different concentrations of UA (0 mg/dL, 4 mg/dL, 8 mg/dL, 12 mg/dL, 16 mg/dl) were incubated 12 h with HUVECs, and HUVECs were stimulated with 12 mg/dl. UA for different times (6 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h). CRP mRNA and protein expression were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blot, respectively; the effects of uric acid on the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in HUVECs were measured by fluorescence microscope and flow cytometric analysis using a 2', 7'-Dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCF-DA) fluorescence probe. The effects of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) on UA-induced levels of ROS, mRNA and protein of CRP in HUVECs were also observed. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that UA could significantly increase the mRNA and protein expression of CRP in HUVECs in time- and concentration-dependent manners. HUVECs were stimulated with 12 mg/dL UA at 6 h, mRNA and protein levels of CRP significantly higher than that of control level (P<0.05), reached a peak at 12 h (P<0. 01). NAC reduced UA-induced levels of ROS, mRNA and protein of CRP in HUVECs compared with those of 12 mg/dL UA induced group(P<0. 05). CONCLUSION: Uric acid significantly increased mRNA and protein expression of CRP in HUVECs in time- and concentration-dependent manners. Its mechanism may be associated with uric acid induced increasing of ROS levels in endothelial cells, which suggested that the uric acid mediated oxidative stress and inflammation may be involved in the injury of endothelial cells.

ΔNp63 promotes UM­UC­3 cell invasiveness and migration through claudin­1 in vitro.

The p63 gene, a member of the p53 gene family, has two different promoter usage­generating proteins that contain or lack (ΔN) an NH2­terminus. Although p53 and p63 have high sequence and structural similarities, the molecules differ in function and expression profiles. p63 is critical for the development of epithelial organs or tissues, including the epidermis and other squamous epithelia, as well as the salivary, lachrymal, mammary and prostate glands and the urothelium. In addition, p63 is essential for the proliferative potential of stem cells in the epidermis. In contrast to p53, the role of ΔNp63 in tumors remains unclear and complex. Our previous study demonstrated that ΔNp63 is overexpressed in human bladder carcinoma tissues. The mechanism by which ΔNp63 promotes tumor cell development, including adhesion, proliferation and polarity, is unknown. Data demonstrate that ΔNp63 induces the invasiveness of cancer cells through specific downstream genes and the mechanism is associated with cell junctions. Claudin­1 is an important p63 target gene for normal skin development. Claudin­1, as a connexin, functions in a similar manner to other connexins to affect important events during cancer cell development. In the present study, ΔNp63 gene expression in bladder tumor tissues was found to be significantly higher than that in normal tissue, indicating that ΔNp63 is localized to the nucleus. In addition, ΔNp63 silencing decreased invasion and metastasis in UM­UC­3 cells and reduced claudin­1 expression.

Plasma paraoxonase-1, oxidized low-density lipoprotein and lipid peroxidation levels in gout patients.

Gout patients have a high incidence of atherosclerotic coronary heart disease. Low serum paraoxonase (PON) activity is considered a risk factor for atherosclerosis. The relationships among paraoxonase-1 (PON1) activity, oxidative stress parameters, and atherosclerosis in gout is not known. Therefore, we determined the plasma levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), oxidized low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL), and activities of PON1/superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in 49 gout patients (mean age 44.2 ± 7.0 years) and 42 healthy, age-matched controls (mean age 45.0 ± 9.3 years). PON1 was measured spectrophotometrically, MDA by thiobarbituric acid method, SOD by Griess reaction, and Ox-LDL by sandwich ELISA. Lipid and other biochemical parameters were determined by routine laboratory methods. In gout patients, PON1/SOD activities and MDA/Ox-LDL levels were 131.3 ± 25.3/75.3 ± 28.9 kU l(-1) and 6.12 ± 1.67 nmol ml(-1)/690.1 ± 180.2 µg l(-1), respectively. In controls, these were 172.5 ± 27.8/94.0 ± 26.3 kU l(-1) and 4.10 ± 1.25 nmol ml(-1)/452.3 ± 152.1 µg l(-1), respectively. Thus, in gout patients, there was a significant decrease in PON1 (P < 0.01) and SOD (P < 0.05) activities, and an increase in MDA (P < 0.01) and Ox-LDL (P < 0.01) levels compared with controls. PON1 activity correlated positively with SOD (P < 0.05), and negatively with MDA (P < 0.01) and Ox-LDL (P < 0.01). These results suggest that gout patients were in a state of oxidative stress and the protective effects of HDL against atherosclerosis maybe dependent on PON1 activity. These findings may explain in part the reported increase in cardiovascular mortality in gout patients.