This article analyzes the current characteristic of cardiology teaching.In light of advantages of network education,it discusses the prospect of network-based education and some problems.

Objective To explore the effect of indoxyl sulfate (IS) on the differentiation, maturation and immunological function of human monocyte derived dendritic cells (mDCs), in order to provides evidence for mechanism of IS in atherosclerosis. Methods Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated by double gradient centrifugation were cultured for immature mDCs by rhGM?CSF and rhIL?4 in vitro. All cases were randomly divided into PBS group, LPS group(1 μg/mL), IS.1 group(30 μmol/L), IS.2 group(300 μmol/L)and IS.3 group (600 μmol/L). The phenotypic maturation of mDCs was evaluated by flow cytometry (FCM) and functional maturation of mDCs was analyzed by measuring FITC?dextran uptake and ELISA. Results IS significantly upregulated the expression of CD80, CD83, CD86 and MHC II key membrane molecules on mDCs, while downregulating phagocytosis and increasing the secretion of IL?12p70 by mDCs (P<0.05). And the LPS and IS showed typical morphology with rough surface, long protrusions and fusiform. 300 μmol/L IS is the most appropriate stimulus concentration. Conclusion Stuctural, phenotypic and functional maturation of dendritic cells derived from human monocytes can be induced by indoxal sulphate at defined concentrations, which may be one of the mechanisms involved in the process of atherosclerosis.

Objective To investigate the peripheral blood neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio(NLR) for the early diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome(ACS) .Methods A total of 247 patients with suspected ACS and chest pain ,including 51 cases with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI) ,42 cases with acute non‐ST segment elevation myocardial infarction(NSTEMI) , 87 cases with unstable angina pectoris(UA) and 67 cases with non‐cardiogenic chest pain(NCCP)were enrolled and detected for white blood cells count and classification .The sensitivity ,specificity ,positive predictive value ,negative predictive value ,receiver op‐erating characteristic(ROC) curve of NLR were analyzed .Results Among all patients ,the most common was UA ,followed by NC‐CP ,STEMI and NSTEMI .Level of neutrophil proportion and white blood cell count were lowest in NCCP group ,followed by UA , NSTEMI and STEMI group ,but lymphocyte proportion was with the opposite change tendency .Diagnostic sensitivity ,specificity , accuracy ,positive predictive value and negative predictive value of NLR for ACS were higher than white blood cell count .Conclusion NLR was with various advantages for the early diagnosis ,prognosis evaluation and state of ACS .

Objective To analyze the mechanism of interaction between cardiac and renal failure and observe the protective effects of Zhenwu decoction on cardio-renal syndrome rats. Methods The rats were divided into five groups: Sham group, MI (myocardial infarction) group, MI merger STNx group, MI intervention group, MI merger STNx intervention group. The first three groups were fed with saline (NS) for two weeks after surgery. The latter two groups of rats were fed with an equal volume of Zhenwu decoction. The cardiac function of rats in each group were evaluated , including the mass of heart , left ventricle and left kidney weights as a ratio of body weight, fractional shortening and left ventricular ejection fraction. And serum levels of indoxyl sulfate and serum creatinine were also achieved. Results MI merger STNx could further aggravate the heart function, kidney function and left ventricular remodeling in rats. Zhenwu decoction could obviously improve the heart function, kidney function and left ventricular remodeling in rats. Conclusions Based on the MI models, STNx can worsen heart function and kidney function. Zhenwu decoction can significantly improve heart function and kidney function.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effects of Zhenwutang (ZWT) on cardiac function in mice with uremic cardiomyopathy (UCM).

METHODSThirty C57BL/6 mice were randomized into 3 equal groups, including a sham-operated group, subtotal nephrectomy (UCM model) group and subtotal nephrectomy with ZWT treatment group. The mice in the former two groups were treated with distilled water. The changes in cardiac functions, myocardial structure and renal function of the mice were evaluated with echocardiography, HE staining and biochemical assay, respectively. Western blotting was used to detect the expression level of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in the heart tissues.

RESULTSCompared with the sham-operated group, the mice in the model group showed significantly lowered body weight and increased heart weight, heart index, left ventricular posterior wall thickness in diastole (LVPWd) and in systole (LVPWs), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Scr) (P<0.05); Pathological examination revealed myocardial hypertrophy in the model group with markedly decreased expression levels of p-AMPK and significantly increased p-mTOR expression (P<0.05). ZWT treatment significantly decreased the heart weight, heart index, LVPWd, and LVPWs and expression level of p-mTOR (P<0.05), increased the expression level of p-AMPK (P<0.05), and obviously ameliorated histological injury of the heart in mice with UCM.

CONCLUSIONZWT can protect the cardiac function in mice with subtotal nephrectomy-induced UCM possibly via the AMPK-mTOR signal pathway.

AMP-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Animals ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Cardiomyopathies ; drug therapy ; Creatinine ; blood ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Heart ; physiopathology ; Heart Ventricles ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Nephrectomy ; Signal Transduction ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the protective effects of Zhenwutang (ZWT) on cardiac function in mice with uremic cardiomyopathy (UCM). Methods Thirty C57BL/6 mice were randomized into 3 equal groups, including a sham-operated group, subtotal nephrectomy (UCM model) group and subtotal nephrectomy with ZWT treatment group. The mice in the former two groups were treated with distilled water. The changes in cardiac functions, myocardial structure and renal function of the mice were evaluated with echocardiography, HE staining and biochemical assay, respectively. Western blotting was used to detect the expression level of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in the heart tissues. Results Compared with the sham-operated group, the mice in the model group showed significantly lowered body weight and increased heart weight, heart index, left ventricular posterior wall thickness in diastole (LVPWd) and in systole (LVPWs), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Scr) (P<0.05); Pathological examination revealed myocardial hypertrophy in the model group with markedly decreased expression levels of p-AMPK and significantly increased p-mTOR expression (P<0.05). ZWT treatment significantly decreased the heart weight, heart index, LVPWd, and LVPWs and expression level of p-mTOR (P<0.05), increased the expression level of p-AMPK (P<0.05), and obviously ameliorated histological injury of the heart in mice with UCM. Conclusion ZWT can protect the cardiac function in mice with subtotal nephrectomy-induced UCM possibly via the AMPK-mTOR signal pathway.

Objective To investigate the protective effects of Zhenwutang (ZWT) on cardiac function in mice with uremic cardiomyopathy (UCM). Methods Thirty C57BL/6 mice were randomized into 3 equal groups, including a sham-operated group, subtotal nephrectomy (UCM model) group and subtotal nephrectomy with ZWT treatment group. The mice in the former two groups were treated with distilled water. The changes in cardiac functions, myocardial structure and renal function of the mice were evaluated with echocardiography, HE staining and biochemical assay, respectively. Western blotting was used to detect the expression level of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in the heart tissues. Results Compared with the sham-operated group, the mice in the model group showed significantly lowered body weight and increased heart weight, heart index, left ventricular posterior wall thickness in diastole (LVPWd) and in systole (LVPWs), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Scr) (P<0.05); Pathological examination revealed myocardial hypertrophy in the model group with markedly decreased expression levels of p-AMPK and significantly increased p-mTOR expression (P<0.05). ZWT treatment significantly decreased the heart weight, heart index, LVPWd, and LVPWs and expression level of p-mTOR (P<0.05), increased the expression level of p-AMPK (P<0.05), and obviously ameliorated histological injury of the heart in mice with UCM. Conclusion ZWT can protect the cardiac function in mice with subtotal nephrectomy-induced UCM possibly via the AMPK-mTOR signal pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the inhibitory effect of Zhenwu Decoction on ventricular hypertrophy in rats with uremic cardiomyopathy and explore the mechanism. METHODS: Cardiocytes isolated from suckling rats were divided into control group and indoxyl sulfate (IS) group, and the protein synthesis was assayed with [H]- leucine incorporation and cellular protein expressions were detected using Western blotting. Fifty SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, model group, and low- and high-dose Zhenwu Decoction treatment groups, and except for those in the sham operation group, all the rats underwent 5/6 nephrectomy. Four weeks after the operation, the rats in low- and high-dose treatment groups were given Zhenwu Decoction gavage at the dose of 4.5 g/kg and 13.5 g/kg, respectively; the rats in the sham-operated and model groups were given an equal volume of distilled water. After 4 weeks of treatment, serum levels of IS were determined, and cardiac and ventricular mass indexes were measured in the rats; cardiac ultrasound was performed and Western blotting was used to measure the expressions of BNP, p-ERK1/2, p-p38 and p-JNK in the myocardium. RESULTS: Rat cardiomyocytes treated with IS showed significantly enhanced protein synthesis and increased expression levels of BNP, p-erk1/2, and p-p38 as compared with the control cells ( < 0.01), but the expression of p-jnk was comparable between the two groups. In the animal experiment, the rats in the model group showed significantly increased serum creatinine (SCr) and urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, 24-h urine protein (24 hUpro), plasma IS level, left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and whole heart mass index (HMI) compared with those in the sham group ( < 0.01); Both LVESD and LVEDD were significantly reduced and LVAWS, LVAWD, LVPWS and LVPWD were significantly increased in the model rat, which also presented with obvious cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and increased myocardial expressions of BNP, p-ERK1/2, p-p38 and p-jnk ( < 0.01). Compared with the rats in the model group, the rats treated with low-dose and high-dose Zhenwu Decoction had significantly lowered levels of SCr, BUN, 24 hUpro and IS ( < 0.05) and decreased LVMI and HMI; LVESD, LVEDD, LVPWS, LVAWS, and LVAWD were improved more obviously in the high-dose group, and the myocardial expressions of BNP, p-ERK1/2, p-p38 and p-JNK was significantly downregulated after the treatment. CONCLUSIONS Zhenwu Decoctin can reduce plasma IS levels and inhibit ventricular hypertrophy to delay ventricular remodeling in rats with uremic cardiomyopathy.
Animals ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Cardiomegaly ; prevention & control ; Cardiomyopathies ; complications ; Creatinine ; blood ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Heart Ventricles ; Indican ; blood ; pharmacology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Nephrectomy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley