Objective To investigate the etiology, pathogenesis and treatment of erythromelalgia.MethodsRetrospective analysis of clinical features and respective treatment options of 8 cases of erythromelalgia patients in Ruijin Hospital.ResultsThe major clinical characteristics of EM cases included burning, sharp, tingling and/or stinging pain in toes, soles and/or dorsum of feet, increased temperature, erythema and swelling.One case reported burning pain in both fingers and feet.These symptoms were more severe during the night, walking, standing, exercising and when the individual was near a heater.Patients could relieve their pains by rest, using cold packs, walking on cold floors or immersing feet in cold water.Combined treatment, topical therapies and management of underlying disorders were necessary for erythromelalgia.ConclusionErythromelalgia is a rare cutaneous vascular disease with characteristics of recurrent redness, burning pain, and warmth of the extremities which could be induced by heat and exercise.Combined treatment, topical therapies and management of underlying disorders were necessary for erythromelalgia.

Objective To evaluate left ventricular(LV) twist and untwist using velocity vector imaging(VVI) in patients with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (ApHCM). Methods Twenty-three patients diagnosed with ApHCM were consecutively enrolled and compared with normal controls. After a standard echocardiographic examination, parasternal basal and apical short-axis planes were scanned to quantify LV rotations,twist and LV untwist using VVI. Results Compared with the normal controls, the rotation and rotaional velocity of apical subendocardial myocardium were markedly decreased in ApHCM patients during the period of systole ( P＜0.05) ,but the decreases in basal planes were not significant. As a consequence,LV twist was significantly lower in ApHCM patients (P＜ 0.05). Compared to normal controls,the velocity of LV untwisting was also significantly decreased in ApHCM patients ( P＜0.05).Conclusions The twist and untwist of LV subendocardial myocardium were decreased in ApHCM patients.VVI is a useful method to assess the characteristics of LV twist and untwist in ApHCM patients.

Objective:To explore the effect of self-made dynamic cardiovascular three-dimensional model combined with CBL (case-based learning) teaching method in the clerkship of valvular heart disease for medical students.Methods:Sixty five-year clinical medical undergraduates from Nanjing Medical University (Batch 2016) were randomly divided into experimental group and control group. The experimental group received dynamic cardiovascular 3D model combined with CBL teaching method, while the control group received traditional model combined with CBL teaching method. After the course, the teaching effect was evaluated by examination and questionnaire. SPSS 19.0 was used for independent sample t test and chi-square test. Results:Compared with the control group, the students in experimental group had higher scores of basic theoretical knowledge [(43.10±3.51) vs. (40.87±3.19)] and clinical thinking ability [(42.20±3.15) vs. (40.20±3.81)], with significant differences ( P<0.05). Furthermore, they showed higher evaluation and satisfaction to learning initiative and enthusiasm, mastery of theoretical knowledge, clinical thinking ability, classroom learning interest, classroom activity and clarity of knowledge teaching, with significant differences ( P<0.05). Conclusion:In the teaching of valvular heart disease clerkship, the application of self-made dynamic cardiovascular three-dimensional model combined with CBL teaching method, can cultivate students' clinical diagnostic thinking ability and improve teaching quality.

Background Long-term exposure to noise during sleep may has adverse effects on metabolic system, and liver lipid metabolism is closely related to circadian clock genes. Objective To investigate the effects of long-term noise exposure during sleep on liver circadian clock and lipid metabolism in mice and its related mechanism. Methods Twenty C57BL/6J male mice were randomly divided into two groups: a noise exposure group and a control group with 10 mice in each group. The mice in the noise exposure group were exposed to white noise at 90 dB sound pressure level (SPL) for 30 consecutive days, 8 h a day, from 9:00 to 17:00. The mice in the control group were exposed to background noise ≤40 dB SPL. After noise exposure, the animals were neutralized at 14:00 (ZT6) and 2:00 (ZT18), 5 animals at each time spot, and the liver tissues were collected. Total cholesterol and triglyceride in liver were determined by cholesterol oxidase method and glycerol phosphate oxidase method respectively. The expressions of circadian clock genes (Clock, Bmal1, Rev-erbα, and Rev-erbβ) and lipid metabolism genes (Srebp1c, Hmgcr, Fasn, Lxrα, Acc1, and Chrebp) in liver were detected by quantitative real-time PCR. Results Compared with the control group, the content of total cholesterol in liver in the noise exposure group increased by 48% (P<0.05) and the content of liver triglyceride increased by 61% (P<0.05) at ZT18. The mRNA expression levels of circadian clock genes Clock and Bmal1 in the noise exposure group was significantly increased at ZT18 and decreased at ZT6 (P<0.05). The mRNA expression level of Rev-erbα decreased at both ZT6 and ZT18 (P<0.05). The mRNA expression level of Rev-erbβ had no significant change at ZT6 and ZT18. The mRNA expression levels of liver lipid metabolism related genes Srebp1c, Hmgcr, Chrebp, and Lxrα in the noise exposure group were higher than those in the control group at ZT18 (P<0.05). The mRNA expression levels of Acc1 and Fasn showed no significant change at ZT6, then an upward trend at ZT18, but no significant difference between the two time spots (P>0.05). Conclusion Long-term noise exposure during sleep can cause circadian clock and lipid metabolism disorders in mice. Among them, suppression of key circadian clock genes may be associated with Rev-erbα-mediated upregulation of the nuclear receptors Srebp1c and Chrebp for lipid synthesis and deposition in the liver, resulting in lipid metabolism disorder.