To investigate fecal continence in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), studies were performed in 43 patients with IBS and 20 healthy subjects. Anorectal pressure was measured with BioLAB monitor of digestive tract and anorectal catheter with solid state manometric transducers. The results were analyzed by computation programs of American Sandhill Company. The sensation of defecation volume (DSV),sensation of defecation urgent volume (DUSV) and maximal tolerable volume (MTV) in the patients with diarrhea predominant type IBS (Dp-IBS) were significantly lower than healthy subjects (P

Objective To investigate the effects of skin/muscle incision and retraction(SMIR)on mechanical paw withdrawal threshold and the ability of spatial learning and memory in immature rats after adulthood. Methods 27 male SD rats aged 3 weeks and weighing 60 ~ 80 g were randomly divided into 3 groups(n = 9):control group(group C),sham operation group(group Sham)and skin/muscle incision and retraction group (group SMIR). Group SMIR received operation for skin/muscle incision and retraction. Sham group received skin/muscle incision but no retraction.No surgery was operated on C group. Pain behavior was assessed by mechanical paw withdrawal threshold(MWT)to von Frey filament stimulation before and 1,3,7,12,22 and 32 days after operation.The effects of spatial learning and memory function were assessed by Morris water-maze test at 33 days after operation. Results Mechanical paw withdrawal threshold of group SMIR decreased 1 day after operation (P<0.05)and showed no significant difference before and 3,7,12,22,32 days after operation in 3 groups(P >0.05). In Morris water-maze test,compared with Sham and C group,the average escape latency in SMIR was sig-nificantly longer in the water maze navigation experiment(P < 0.01);the ratios of time and path in the quadrant of the platform were obviously lower in SMIR(P < 0.01). There was no statistical difference between sham and C group(P>0.05).Conclusion SMIR did not cause chronic pain but may cause a decrease in the ability of spatial learning and memory in immature rats.

Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to address the relationship between the volume of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) with cardiovascular risk factors and coronary artery calcification(CAC) in the community residents. Methods: Individuals were recruited from the Jidong Community (Tangshan City, Northern China) which mainly comprised employees of the Jidong Co. Ltd. and their family members. From July 2013 to August 2014, 2 647 participants aged ≥40 years were included in this study. The volume of EAT and coronary artery calcification score (CAC score) were determined by a 64-slice CT. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) was measured by a trained sonographer using a high-resolution B-mode topographic ultrasound system. Venous blood samples were analyzed by automated analyzers in the central laboratory. A validated questionnaire specifically designed for this study was used to collect demographic data from all participants by trained doctors. Characteristics of study cohort were compared according to quartiles of EAT volume (n=660, 663, 662, 662, repectively). Results: (1) The mean age of participants was (55.31±7.76) years and 49.94% (n=1 322) were men. The median EAT volume (interquartile) was 129.42 (95.66, 176.51)cm³. (2) Age, BMI, waist circumference and hip circumference, systolic blood pressure, LDL-C, triglycerides, and fasting blood glucose were significantly higher, while HDL-C level was significantly lower in participants with higher EAT volume than participants with lower EAT volume (all P<0.05). Carotid intima-media thicken (CIMT) and higher CAC score were also significantly higher in participants with higher volume of EAT. Furthermore, percentage of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia increased in proportion with increasing EAT volume (P<0.05). (3) In the linear regression, significant positive relations were found for age (β=0.019 3, 95%CI 0.017-0.021, P<0.001), waist circumference (β=0.012 7, 95%CI 0.009-0.016, P<0.001), BMI (β=0.022 4, 95%CI 0.013-0.032, P<0.001), LDL-C (β=0.048 4, 95%CI 0.021-0.076, P<0.001), and HDL-C (β=-0.098 1, 95%CI-0.164--0.032, P<0.001) was inversely related to the EAT volume. (4) Logistic regression analysis indicated that EAT volume was an independent risk factor for CAC score>0 (OR=1.233, 95%CI 1.205-1.262, P<0.001) . Conclusions Our findings indicate that EAT volume is strongly correlated to cardiovascular risk factors and coronary calcification and is an independent risk factor of increased coronary calcification in community residents.

Objective: To determine the value of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) on predicting the long-term outcome of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) . Methods: NT-proBNP was measured in 831 consecutive patients with HCM at Fuwai Hospital from October 2009 to December 2013 and patients were followed up clinically for (53.3±15.4) months. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to NT-proBNP values: NT-proBNP<860 pmol/L (n=276) , 860 pmol/L≤NT-proBNP≤1 905 pmol/L (n=278) , NT-proBNP>1 905 pmol/L (n=277) . The related baseline data, laboratory examination and echocardiographic results were compared among groups. The primary endpoints of this study were all-cause mortality and cardiac transplantation. Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate hazard ratio (HR) . Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate the survival status of patients among the 3 groups. Results: During a median follow-up of (53.3±15.4) months, all-cause mortality or cardiac transplantation occurred in 37 patients (4.5%) , event rate was 1.4% (4/276) , 4.0% (11/278) and 7.9% (22/277) in patients with NT-proBNP<860 pmol/L, 860 pmol/L≤NT-proBNP≤1 905 pmol/L and NT-proBNP>1 905 pmol/L, respectively. Multivariable Cox regression analysis identified that age (HR 1.066, 95%CI 1.027-1.107) and NT-proBNP (HR 1.026, 95% CI 1.010-1.042) were independent predictors of all-cause mortality or cardiac transplantation. Among the 3 groups, the survival rate of the NT-proBNP<860 pmol/L group was the highest,and that of the NT-proBNP>1 905 pmol/L group was the lowest (P<0.01) . Conclusions The level of NT-proBNP provides clinically relevant information for long-term adverse events risk stratification in patients with HCM.

Objective To determine whether thyroid hormone (TH) level could also be an independent and incremental predictor of adverse events in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).Methods A total of 982 consecutive patients with HCM at the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases (China) from October 2009 to December 2013 were included in the present study,and followed up till the end of December 2016.The patients were divided into three groups according to the levels of free triiodothyronine (FT3):the group 1 (FT3≤4.28 pmol/L,n=335),the group 2 (FT3＞4.28-＜4.79 pmol/L,n=310),and the group 3 (FT34.79-6.30 pmol/L,n=337).Results After a follow-up period of (53.8 ± 14.1) months,39 patients (4.0％) either suffered death with all causes or received a cardiac transplantation (7.8％,2.9％ and 1.2％ of the patients in the group 1,group 2 and group 3,respectively).A multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that FT3≤4.28 pmol/L was associated with a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality or cardiac transplantation (HR 8.83,95％ CI 1.115-69.905,P=0.039) in HCM patients.Conclusions Low levels of FT3 is a risk factor of adverse events for patients with HCM,indicting a role of FT3 as a marker for assessing the risk of long-term adverse events in these patients.