Poincaré Plot of Fingertip Photoplethysmogram Pulse Amplitude Suitable to Assess Diabetes Status

Multiscale entropy (MSE), an estimate of the complexity of physiological signals has been used for assessing diabetes status. This method requires much computation effort. Our study aimed to examine the Poincaré plot, an easier method for computation to differentiate the diabetes status. We selected subjects and divided them into three groups including the non- diabetes (HbA1c ≤ 6.5%, n=22), diabetes with good control (6.5% < HbA1c < 8%, n=23), and diabetes with poor control (HbA1c ≥ 8%, n=17). Poincaré method used consecutive 250 data points of PPG pulse amplitudes from each subject’s right index fingertip. This method resulted in SSR, the standard deviation of the original photoplethysmogram (PPG) pulse amplitude (SD1) and the standard deviation of the interval 1 PPG pulse amplitude (SD2) ratio. The SSR in the three groups of non-diabetes, diabetes with good control and diabetes with poor control were 0.50, 0.28, and 0.23, respectively and differed between groups (P < 0.05).  Our findings suggested that the Poincaré plot of right-hand PPG pulse amplitude may be convenient to evaluate diabetes status

Electrocardiographic and cardiometabolic risk markers of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in physically active adults: CHIEF heart study

AimThis study was aimed to investigate the association of cardiometabolic and ECG markers with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in physically active Asian young adults, which has not been clarified in prior studies.Methods and resultsA total of 2,019 men aged 18–43 years were included from the military in Taiwan. All the subjects underwent anthropometric, hemodynamic, and blood metabolic marker measurements. Physical fitness was investigated by time for a 3,000-m run. LVDD was defined by presence of either one of the three echocardiographic criteria: (1) mitral inflow E/A ratio < 0.8 with a peak E velocity of > 50 cm/s, (2) tissue Doppler lateral mitral annulus e′ <10 cm/s, and (3) E/e′ ratio > 14. Multiple logistic regressions with adjustments for age, physical fitness, and pulse rate were conducted to determine the association of cardiometabolic and ECG markers with LVDD. The prevalence of LVDD was estimated to be 4.16% (N = 84). Of the cardiometabolic markers, central obesity, defined as waist circumference ≥ 90 cm, was the only independent marker of LVDD [odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval: 2.97 (1.63–5.41)]. There were no association for hypertension, prediabetes, and dyslipidemia. Of the ECG markers, left atrial enlargement and incomplete right bundle branch block/intraventricular conduction delay were the independent ECG markers of LVDD [OR: 2.98 (1.28–6.94) and 1.94 (1.09–3.47), respectively]. There was borderline association for Cornell-based left ventricular hypertrophy and inferior T wave inversion [OR: 1.94 (0.97–3.63) and 2.44 (0.98–6.08), respectively].ConclusionIn the physically active Asian young male adults, central obesity and some ECG markers for left heart abnormalities were useful to identify LVDD

Measurements of Serum Pituitary-Gonadal Hormones and Investigation of Sexual and Reproductive Functions in Kidney Transplant Recipients

Objective. To investigate changes in serum pituitary-gonadal hormones and restoration of sexual and reproductive functions after successful kidney transplantation. Patients and Methods. Serum pituitary-gonadal hormones before and after kidney transplantation were measured in 78 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and in 30 healthy adults. Pre- and postoperative semen specimens of 46 male recipients and 15 male controls were collected and compared. Additional 100 married kidney transplant recipients without children were followed up for 3 years to observe their sexual function and fertility. Results. Serum PRL, LH, and T or E2 levels gradually restored to the normal ranges in all kidney transplant recipients, and sperm density, motility, viability, and morphology significantly improved in the male recipients 4 months after successful kidney transplantation (P < .05). Thirty-three male recipients (55.93%) reobtained normal erectile function, and 49 kidney transplant recipients (61.25%) had children within the 3-year follow-up period. Conclusion. Successful kidney transplantation could effectively improve pituitary-gonadal hormone disturbance and sexual and reproductive dysfunctions of ESRD patients

(2R,3R)-N-(4-Chloro­phen­yl)-2,3-dihydr­oxy-N′-(5-phenyl-1,3,4-thia­diazol-2-yl)succinamide

In the structure of the title compound, C18H15ClN4O4S, the dihedral angle between the two benzene rings is 1.4 (3)°. The angle between the phenyl ring and thia­diazole ring is 5.8 (4)°. The conformations of the N—H and C=O bonds are anti with respect to each other. In the crystal structure, mol­ecules are linked by inter­molecular O—H⋯N, N—H⋯O and O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional network