AimsTo investigate the relationship between hyperuricemia (HUA) and the clinical backgrounds in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.MethodsAfter a cross-sectional study evaluating the association of HUA with the clinical characteristics in 1,213 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and the incidence of diabetic macroangiopathies was investigated in a prospective observational study in 1,073 patients during a 3.5 year period. HUA was defined by serum uric acid levels >327 μmol/L or as patients using allopurinol.ResultsThe frequency of HUA was significantly higher in the diabetic patients (32% in men and 15% in women) than in the normal controls (14% in men and 1% in women). In total, HUA was found in 299 (25%) of the patients during the cross-sectional study. Even after adjusting for sex, drinking status, treatment for diabetes mellitus, body mass index, hypertension, use of diuretics, hyperlipidemia, HbA1c and/or the eGFR, the HUA was independently associated with some diabetic complications. The eGFR was significantly reduced in HUA patients compared to those with normouricemia in the 12 months after observation was started. HUA was also an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease even after adjustment in the Cox proportional hazard model.ConclusionsHUA is a associated with diabetic micro- and macroangiopathies. HUA is a predictor of coronary heart disease and renal dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, the influence of HUA is considered to be limited.

BackgroundTo study the relationship between the intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery and the stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD) based on the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and diabetic nephropathy graded by the urinary albumin excretion (UAE) in the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.MethodsA cross-sectional study was performed in 338 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The carotid IMT was measured using an ultrasonographic examination.ResultsThe mean carotid IMT was 1.06 ± 0.27 mm, and 42% of the subjects showed IMT thickening (≥ 1.1 mm). Cerebrovascular disease and coronary heart disease were frequent in the patients with IMT thickening. The carotid IMT elevated significantly with the stage progression of CKD (0.87 ± 0.19 mm in stage 1, 1.02 ± 0.26 mm in stage 2, 1.11 ± 0.26 mm in stage 3, and 1.11 ± 0.27 mm in stage 4+5). However, the IMT was not significantly different among the various stages of diabetic nephropathy. The IMT was significantly greater in the diabetic patients with hypertension compared to those without hypertension. The IMT positively correlated with the age, the duration of diabetes mellitus, and the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocities (baPWV), and negatively correlated with the eGFR. In a stepwise multivariate regression analysis, the eGFR and the baPWV were independently associated with the carotid IMT.ConclusionsOur study is the first report showing a relationship between the carotid IMT and the renal parameters including eGFR and the stages of diabetic nephropathy with a confirmed association between the IMT and diabetic macroangiopathy. Our study further confirms the importance of intensive examinations for the early detection of atherosclerosis and positive treatments for hypertension, dyslipidaemia, obesity, as well as hyperglycaemia are necessary when a reduced eGFR is found in diabetic patients.

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Abstract— The decay time course of intermediate M of bacteriorhodopsin was investigated by flash spectrophotometry. The decay was composed of two exponentials showing the existence of two forms of intermediate absorbing around 410 nm. The two were very different in kinetic character whereas the absorption spectra were almost the same. The relative yield of the two components was a function of the intensity of the exciting flash and the slower component disappeared when the flash intensity was made very small. A model based on the trimeric cluster structure of bacteriorhodopsin is proposed.

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Abstract— Suspensions of purple membranes were exposed to reversing rectangular pulses of relatively low electric field (less than 100V/cm) at various frequencies. Orientation of the membranes was estimated by measuring linear dichroism at 565nm. In the electric field of frequency lower than about 10Hz the purple membranes tended to align perpendicular to the electric field. This orientation was induced mostly by permanent dipole which was perpendicular to the membrane surface. The value of permanent dipole moment was determined to be 140D per protein at pH 7.0, 25°C, in the presence of 5mM phosphate buffer. In an electric field of frequency more than 100Hz the membrane tended to align parallel to the electric field. Electric polarizability parallel to the membrane surface was estimated to be 1 ± 10−12 cm3 under the same conditions. Electric dichroism of light‐adapted and dark‐adapted purple membranes was found to coincide with each other at high frequency. From this result the angle of retinal to the membrane surface was concluded to be the same between light‐adapted and dark‐adapted bacteriorhodopsins.

BackgroundWe aimed to investigate the long-term effect of metformin on the blood glucose control in non-obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.MethodsA retrospective study was performed in 213 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus under the administration of metformin for more than one year. The clinical parameters were investigated for 3 years. The obese and non-obese individuals were defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m2 or over (n = 105) and a BMI of less than 25 kg/m2 (n = 108), respectively.ResultsHbA1c levels were significantly decreased compared with those at the baseline time. The course of HbA1c was similar between the non-obese and the obese groups, while the dose of metformin required to control blood glucose was significantly lower in the non-obese group than in the obese group. The reductions in HbA1c were 1.2% and 1.1% at 12 months, 0.9% and 0.9% at 24 months, and 0.8% and 1.0% at 36 months in the non-obese and obese groups, respectively. BMI did not change during the observation periods. Approximately half of all patients required no additional antidiabetic agents or a reduction in other treatments after the initiation of metformin in either of the two groups.ConclusionsThe present study demonstrated the long-term beneficial effect of metformin in non-obese (BMI < 25 kg/m2) diabetic patients. This effect appears to be maintained even after the observation period of this study, because metformin was limited to a relatively low dose in the non-obese group and the observed worsening in glycemic control over time can probably be attenuated by increasing the dose of metformin.