Novel Insight into the Relationship Between Muscle-Fat and Bone in Type 2 Diabetes Ranging from Normal Weight to Obesity.

Objective: Decreased bone mineral density (BMD) is a common complication in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Body weight, mainly consisting of muscle and fat, is the main determinant of BMD and fracture risks but does not accurately describe nutritional status. Most studies suggest that skeletal muscle mass (SMM) promotes BMD, while body fat mass (BFM) decreases BMD. However, the combined effect of SMM and BFM on BMD is elusive. Thus, the study aims to explore the combined effect of fat and muscle by the ratio index SMM/BFM on BMD in T2DM. Methods: BFM and SMM were measured by the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method among 593 T2DM individuals ranging from normal weight and obesity. BMD was analyzed by DXA. Novel non-linear generalized additive models (GAMs) were used as the statistical analysis method. Results: The results demonstrated that BMD T score/Z score of both femur and lumbar vertebrae were significantly higher and waist-hip ratio (WHR) was significantly lower in the high SMM/BFM group of both normal weight and overweight groups in T2DM individuals. Hence, SMM/BFM might be a good factor indicating BMD in different weight ranges. Additionally, the relationship between muscle fat and BMD was not linear. Notably, this correlation was not influenced by hyperglycemia in T2DM since different analytic models adjusted with the age, gender, BMI and HbA1c were adopted in this study. Furthermore, the impact of trunk fat (central, visceral fat most) and non-trunk fat (peripheral, the sum of subcutaneous limb fat most) on BMD was inconsistent. BMD presented unlimited reduction with trunk BFM increasing, while sustaining minimal diminishment with non-trunk BFM accumulation. Conclusion: Our study provided a novel viewpoint relationship between muscle-fat and bone, and SMM/BFM might be a potential biomarker for bone health and clinical treatments of diabetes and related metabolic syndromes.

Efficacy and Safety of Lactobacillus reuteri CCFM1040 in Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

The coexistence of allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma reinforces the concept of "one airway, one disease," which has prompted the exploration for a single intervention to treat both diseases. Lactobacillus reuteri CCFM1040 (CCFM1040) was found to be an inhibitor of the common pathogenesis of AR and asthma in our previous studies. This study presented a randomized, placebo-controlled trial to investigate the clinical effects of CCFM1040 on both diseases. The total symptom score (TSS), the quality of life (QoL), and the modulation in the gut microbiota of patients with AR, the Asthma Control and Test (ACT) of patients with asthma, and the safety of both AR and asthma were measured. In patients with AR, CCFM1040 numerically decreased TSS, Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ), 3 nasal scores in TSS (nasal congestion, watery eyes, and rhinorrhea), and sleep and significantly improved (P = 0.014) non-nose/eye symptoms. The ACT score was numerically increased in patients with asthma (from partially controlled to well-controlled). Significant microbial (from class level to genus level) and metabolic differences (P < 0.05) were found in patients with AR. No adverse reactions were observed. No effect on the blood and urine routine indexes. CCFM1040 has a potential benefit on both diseases. Further studies based on these findings will help to optimize the management of AR and asthma.

Efficacy of amiodarone and lidocaine for preventing ventricular fibrillation after aortic cross-clamp release in open heart surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: The relative preventative efficacy of amiodarone and lidocaine for ventricular fibrillation (VF) after release of an aortic cross-clamp (ACC) during open heart surgery has not been determined. This meta-analysis was designed to systematically evaluate the influence of amiodarone, lidocaine, or placebo on the incidence of VF after ACC. METHODS: Prospective randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the VF-preventative effects of amiodarone with lidocaine, or amiodarone or lidocaine with placebo were included. PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched for relevant RCTs. Fixed or randomized effect models were applied according to the heterogeneity of the data from the selected studies. RESULTS: We included eight RCTs in the analysis. Pooled results suggested that the preventative effects of amiodarone and lidocaine were comparable (relative risk (RR)=1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.70 to 1.80, P=0.63), but both were superior to the placebo (amiodarone, RR=0.71, 95% CI: 0.51 to 1.00, P=0.05; lidocaine, RR=0.63, 95% CI: 0.46 to 0.88, P=0.006). The percentage of patients requiring electric defibrillation counter shocks (DCSs) did not differ significantly among patients administered amiodarone (RR=0.21, 95% CI: 0.04 to 1.19, P=0.08), lidocaine (RR=2.44, 95% CI: 0.13 to 44.02, P=0.55), or the placebo (RR=0.56, 95% CI: 0.25 to 1.25, P=0.16). CONCLUSIONS: Amiodarone and lidocaine are comparably effective in preventing VF after ACC, but the percentage of patients who subsequently require DCSs does not differ among those administered amiodarone, lidocaine, or placebo.

[Extraction of agglutinin from Oncomelania hupensis and its haemagglutination activity].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the extraction methods of agglutinin from Oncomelania hupensis snail and study its haemagglutination activity. METHODS: Protein obtained by ammonium sulfate fractionation precipitation with 20%-100% saturation of ammonium sulfate. Its haemagglutination activity was determined by rabbit erythrocytes. The precipitation which could agglutinate rabbit erythrocytes was diluted with 2.5 mg/ml D-galactose, D-fructose, D-glucose, saccharose, maltose and lactose, respectively, and then their haemagglutination activity was tested. Snail agglutinin were incubated at different temperatures (25-90 degrees C) and assayed for agglutinating activity. The effect of pH on the haemagglutination activity was determined by using the PBS buffer at different pH values (3.0-10.0). RESULTS: Oncomelania snail agglutinin exhibited high haemagglutination activity in 20%-40% saturated ammonium sulfate pellet. Lactose and galactose could inhibit the haemagglutination activity of snail agglutinin. The agglutinin showed maximum activity at pH 7.0. In temperature range of 30-70 degrees C, the haemagglutination activity decreased with increasing temperature, and all activity lost beyond 80 degrees C. CONCLUSION: Galactose/lactose specific agglutinin exists in Oncomelania snail, its haemagglutination activity is affected by pH and temperature.

[Isolation and purification of Oncomelania hupensis agglutinin and determination of its molecular weight].

OBJECTIVE: To isolate and purify agglutinin from Oncomelania hupensis snail and determine its molecular weight. METHODS: Agglutinin was preliminarily isolated from snail tissue homogenate by 0%-40% saturated ammonium sulfate, and then successively purified with Sephadex G-75 gel filtration and Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography. Bradford assay was used to determine the protein content. The agglutination activity was determined by rabbit erythrocytes. The purity of agglutinin preparations was assessed by SDS-PAGE. The molecular weight of agglutinin subunit was determined by Sephadex G-75 gel filtration. RESULTS: The specific activity of snail tissue homogenate was 21.74 titer/mg. After ammonium sulfate precipitation, Sephadex G-75 gel filtration and Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography, the specific activity of snail agglutinin from the homogenate solution increased to 61.93 titer/mg, 75.89 titer/mg and 963.86 titer/mg, respectively. SDS-PAGE analysis indicated that snail agglutinin (M, 53,000) was purified by Sephadex G-75 gel filtration and Sepharose 4B chromatography. The molecular weight of the snail agglutinin produced by Sephadex G-75 gel filtration was Mr 78,000. CONCLUSION: Combined use of salt fractionation, gel filtration and affinity chromatography can be efficient for extraction and purification of agglutinin from Oncomelania hupensis species. The snail agglutinin is characterized as mono subunit protein with a molecular weight of Mr 78,000.