Objective investigate the correlation between plasma soluble receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (sRAGE) and arterial stiffness in patients with different types of metabolic syndrome (MS).Methods A total of 180 subjects were drawn from a epidemiologic follow-up study,including 60 cases non-metabolic syndrome (NMS),60 cases metabolic syndrome without diabetes mellitus (NDMMS),60 cases metabolic syndrome with diabetes mellitus (DMMS).Carotid femoral arterial pulse wave velocity (CFPWV) was assessed by the French KangPuLe atherosclerosis measurement instrument,and plasma sRAGE levels were measured by ELISA.Comparison of mean in multiple groups was conducted by analysis of variance.Multivariate analysis was done with multiple linear stepwise regression analysis.P ＜ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant difference.Results Compared with NMS group,plasma sRAGE levels were significantly lower in DMMS and NDMMS groups [(635.07 ± 229.20) pg/mL vs.(671.17 ± 358.16) pg/mL vs.(992.99 ± 427.83) pg/mL,P =0.001].CFPWV of DMMS group was significantly higher than that of NMDMS and NMS groups (14.22 ±3.14) m/s vs.(12.15 ±2.79) m/s vs.(11.66 ± 2.52) m/s,P =0.002).Plasma sRAGE level was negatively correlated with CFPWV (r =-0.278,P =0.005).(3) Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that age (β =-0.091,95％ CI-0.096 ～-0.095,P =0.031),HDL-C (β =1.295,95％ CI 1.231 ～ 1.360,P =0.022) and sRAGE (β =0.119,95％ CI 0.118 ～ 0.130,P =0.032) had a significant effect on CFPWV.Conclusions The increased arterial stiffness is closely related to the discreased plasma sRAGE levels in MS.Plasma sRAGE maybe a novel target for vascular disease prevention and treatment in patients with metabolic syndrome.

AIM:To study the correlation of serum uric acid ( UA) level with carotid plaques and arterial stiff-ness in the patients with essential hypertension ( EH) , and to explore the predictive value of serum UA for evaluating EH preclinically .METHODS:A total of 92 patients with EH and 30 healthy individuals were enrolled .The value of UA and other indicators were detected .B-mode ultrasound examination was performed to measure the common carotid artery intima -media thickness ( IMT) and the sites of plaque in the internal carotid-artery, external carotid artery and carotid bifurca-tions.Carotid-femoral arterial pulse wave velocity ( CFPWV) was assessed by Complior?atherosclerosis measurement in-strument.RESULTS:The serum level of UA in the patients with EH was higher than that in control group [(361.51 ± 83.81) μmol/L vs (317.03 ±62.22) μmol/L, P<0.05].The mean value and abnormal rate of IMT between hyperten-sion group and control group were significant difference [(0.69 ±0.14) mm vs (0.60 ±0.12) mm, 42.39%vs 10.00%, P<0.05].In 92 EH patients, 45 cases had carotid plaques .These 45 cases were divided into 3 groups according to the plaque severity, among which the serum UA level had statistically significant differences [(285.25 ±78.41) μmol/L, (341.19 ±63.99) μmol/L and (401.33 ±88.49) μmol/L, P<0.05].Compared with rigid plaque group ( n=34), the serum UA level in soft plaque group (n=11) was significantly higher [(389.00 ±69.45) μmol/L vs (323.03 ± 72.71) μmol/L, P<0.05].A stepwise multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that age ( r=0.414), systolic blood pressure (r=0.224), pulse pressure (r=0.270) and uric acid (r=0.219) were predisposed factors for higher CFP-WV (P<0.05).CONCLUSION:UA is one of the risk factors causing hypertension .Serum UA level may reflect the sever-ity and stability of carotid plaques .The increased arterial stiffness is closely related to the increased serum UA level in EH .

Objective To investigate the effect of C reactive protein on receptor of advanced glycation end-products protein (RAGE) and mRNA expression in human endothelial cells. Methods Human saphenous vein endothelial cells (HSVECs) were incubated with CRP. RAGE protein levels were determined by flow cytometry, and RAGE mRNA levels were assessed by RT-PCR. Results (1)Compared with control group (100%), CRP caused a significant increase in RAGE protein expression at a dose as low as 5 ?g/mL (175.2%?8.1%, P0.05). Conclusion C-reactive protein upregulates RAGE protein and mRNA expression in human endothelial cells in a dose and time dependent manner.

Objective To investigate the role of Kit signal pathway in the proliferation and spontaneous rhythmic motility of interstitial cells(ICs)in the bladder of guinea pigs.Methods Fourteen Guinea pigs aged 45-60 days were administered with Imatinib intragastrically for 20 and 40 days.Three were fed on normal saline as control.The morph and number of ICs were observed by immunofluorescence,Kit protein expression was detected by Western blot and spontaneous rhythmic motility of bladder were investigated in in vitro organ bath.Results Quite a few ICs were observed in the bladder of controls.After administration of Imatinib,the amount of ICs and the expression of Kit protein decreased gradually,and the spontaneous rhythmic contraction weakened.Conclusion ICs might be the pacemaker of bladder in guinea pigs.Kit protein might play an important role in the survival and functional maintenance of ICs.

AIM: We hypothesized that PPAR? ligands stimulate endothelial-derived nitric oxide(NO) release to protect the vascular wall.Thus,the purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of ciglitazone(Cig) and fenofibrate(Fen) on angiotensin Ⅱ(AngⅡ)-induced decrease in endothelial NO synthase(eNOS) expression and NO production in human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs).METHODS: HUVECs were preincubated for 24 h with Cig(10~(-7), 10~(-6),10~(-5),10~(-4) mol/L) or Fen(10~(-5) and 10~(-4) mol/L),then incubated for 12 h with 10~(-7) mol/L AngⅡ.Total RNA was extracted,and the expression of mRNA and protein of eNOS was assessed by RT-PCR and Western blotting.NO production was measured by Griees method.RESULTS: In the presence of 10~(-7) mol/L AngⅡ for 12 h,NO production in cultured HUVECs was decreased(P

AIM:To investigate the role of microRNA-486-5p (miR-486-5p) in the apoptosis of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).METHODS: The hMSCs were cul-tured in vitro and exposed to serum-free medium and H2O2(10 mmol/L).The changes of miR-486-5p expression in oxida-tive stress-related apoptosis of hMSCs were measured by real-time PCR.The hMSCs were transfected with miR-486-5p mimic or inhibitor at concentration of 30 nmol/L by Lipofectamine RNAiMAX.The effect of miR-486-5p on H2 O2-induced decrease in cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay.Hoechst 33342 staining and flow cytometry were applied to determine the role of miR-486-5p in the apoptosis of hMSCs.The protein expression was evaluated by Western blotting.Caspase-3 ac-tivity was determined using a caspase-3 activity kit.RESULTS:Compared with control group, the expression of miR-486-5p significantly decreased after treated with H2O2(P<0.05).In addition, over-expression of miR-486-5p in the hMSCs reduced the cell viability, accelerated apoptosis, down-regulated Bcl-2/Bax ratio, caspase-3 enzyme precursor content and phosphorylation of Akt, and activated caspase-3 activity.Conversely, down-regulation of miR-486-5p significantly inhibited H2 O2-induced cell apoptosis and the caspase-3 activity, increased cell viability and up-regulated Bcl-2/Bax ratio and phos-phorylation level of Akt.CONCLUSION:Over-expression of miR-486-5p promotes H2 O2-induced hMSCs apoptosis, and repression of miR-486-5p protects hMSCs from H2 O2-induced cellular apoptosis, which may be mediated by regulating Akt signaling pathway.

AIM and METHODS: The sodium ion(Na +) and potassium ion(K +) selective microelectrodes were used to measure changes of ionic activity of extracellular sodium and potassium([Na +] o, [K +] o) in hippocampus and hippocampal slice during epieptic seizure induced by intrahippocampal microinjection of coriaria lactone(CL) in rats and perfusing hippocampal slice with CL. RESULTS:30 s, 1min and 2min after injection of CL into hippocampus, the [Na +] o decreased 27.7 mmol/L, 50.3 mmol/L, 57.8 mmol/L respectively and the [K +] o increased 2.3 mmol/L, 2.4 mmol/L, 2.9 mmol/L respectively compared with control values( P

Abdomen, Acute ; etiology ; Child ; Family Health ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Diseases ; etiology ; Genes, Dominant ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Nausea ; etiology ; Pedigree ; Telangiectasia, Hereditary Hemorrhagic ; complications ; genetics ; pathology ; Time Factors ; Vomiting ; etiology

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of carotid endarterectomy ( CEA) for the treatment of patients with dolichoarteriopathies of internal carotid artery combined with carotid artery severe stenosis. Methods From January 2013 to February 2018,the clinical data of 18 consecutive patients with dolichoarteriopathy of internal carotid artery combined with carotid artery severe stenosis admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery,the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University were analyzed retrospectively. All patients underwent color Doppler ultrasound,CT angiography (CTA),and DSA to assess the diseased vessels before operation,and blood perfusion of the cerebral hemisphere was evaluated by CT perfusion (CTP) imaging. Six patients of Metz grade Ⅱ and 4 of grade Ⅲ underwent valgus CEA +excision of the redundant internal carotid arteries;8 patients of Metz grade I were treated with standard CEA. Postoperative cervical vascular ultrasound,CTA,and CTP examinations were performed in order to understand the vascular patency of the surgery and correction of dolichoarteriopathies of internal carotid artery. The follow-up time was 6 to 72 months. The color Doppler flow imaging and CTA were used to assess the presence or absence of restenosis and MRI was used to evaluate the presence of new cerebral infarction. Results All 18 patients were successfully operated, and they had good vascular patency after operation. The Postoperative CTA showed that the distorted blood vessels had been straightened to varying degrees for ten patients who underwent valgus CEA treatment and the plaques were removed satisfactorily without stenosis for 8 patients treated with standard CEA. After operation,one patient developed sublingual nerve injury symptoms,which was improved after 3 months. One patient developed mild hyperperfusion syndrome,which was improved after 2 weeks. No patients died. Follow-up reexamination showed that all patients had no carotid artery restenosis and new stroke events. Conclusions CEA is a safe and effective treatment for patients with internal carotid artery dolichoarteriopathy combined with severe carotid stenosis. According to the characteristics of the lesions evaluated before surgery, surgical methods should be selected reasonably.