Objective:To investigate the expression of myocardium connexin 43 (Cx43) in late exercise preconditioning (LEP) cardioprotection.Methods: Eight-week-old adult male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned into four groups (n=8). Myocardial injury was judged in accordance with serum levels of cTnⅠ and NT-proBNP as well as hematoxylin basicfuchsin picric acid staining of myocardium.Cx43mRNA was detected byin situhybridization and qualified by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. Cx43 protein was localized by immunohistochemistry and its expression level was determined by western blotting.Results:The LEP obviously attenuated the myocardial ischemia/hypoxia injury caused by exhaustive exercise. There was no significant difference of Cx43mRNA level between the four groups. Cx43 protein level was decreased significantly in group EE (P<0.05). However, LEP produced a significant increase in Cx43 protein level (P<0.05), and the decreased Cx43 protein level in exhaustive exercise was significantly up-regulated by LEP (P<0.05).Conclusions:LEP protects rat heart against exhaustive exercise-induced myocardial injury by up-regulating the expression of myocardial Cx43.

Objective To investigate whether and how murine double minute 2(MDM2) was involved in aldosterone (ALD)-induced human mesangial cells line (HMCLs) proliferation. Methods RT-PCR and immunofluorescence were used to confirm the expression of MDM2 in HMCLs. Western blotting was used to estimate the relationship between ALD dose and MDM2 expression. Spironolactone, a mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) blocker, was used to estimate the role of MR on the up-regulation of MDM2 induced by ALD. Cycloheximide (CHX), a protein synthesis inhibitor, was used to estimate whether the rapid nongenomic mechanism was involved in the upregulation. To confirm the relationship among ALD, MDM2 expression and proliferation of HMCLs, small interference RNA of MDM2 was applied. Results Both MR and 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11β-HSD2) mRNAs were detected in HMCLs. MDM2 protein expression was also detected in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm. ALD significantly stimulated MDM2 expression, which implied that MDM2 was a novel mineralocorticoid-responsive gene in HMCLs. MR was involved in this process as spironolactone did not promote the expression of MDM2 mRNA or protein. ALD with CHX did not increase the expression of MDM2 protein, which indicated it was not directly regulated by the rapid nongenomic mechanisms. MDM2 protein was decreased by using the transfection of MDM2 siRNA and ALD did not promote the cell proliferation of HMCLs under the same conditions. All of which implied that MDM2 participated in ALQ-induced HMCLs proliferation. Conclusions MDM2 is a novel mineralocorticoid-responsive gene in HMCLs. MR is involved in ALD-induced MDM2 expression which is inhibited by spironolactone. The increased expression of MDM2 protein induced by ALD is not directly regulated by the rapid nongenomic mechanisms. MDM2 participates in ALD induced HMCLs proliferation.

Objective To explore the predictive value of brain lobe location of stroke lesion to development of long-term post-stroke depression(PSD)in the first-episode ischemic stroke patients for providing evidence for early intervention.Methods In the prospective study,158 patients aged 60 and over with first-episode ischemic stroke were continuously admitted into Department of Neurology of Shangqiu First People's Hospital from January 2013 to July 2013.The 2 to 3 years follow-up after stroke episode was performed in 126 cases for inquiring into correlation between brain lobe location of stroke lesion and development of PSD.The diagnosis of depression was in accordance with Mental Disorders Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 4(DSM-Ⅳ)standard,and divided into groups of stroke with depression(n=52)and stroke without depression(n=74).The degree of depression was evaluated by 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression(HAMD17).The location,number and volume of stroke lesions were determined by head MRI.The relationship between PSD and pathogenetic loci was analyzed by unconditional Logistic regression analysis.A difference in hemisphere commensalism.Results The morbidity of PSD was 41.3%(52/126),with 21.4%(27/126),12.7%(16/126),7.1%(9/126)in mild,moderate and severe PSD respectively.The frontal lobe(OR=2.824,95%CI=1.189-6.706)and the temporal lobe(OR=3.579,95%CI=1.233-10.393)cerebral infarction were correlated with the occurrence of PSD.The long-term PSD severity was more in frontal lobe than in temporal lobe(χ2=6.399,P<0.05).The average volume of cerebral infarction was larger in PSD group than in non-PSD group(t=3.271,P<0.05),and the average number of cerebral infarction loci was more in PSD group than in non-PSD group(t=3.176,P<0.05).The more severe the degree of depression according to HAMD17,the larger the average volume of cerebral infarction(F=6.280,P<0.05)and the more the average number of lesions(F=6.132,P<0.05).Conclusions The development of long-term PSD in the first-episode elderly patients is affected by the invasion site.The frontal lobe and temporal lobe infarction are independent risk factors for long-term PSD in patients with ischemic stroke,and the PSD was more severe in frontal lobe infarction than in temporal lobe infarction.

Objective To explore the clinical diagnostic value of bedside lung ultrasound in emergency (BLUE) for patients with postoperative hypoxemia in intensive care unit (ICU). Methods Fifty patients with hypoxemia after ICU surgery postoperation were enrolled in Beijing China-Japan Friendship Hospital from April 2017 to October 2018, the chest X-ray, BLUE and chest CT examinations were performed at the same time, and the diagnostic result of chest CT was the gold standard. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy rate of the 3 methods in the diagnosis of hypoxemia were statistically analyzed, and the results of diagnostic consistency of 3 methods were compared. Results The chest CT findings showed there were 40 cases with different degrees of pneumothorax, pleural effusion, pulmonary consolidation and atelectasis in 50 patients. When the chest X ray was used to diagnose hypoxemia as the pathogenesis, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy rate were 32.5%, 60.0%, 76.47%, 18.18% and 38.0% respectively; the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy rate of BLUE were 80.0%, 70.0%, 91.43%, 46.67% and 78.0% respectively. The consistency test showed that the chest X-ray diagnosis rate of postoperation hypoxemia as the cause was significantly lower than that of chest CT (Kappa = 0.091, P = 0.047) and BLUE (Kappa =0.107, P = 0.031). The consistancy was relatively good when the diagnosis rate of postoperation hypoxemia obtained from BLUE regimen was compared with that obtained from chest CT (Kappa = 0.634, P = 0.000). Conclusion The use of BLUE for diagnosis of hypoxemia being the pathogenesis of the postoperative patients in ICU is superior to the use of routine chest X ray, and compared with applying chest CT, BLUE is faster, more convenient and worthy to be clinically applied widely.

BACKGROUNDEpstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is one of the most important factors of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) endemic areas. Transcription of EBV-encoded non-polyadenylated RNAs (EBERs) are presented in most of NPC tumors. Exploring EBERs as a prognostic marker for NPC might further be informative about the biology and the progression of the disease. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of EBV latency in the clinical management of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), by detecting EBERs.

METHODSRNA in situ hybridization (ISH) for detecting EBERs was carried out on 908 NPC tumor tissues. Overall survival (OS) curves were analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox proportional-hazards regression models.

RESULTSThe median follow-up time was 70 months (1-120 months). Eight hundred and sixteen (89.9%) from a total of 908 consecutive NPC cases were found to be EBV-EBER positive. EBER-ISH staining revealed nuclear localization in NPC cells. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis for OS, high EBER expression levels in NPC patients were statistically significant positive prognostic factors for survival (log-rank, P = 0.022), especially in adults aged 17-40 years (P = 0.023) and in those with advanced stage disease (log-rank, P = 0.002). Cox proportional-hazards regression model analysis showed that the EBER expression level was an independent risk factor for OS (hazard ratio 0.724, P = 0.005).

CONCLUSIONSEBERs were frequently detected in NPC tumor tissues, and high-level EBER expression correlated with good prognosis in NPC patients, especially in adult patients and in those with advanced stage disease. EBER may serve as a potential prognostic predictor in NPC.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma ; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections ; virology ; Female ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; genetics ; pathogenicity ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; mortality ; virology ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; Young Adult