Objective To investigate the impact of renal function and insulin resistance on serum total homocysteine(tHcy) levels in aged diabetic patients with nephropathy. Methods Serum tHcy, blood glucose, lipids, renal function, serum insulin were measured for 98 elderly patients with type 2 diabetes and 36 normal control subjects. Results (1) Serum tHcy levels were significantly higher in diabetic group than in control group [(17.2?7.6) ?mol/L vs (9.4?3.5)?mol/L,P

Objective To evaluate the right ventricular (RV) function in patients with acute inferior wall myocardial infarction ( AIMI ) with tissue Doppler imaging and M-mode echocardiography. Methods There were 50 cases of AIMI, 34 males and 16 females. And 50 healthy persons were as control group, 30 males and 20 males. From the echocardiographic apical 4- chamber views, the systolic, early and late diastolic motion (SD, DED, DAD) of the tricuspid annulus were recorded at the RV free wall with the use of two-dimentional guided M-mode recordings. Peak systolic, early and late diastolic velocities (Sm, Em, Am) of the tricuspid annulus were also recorded at the same site by tissue Doppler imaging. The ratios of DAD/DAD and Em/Am were calculated. Results SD, DED, Sm and Em of the tricuspid annulus at the RV free wall, as well as the ratios of DED/DAD and Em/Am, were reduced significantly in patients with AIMI as compared with health control [SD: (18.7±5.5) mmvs. (24.9±2.8) mm; DED: (10.9±3.4) mmvs. (16.6±3.4) mm;Sm: (12.9±2.8) cm/s vs. (15.9±2.7) cm/s; Em: (12.3±3.4) cm/s vs. (16.7±4.7) cm/s;DED/DAD: (1.5±0.6) vs. (2.3±0.9); Em/Am: (0.9±0.4) vs. (1.1±0.3); t=18.711,19. 055, 11. 851, 14. 781, 6.068, 2. 127; P＜0. 01 or 0. 05, respectively]. There were no statistically significant differences in DAD and Am between two groups [DAD: (8. 8±1.9) mm vs. (7.7±2.1)mm; Am: (17.5±4.8) cm/s vs. (16.6±5.2) cm/s; t=0.414, 0.649; both P＞0.05].Conclusions The systolic and diastolic functions of RV are impaired in patients with AIMI.

Objective: The content of hesperidin in Jinshuiliujun Decoction (JSLJD) was determined by RP HPLC. Methods: The chromatographic column was Hyperisl BDS C 8(10?). The mobile phase was acetonitrile water containing 8% acetic acid (17∶83). The flow rate was 1.0 mL/min. The column temperature was 40 ?C and the detection wavelength was 284nm. The external standard and peak area method were used to determine hesperidin content. Results: There was a very good linear relationship between hesperidin and peak area when the sample injection was from 0.02 to 2.00?g. The average recovery of adding sample was 100.5% and RSD was 1.85%. Conclusions: This method is simple and believable. It can be effectively used for the quality control of JSLJD.

To understand the possibility of schistosomiasis transmission on the East Route Project of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, a survey of endemic status of schistosomiasis in Weishan Lake area was conducted. A cluster sampling of 2086 boatmen were screened with DDIA Kit, and the positive ones were examined with Kato-Katz technique. Meanwhile, a questionnaire survey about schistosomiasis control was carried out to collect the data about the boatmen's general information and knowledge , attitude and practice (KAP). The results showed there were no schistosomiasis patients. However, there exist potential risk factors for schistosomiasis transmission because of the bad hygiene habits and the poor knowledge of schistosomiasis prevention in boatmen.

Objective: To explore the imaging characteristics and related influencing factors of in-stent neoatherosclerosis (ISNA) in patients with restenosis after drug-eluting stent(DES) implantation with optical coherence tomography(OCT). Methods: A total of 25 cases of coronary heart disease patients(DES placement time ≥8 months) with coronary artery angiography showing DES in-stent restenosis (ISR) in Zunyi medical college affiliated hospital from July 2013 to December 2015 were included in this study and patient's data were retrospectively analyzed.In these patients with ISR, OCT images were acquired before percutaneous coronary intervention. Patients were divided into the ISNA group (12 patients and 12 lesions) and non-ISNA group(13 patients and 13 lesions) according to the result of OCT. ISNA on OCT was defined as neointima formation with the presence of lipids or calcification. Results: (1) The incidence of chronic kidney disease and increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level in ISNA group were significant higher than that in non-ISNA group(all P<0.05). The stent implantation time in ISNA group was longer than that in the non-ISNA group(53.0(14.0, 81.0) months vs. 15.0(8.5, 32.5) months, P<0.01). In addition, clinical manifestation of acute coronary syndrome was present in 8 out of 12 patientsin ISNA group, and stable angina pectoris was found in 10 out of 13 casesin non-ISNA group(P<0.01). (2) Quantitative analysis of OCT showed that the lumen area was less in ISNA group than in non-ISNA group((3.45±1.82)mm² vs. (4.17±1.68)mm², P<0.01), and neointimal area(3.89(2.26, 5.52)mm² vs. 2.96(1.99, 4.22)mm², P<0.01), neointimal load (53.15(40.18, 67.30)% vs. 41.54(32.08, 56.91)%, P<0.01), neointimal thickness(0.98(0.63, 1.36)μm vs. 0.72(0.51, 1.03)μm, P<0.01) were higher in ISNA group than in non-ISNA group.(3)Qualitative analysis of OCT showed that the prevalence of homogeneous intima was less in the ISNA group than in the non-ISNA group ((41.42±22.56)% vs.(72.06±18.68)%, P<0.05), on the contrary, the heterogeneous intima was more common in the ISNA group ((58.57±22.56)% vs. (27.94±18.68)%, P<0.05). There was no significant difference between two groups in the peri-stentmicrovessels (9/12 vs. 5/13,P>0.05), and prevalence of intraintimalmicrovessels was higher in the ISNA group than in non-ISNA group (7/12 vs. 2/13, P<0.05). In addition, thin cap fibrous plaque(7/12 vs. 0, P<0.01), disrupted intima with visible cavity (7/12 vs. 1/13, P<0.05),andintraluminal red thrombus(7/12 vs. 1/13, P<0.05) were significantly higher in ISNA group than in non-ISNA group. Conclusions Results of OCT show that ISNA occurs frequently in patients with ISR after DES implantation. The stent implantation time, incidence of chronic kidney disease and higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level are associated with the formation of ISNA in these patients.

Objective:To investigate the role and underlying mechanisms of methyltransferase (Mettl) 3 in the process of angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ)-induced pericyte-to-myofibroblast transdifferentiation and renal fibrosis.Methods:C57BL/6J mice were used, in cell experiments, mouse renal pericytes were isolated and cultured using magnetic bead sorting. These pericytes were then induced to transdifferentiate into myofibroblasts with 1×10 6 mmol/L Ang Ⅱ, which was the Ang Ⅱ group, while pericytes cultured in normal conditions served as the control group. Successful transdifferentiation was verified by immunofluorescence staining, Western blotting, and real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) for α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). The levels of m6A modifications and related enzymes (Mettl3, Mettl14), Wilms tumor 1-associated protein (WTAP), fat mass and obesity protein (FTO), ALKBH5, YTHDF1, YTHDF2, YTHDC1, YTHDC2, YTHDC3 were assessed by Dot blot, RT-qPCR and Western blot. Mettl3 expression was inhibited in cells using lentivirus-mediated Mettl3-shRNA transfection, creating sh-Mettl3 and Ang Ⅱ+sh-Mettl3 groups, while lentivirus empty vector transfection served as the negative control (Ang Ⅱ+sh-NC group). The impact of Ang Ⅱ on pericyte transdifferentiation was observed, and the expression of downstream phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathway proteins, including PI3K, AKT, phosphorylated AKT at serine 473 (p-AKT (S473)), and phosphorylated AKT at threonine 308 (p-AKT (T308)), were examined. PI3K gene transcription was inhibited by co-culturing cells with actinomycin D, and the half-life of PI3K mRNA was calculated by measuring residual PI3K mRNA expression over different co-culture time. The reversibility of Mettl3 inhibition on Ang Ⅱ-induced pericyte-to-myofibroblast transdifferentiation was assessed by adding the AKT activator SC79 to the Ang Ⅱ+sh-Mettl3 group. In animal experiments, mice were divided into these groups: sham group (administered 0.9% sterile saline), Ang Ⅱ group (infused with Ang Ⅱ solution), sh-Mettl3 group (injected with Mettl3 shRNA lentivirus solution), Ang Ⅱ+sh-Mettl3 group (infused with Ang Ⅱ solution and injected with Mettl3 shRNA lentivirus solution), and Ang Ⅱ+sh-Mettl3+SC79 group (administered Ang Ⅱ solution and Mettl3 shRNA lentivirus, with an additional injection of SC79). Each group consisted of six subject mice. Blood pressure was measured using the tail-cuff method before and after surgery, and serum creatinine, urea, and urinary albumin levels were determined 4 weeks post-surgery. Kidney tissues were collected at 28 days and stained using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Masson′s trichrome to assess the extent of renal fibrosis. Results:Primary renal pericytes were successfully obtained by magnetic bead sorting, and intervened with 1×10 6 mmol/L Ang Ⅱ for 48 hours to induce pericyte-to-myofibroblast transdifferentiation. Dot blot results indicated higher m6A modification levels in the Ang Ⅱ group compared to the control group ( P<0.05). RT-qPCR and Western blot results showed upregulation of Mettl3 mRNA and protein levels in the Ang Ⅱ group compared to the control group (both P<0.05). In the Ang Ⅱ+sh-Mettl3 group, Mettl3 protein expression was lower than that in the Ang Ⅱ group, with reduced expression levels of α-SMA, vimentin, desmin, fibroblast agonist protein (FAPa) and type Ⅰ collagen (all P<0.05). Compared to the control group, PI3K mRNA expression level was elevated in the Ang Ⅱ group, along with increased p-AKT (S473) and p-AKT (T308) expressions. In the Ang Ⅱ+sh-Mettl3 group, PI3K mRNA expression and p-AKT (S473) and p-AKT (T308) levels were decreased (all P<0.05). The half-life of PI3K mRNA was shorter in the Ang Ⅱ+sh-Mettl3 group than that in the Ang Ⅱ+sh-NC group (2.34 h vs. 3.42 h). The ameliorative effect of Mettl3 inhibition on Ang Ⅱ-induced pericyte-to-myofibroblast transdifferentiation was reversible by SC79. Animal experiments showed higher blood pressure, serum creatinine, urea, and 24-hour urinary protein levels, and a larger fibrosis area in the Ang Ⅱ group compared to the sham group (all P<0.05). The fibrosis area was smaller in the Ang Ⅱ+sh-Mettl3 group than that in the Ang Ⅱ group ( P<0.05), but increased again upon addition of SC79. Conclusion:Mettl3-mediated RNA m6A epigenetic regulation is involved in Ang Ⅱ-induced pericyte-to-myofibroblast transdifferentiation and renal fibrosis, potentially by affecting PI3K stability and regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.