Using ROC curve analysis, it was shown that median CSA could successfully distinguish patients with peripheral neuropathy from patients without in HTN + DM group [AUC (95% CI) 0.71 (0.54-0.89)] and in DM group [AUC (95% CI) 0.86 (0.72-0.99)].

Hypertensive patients with and without diabetes have significantly higher median nerve CSA when compared with controls.

Hypertensive patients with and without diabetes have significantly higher median nerve CSA when compared with controls.

Elevated serum ferritin has been found to be closely related to type 2 diabetes mellitus. This study aimed to explore the relationship of high serum ferritin to metabolism and chronic complications in type 2 diabetes.

This was a cross-sectional study. A total of 330 type 2 diabetes patients who visited an endocrine clinic were included for the analysis. Serum ferritin and metabolic parameters were recorded. The prevalence of chronic diabetic complications was evaluated. Based on serum ferritin, participants were divided into hyperferritinemia and normal-ferritin groups. Metabolic parameters and prevalence of chronic diabetic complications were compared. The relationship between hyperferritinemia and chronic diabetic complications was explored with multivariate logistic regression models. Data were statistically analyzed by sex.

Compared with the normal-ferritin group, the hyperferritinemia group showed higher levels of the serum inflammatory marker CRP and higher prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) d with dyslipidemia, hepatic dysfunction, and microalbuminuria.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index, a surrogate marker of insulin resistance (IR) with a high sensitivity of 96.5% and a specificity of 85.0% for the diagnosis of IR, with computed tomography (CT) features in patients with tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus.

A total of 247 subjects were enrolled from July, 2020 to May, 2021. The basic clinical features and CT features were analyzed. In addition, multivariate logistic regression analysis models were employed to evaluate the association of the TyG indicator with CT features in participants.

In the quartile groups of TyG index, air bronchial sign detection rate was 11.7%, 14.5%, 23.2%, and 44.1%; large segmented leafy shadow detection rate was 27.9%, 40.6%, 46.4%, and 66.2%; thick-walled cavity was found in 38.2%, 43.4%, 57.9%, and 69.1%; the rate of multiple cavities was 17.6%, 27.5%, 36.2%, 52.9%; the rate of lymph node enlargement was 22.1%, 17.4%, 28.9%, and 38.2%, respectively. In addition, the positive relation with the TyG index and the prevalence of abnormal CT signs was observed in the fully adjusted model TyG, per one-unit increase air bronchial sign adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 3.92, 95% CI 1-15.35, P = 0.049; multiple cavities AOR 4.1, 95% CI 1.26-13.31, P = 0.019; thick-walled cavity AOR 2.89, 95% CI 1.05-8.03, P = 0.041. In quartile of TyG index, compared with patients in quartile 1, the AOR (95% CI) values for air bronchial sign in quartile 4 was 8.1 (1.7-44), p = 0.011; multiple cavities was 7.1 (1.7-32), p = 0.008; thick-walled cavity was 7.8 (1.9-34.7), p = 0.005.

The present study showed that an increased TyG index was positively related to the severity of patients with T2DM-PTB.

The present study showed that an increased TyG index was positively related to the severity of patients with T2DM-PTB.

is an opportunistic bacteria that have been recognized as significant pathogens in patients with underlying diseases or immunocompromised status. The aim of this study was to identify extended-spectrum β-lactamases in clinical isolates of

This cross-sectional study was conducted at Hospital Central „Dr. Ignacio Morones Prieto” in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Nineteen isolates of

were obtained from clinical specimens between April to December 2015. Four isolates were resistant to third-generation cephalosporins. The presence of genes encoding ESBL (

,

,

,

, and

) was analyzed by PCR. For this purpose, plasmid DNA was extracted and horizontally transferred to recipient

Top 10.

and

genes were detected in

and

, whereas

gene was identified in 1 isolate of

In contrast,

gene was not detected in any isolate. One strain carried

,

,

, and

genes, most in a 275-kb plasmid.

This study shows the presence of different types of ESBL in clinical isolates of

and

, which confer resistance to broad-spectrum β-lactams. The plasmid identified in this study harboring ESBL genes could play an important role in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance.

This study shows the presence of different types of ESBL in clinical isolates of Citrobacter freundii and Citrobacter sedlakii, which confer resistance to broad-spectrum β-lactams. The plasmid identified in this study harboring ESBL genes could play an important role in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance.

This study aimed to translate the Post-stroke Checklist into Mandarin, validate its content, and cross-culturally adapt the Mandarin version of the Post-stroke Checklist (M-PSC) in line with expert review and cognitive interviewing.

After translating into Mandarin, the M-PSC was modified and content validated using expert review, which resulted in a pilot version for cognitive interviewing among stroke survivors inclusive of subjects from an outpatient unit (n = 7), a rehabilitation department using traditional Chinese medicine (n = 10), and a community (n = 10). The interviews were transcribed and analyzed according to the four-stage cognitive model. A set of nine practice rounds where the number of rounds of iteration was determined based on the saturation of information was conducted. Data analysis was performed concurrently with data collection. Recommendations for changes to the M-PSC were made based on the analyses in the iteration.

We successfully developed an initial M-PSC, back-translated it into English, reviewed the discrepancies and performed a three-step expert review to modify the M-PSC and validate its excellent content. Twenty-seven interviews were carried out, and a wide range of sources of error primarily related to the comprehension, retrieval of information, and judgment was reported, and each item of the M-PSC was rectified accordingly.

The Post-stroke Checklist was translated into Mandarin and cross-culturally adapted based on expert review and cognitive interviewing. Adaptations were made to support that the Mandarin version can be implemented in clinical practice for long-term post-stroke care.

The Post-stroke Checklist was translated into Mandarin and cross-culturally adapted based on expert review and cognitive interviewing. Adaptations were made to support that the Mandarin version can be implemented in clinical practice for long-term post-stroke care.

(-)-Gossypol (AT-101), the (-)-enantiomer of the natural compound gossypol, has shown significant inhibitory effects on various types of cancers such as osteosarcoma, myeloma, glioma, lung cancer, and prostate cancer. However, the clinical application of (-)-gossypol was often hindered by its evident side effects and the low bioavailability via oral administration, which necessitated the development of suitable (-)-gossypol preparations to settle the problems. In this study, injectable cyclic RGD (cRGD)-decorated liposome (cRGD-LP) was prepared for tumor-targeted delivery of (-)-gossypol.

The cRGD-LP was prepared based on cRGD-modified lipids. For comparison, a non-cRGD-containing liposome (LP) with a similar chemical composition to cRGD-LP was specially designed. The physicochemical properties of (-)-gossypol-loaded cRGD-LP (Gos/cRGD-LP) were investigated in terms of the drug loading efficiency, particle size, morphology, drug release, and so on. The inhibitory effect of Gos/cRGD-LP on the proliferation rporation of cRGD could significantly enhance the tumor-targeting effect of the liposomes and improve the antitumor effect of the liposomal (-)-gossypol in vivo, which indicated the potential of Gos/cRGD-LP that warrants further investigation for clinical applications of this single-isomer drug.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are associated with polycythemia. However, there still remain unanswered questions about the relationship between overlap syndrome (OVS), where OSA and COPD coexist, and polycythemia. Here, we aimed to establish the prevalence of polycythemia in OVS patients and to explore the impact of OSA on polycythemia.

Patients with COPD underwent overnight polysomnography (PSG), pulmonary function tests, echocardiography, and complete blood counts. All patients were ethnic Han Chinese and free of prolonged oral corticosteroid use, hematological system disease, severe systemic disease, and other sleep-disordered breathing. OVS was defined as COPD patients with an apnea-hypopnea index ≥15 events/h, and polycythemia was defined as an Hb >165 g/L in men and >160 g/L in women.

Eight-hundred and eighty-six patients with COPD were included in the analysis. The prevalence of polycythemia was significantly higher in OVS patients than COPD-alone patients (6.4% vs 2.9%,

< 0.05). The prevalence of polycythemia increased with OSA severity (

= 7.885,

= 0.007), but not in GOLD grade 3-4 COPD patients (

= 0.190,

= 0.663). After adjusting for confounders, percentage of total sleep time with SaO

<90% (TS

) remained independently associated with an increased odds of polycythemia (OR 1.030, 95% CI 1.015-1.046) and, with an increase in TS

, the hemoglobin increased, especially in GOLD grade 1-2 patients (

< 0.05).

Patients with OVS have a higher prevalence of polycythemia than those with COPD alone, and TS

is an independent factor for polycythemia, especially in GOLD1-2 COPD patients.

Patients with OVS have a higher prevalence of polycythemia than those with COPD alone, and TS90 is an independent factor for polycythemia, especially in GOLD1-2 COPD patients.Although pharmacological treatment of COPD is codified in different guidelines and strategy documents, there is abundant evidence of discrepancy between what they suggest and what health professionals prescribe, especially in low-risk groups where there is widespread overprescription of triple therapy. It is therefore necessary to clarify when the use of triple therapy is indicated in COPD patients and when it is preferable to maintain treatment with dual bronchodilation. In this article, we discuss our views based on our experience and what is reported in the literature and try to give answers to these two questions. The evidence generated by pivotal RCTs supports the use of triple therapy in patients who present for the first time and have severe airway obstruction, are symptomatic, have had frequent moderate or severe exacerbations in the previous year, and have peripheral eosinophilia. However, it is difficult to determine whether step-up is useful in all other cases because the available data are quite conflicting. It is likely that the inconsistency in the information generated by the various available studies may explain the prescribing behaviour of many physicians who do not adhere to recommendations of guidelines and strategies. However, it is necessary to establish whether and when the addition of an ICS to the LAMA/LABA combination is effective, to determine whether triple therapy can induce an additional clinical benefit over dual bronchodilation, irrespective of a preventive effect on COPD exacerbations, to establish its value, and to examine whether cost differences can support the use of triple therapy over combined LAMA/LABA therapy in real life.