PurposeTo observe the effects of blocking the renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone system at different sites in experimental congestive heart failure (CHF)rats. Methods Six weeks after coronary ligation, rats( n = 66)were randomized to benalapril, losartan, spironolactone, placebo, and treated for 6 weeks. Sham-operated rats( n = 18) served as controls. Six weeks later left ventricular hemodynamics were measured. Results In the hemodynamic variables, HR was not significantly different between groups. Compared four treatment groups with sham-operated group, LVEDP increased, LVPSP and ± dp/dtmax decreased (P＜0.05). Compared with placebo group,all data in spironolactone group were not significantly different, LVEDP, mortality in benalapril group and in losartan group decreased, LVPSP and ± dp/dtmax in benalapril group and in losartan group increased(P ＜ 0.05). ConclusionsAdministration of ACEI and Ag Ⅱ-AT1 antagonist are effective in preventing from cardiac function deterioration, while spironolactone treatments are not. Spironolactone has tendency in decreasing LVEDP.

Objective To assess the efficacy of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for the ablation of feeding-artery in uterine fibroids.Methods A total of 45 women with uterine fibroids who had children accepted HIFU treatment.Color Doppler and contrast-enhanced ultrasound were used to target the supply vessels entered the fibroid.HIFU treatment was focused primarily on locations where supplying vessels entered the fibroid.Conventional ultrasound,color Doppler ultrasound,contrast-enhanced ultrasound and MRI were performed before and after HIFU treatment to observe the changes of imaging.Results After HIFU treatment,the volume of uterine fibroids decreased to certain extent.The blood signals decreased or disappeared in the treated regions.Bewteen two groups of the uterine fibroids diamete ≥5 cm and ＜5 cm,there were significant differences in the percentage of the nonperfusion regions in the volume of uterine fibroids (≥70％,P ＜0.05).Conclusions Ablation of feeding artery by HIFU is an effective treatment for the uterine fibroids.HIFU treatment is effective for the ablation of feeding-artery in uterine fibroids whose diameter less than 5 cm.

To evaluate the prevalence of impaired fasting glucose(TFG)in outpatients with essential hypertension and the influencing factors.Methods 1026 essential hypertensive outpatients aged 15-87 years[531 males and 495 females,mean age(51.6±12.5)years]who visited Xuanwu hospital between February 2004 and January 2007 were recruited in the study.Their medical history,blood pressure,height,weight,waist ircumferences(WC),hip circumference(HC),fasting plasma glucose(FPG),TC,TG,LDL-C,HDL-C were detected and analyzed.Results The abnormal rate of FPG in hypertensive outpatients was 38.5% and incidence of IFG was 30.5%.The differences of gender,systolic blood pressure,BMI,waist-to-hip ratio(WHR),TG,TC between the normal glucose group and the IFG group were significant Gender,family history of diabetes mellitus,TC and LDL-C enter into the logistic regression model(P<0.05).Conclusions The detection rate of IFG is high in hypertensive outpatients and it is related with gender,family history of diabetes mellitus and disorders of lipid metabolism.

Objective To study clinically the feasibility of early diagnosis of cardiac allograft vascularopathy (CAV) and chronic rejection. Methods A 13 year old female patient with dilated cardiomyopathy received orthotopic heart transplantation for advanced heart failure, and subsequent immunosuppressive therapy including cyclosporine, prednisone and mofetil, and a monthly close follow up. Coronary angiography and left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) was performed 9 months after the operation. Results The clinical and follow up data of the case showed that cardiac or systemic nonspecific symptoms such as exertional chest discomfort, palpitation, fatigue or fever of unknown reasons were the first and ignorable clinical symptoms, and found disappeared after dosage addition of cyclinsporine, which indicated a early clinical manifestations of rejection or vasculopathy. While persistent sinus tachycardia on electrocardiogram, decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (from 64?% ～68?% down to 47?%～50?%), enlarged right atrial (from 32～ 41?mm up to 44?mm in diameter), thickened intraventricular septal ( 13?mm ), repetitive tricuspid regurgitation on echocardiography, increased white blood cells without infection were observed respectively. Coronary angiography showed a typical (type B) vasculopathy with diffuse concentric stenosis of mid and distal left anterior descending artery and its small braches, the distal diagonal, circumflex, and right coronary artery were also involved to some extent. Furthermore, early mild chronic rejection of grade I A was proved by pathologic study. Conclusion Close clinical observation and follow up, serial echocardiography and electrocardiogram, reaction to enhanced anti rejection, and other related laboratory methods could be analyzed and colligated for early noninvasive diagnosis of cardiac allograft vasculopathy and chronic rejection, while EMB and coronary angiography are still the precise diagnostic ways.

[Objective] To investigate the effect of Suiqing Pill (SP), a Chinese prescription with the actions of activating blood and removing blood-stasis, on growth and metastasis of tumor. [Methods] Sixty C57BL/6 mice were randomized to three groups: group A (model control), group B (low-dose SP) and group C (high-dose SP). H22 hepatocarcinomatous metastasis models were established by subcutaneous injection of H22 hepatocarcinoma cells into the right lower limb. The inhibitory rate of tumor weight, incidence of metastatic carcinoma of lung, metastasis of lymph node, survival time and life-span prolongation rate were observed. [Results] The weight of tumor was reduced and the inhibitory rate of tumor weight was 36.83% in group B (P

Objective To establish the linear regression equation between body height and com bined length of manubrium and mesosternum of sternum m easured by CTvolum e rendering technique (CT-VRT) in southw est H an population. Methods One hundred and sixty subjects, including 80 m ales and 80 fem ales w ere selected from southw est H an population for routine CT-VRT(reconstruction thickness 1 m m ) ex-am ination. The lengths of both manubrium and mesosternum w ere recorded, and the com bined length of manubrium and mesosternum was equal to the algebraic sum of them . The sex-specific linear regression equations between the com bined length of manubrium and mesosternum and the real body height of each subject w ere deduced. Results The sex-specific sim ple linear regression equations between the com bined length of manubrium and mesosternum (x3) and body height (y) w ere established (m ale:y=135.000+2.118x3 and fem ale:y=120.790+2.808x3).Both equations show ed statisticalsignificance (P<0.05) w ith a 100% predictive accuracy. Conclusion CT-VRTis an effective m ethod for m easurem ent of the index of sternum . The com bined length of manubrium and mesosternum from CT-VRTcan be used for body height estim ation in southw est H an population.

AIM: To investigate the dynamic alteration of cardiac collagen metabolism in mice with acute,chronic myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM).METHODS: BALB/c mice infected with coxsackievirus B_3 were used to establish animal models of acute,chronic myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy,while uninfected animals were also prepared and served as controls.After verification of models by histopathological methods and echocardiography,serum concentration of aminoterminal propeptide of type Ⅲ procollagen(PIIINP),aminoterminal propeptide of type Ⅰ procollagen(PINP) and carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen(PICP) in each group of mice were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The expression of matrix metalloproteinase 1(MMP1) and its tissue inhibitor(TIMP-1) were determined by Western blotting analysis.The MMP-1 activity was also detected.RESULTS: Marked myocardial fibrosis was observed in all groups of CVB_3-infected mice.Reparative fibrosis,promotion of synthesis and degradation of cardiac collagens were presented in heart tissue of acute myocarditis mice. Both reparative and reactive fibrosis,enhanced synthesis and lightened degradation of collagen were present in chronic myocarditis,while reactive fibrosis and excess collagen synthesis were confirmed in DCM.Expression and activity of(MMP-1) was progressively decreased.TIMP-1 showed unchanged.The ratio of MMP-1/TIMP-1 was progressively descended.CONCLUSION: Collagen metabolism was special in different phase of viral heart diseases,which may play different roles in the progression and prognosis of these kinds of disease.

Hepatocellular carcinoma has a low early diagnostic rate, and there is a lack of highly sensitive and specific tumor markers. In recent years, fluid biopsy technique, represented by circulating free DNA (cfDNA), has become an auxiliary method for the diagnosis of cancer and has attracted more and more attention due to its advantages of noninvasiveness, convenience, and repeatability. With reference to the recent studies in China and foreign countries, this article summarizes and analyzes the advances in cfDNA in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma from the aspects of biological characteristics, detection techniques, and clinical application, so as to provide a basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze gene variants in a Chinese pedigree with oculocutaneous albinism (OCA). METHODS: Gene sequencing of the proband and his parents was performed using chip capture high-throughput sequencing and Sanger sequencing techniques, and PolyPhen-2, SIFT, MutationTaster, and FATHMM software were used to predict the function of new variants. At the same time,the pedigree and variant genes of 4 albinism patients from this pedigree were analyzed. RESULTS: Sequencing results showed that the proband's TYR gene (NM_000372) has c.230G>A (p.Arg77Gln) and c.120_121insG (p.Asp42GlyfsTer35) compound heterozygous variants. The proband's father carries c.230G>A heterozygous variant, and the mother carries c.120_121insG heterozygous variant, indicating that the proband's two variants are from his father and mother. The former is a known missense variant, which can cause abnormal or loss of the original function of the protein polypeptide chain. The latter c.120_121insG(p.Asp42GlyfsTer35) is an unreported frameshift variant of the TYR gene subregion (EX1; CDS1). PolyPhen-2, SIFT, MutationTaster and FATHMM predictions are all prompted as "harmful variants". This variant caused the amino acid encoded protein to terminate prematurely, producing a truncated protein, which eventually formed a 76-amino acid short-type TYR protein instead of the 529-amino acid wild-type TYR protein. Through the pedigree analysis, the four patients in the pedigree are all of the same type of compound heterozygous variants, and the disease-causing genes are all from the patient's parents. They belong to a special form of consanguineous marriage within 5 generations. CONCLUSION The compound heterozygous variants of c.230G>A (p.Arg77Gln) and c.120_121insG (p.Asp42GlyfsTer35) of the TYR gene may underlie the disease in this pedigree. The gene sequencing results enrich the variant spectrum of the TYR gene, and has facilitated molecular diagnosis for the patient.
Albinism, Oculocutaneous/genetics* ; Consanguinity ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Mutation ; Pedigree

Objective. To investigate the effects of coxsackievims B3 (CVB3) on ion channel currents in rat ventricular my-Methods. Rat hearts were isolated with collagenase to acquire single ventricular myocytes, L-type voltnge-depen-dent calcium channel( VDCC)current (Ica), Na + current (INa), outward potassium current (Iout), inwardly rectifying potassium current(IKI) were recorded using whole cell patch clamp techniques. Results. CVB3 infection increased Ica and Iout, while decreased IKI; but it had no obvious effect on INa. Conclusion. Tne effects of CVB3 on Ica、 Iout、 IKI may be one of the mechanisms of myocytes damage and the oc-currence of abnormal electroactivities induced by CVB3 infection.