Objective:To study the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme(ACE),extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK),and the changes of atrial fibrosis in patients with rheumatic heart disease(RHD) and atrial fibrillation(AF) treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor(ACEI).Methods:Atrial tissues were obtained from the right appendage during open surgery in 35 patients with RHD.The mRNA of ACE and ERK2 were semi-qualified by reverse transcription-ploymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and normalized to the glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase(GAPDH).Western blotting analysis was employed to examine the expressions of ACE and phosphorylated ERK(pERK).Atrial collagen volume fraction(CVF) was detected by Masson's stain.Results:The mRNA of ACE and ERK2 or the protein of ACE and pERK were significantly increased,and CVF was significantly increased in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation(CAF) compared with sinus rhythm group(SR)( P 0.05).Conclusion:The expressions of ACE,ERK2 and pERK increase,and fibrosis is more severe in RHD patients with CAF as compared with those with SR.Compared with CAF patients treated without ACEI,the expressions of ERK2 and pERK significantly decrease( P 0.05)in CAF patients treated with ACEI.This suggests that the increasing expression of ERK2 and pERK resulting from local renal angiotensin-converting enzyme system activation mediates the development of atrial fibrosis,and ACEI may contribute to lesser atrial fibrosis in RHD patients with AF.

According to the sera aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4), neuromyelitis optica (NMO) can be classified into two types as AQP4 antibody positive (AQP4+) and negative (AQP4-). However, the NMO patients with AQP4- are prone to delayed treatment, and may have a different pathogenesis compared to that in patients with AQP4+. Scientific researches and the clinical trials on NMO with AQP4- will deepen the understanding of NMO pathogenesis and help to make an early accurate diagnosis and rational therapy for NMO with AQP4-. This review aims to summarize the progress in clinic diagnosis for NMO patients with AQP4-.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive disorder characterized by abnormally elevated blood pressure of the pulmonary circulation. PH progresses rapidly to right ventricular (RV) failure and even death without treatment. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is an accurate and reproducible tool for the assessment of RV morphology and function, which plays an important role in the prognosis of patients with PH. The aim of this study is to review the clinical application and research progress of CMR in evaluation of PH.

Zhenglei Bencao was written by TANG Shen-wei,a famous doctor of Song dynasty,on the basis of Jiayou Bencao and Benco Tujing through citing many precious literatures on Confucianism,history,Daoism and other social scientific works.Zhenglei Bencao stayed at a very important position in the history of Chinese materia medica.By studying this book,the author proposed that the reason for TANG Shen-wei rccording so many literatures on Confucianism and other social scientific works was the effects of Confucianism doctors appeared at song dynasty.Because TANG Shen-wei was a good doctor,he paid attention to collect Chinese medical formula.the processing of Chinese medicine.genuine medicine and food therapy.But as a result of less activity in Chinese herbs recognition and collection,TANG Shen-wei did not have a sound understanding on Chinese herbs and his own academic opinions.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Asbestos ; toxicity ; Humans ; Mineral Fibers ; toxicity

Acupuncture Therapy ; adverse effects ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Eye ; blood supply ; Eye Diseases ; therapy ; Hemorrhage ; etiology ; Humans ; Male

The acupuncture medical literature during the Republic of China is divided into four categories, including theoretical literature, acupuncture channels and acupoints drawing literature, translations, and teaching materials and medical cases. It is found that the theoretical literature focuses on inheriting the traditional theories as well as combining traditional Chinese and Western medicine. The drawings are becoming more and more precise, and in these drawing works anatomy begins to appear at that time. Translations are the achievements of communication between TCM and Western medicine, which promote the scientization of acupuncture greatly. Teaching materials are also influenced by Western medicine, presenting a rough frame of modern acupuncture disciplinary system. As important clinic data, medical cases have great clinical value. Overall, acupuncture medical literature during the Republic of China is widely published, which is influenced greatly by the Western medicine and presents a significant tendency of scientization.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; Books ; history ; China ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Translations

Lupeol,a triterpene,is found in various edible and medicinal plants.Lupeol has been shown to exhibit strong anti-inflammatory,anti-arthritic,gene mutation prevention and anti-malarial effect.Recently,it is found that lupeol is the main active ingredients of inhibiting the growth of a several kinds of cancers and carcinomas in some antineoplastic plants.Lupeol has antineoplastic effect.

ObjectiveTo explore the expressions of EGFR and Ki-67 in vulvar dystrophy and their clinical significance MethodsTissue specimens were collected from 160 patients with vulvar dystrophy.Immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expressions of EGFR and Ki-67 in these specimens.The expression levels of EGFR and Ki-67 were compared among different pathological subtypes of vulvar dystrophy,and the relationship of these expressions with clinical pathological characteristics was assessed.ResultsNo significant differences were observed in the expressions of EGFR or Ki-67 between vulvar dystrophy of squamous cell hyperplasia type,lichen sclerosus type and mixed type(P ＞ 0.05).The expression level of EGFR was positively correlated with that of Ki-67 in vulvar dystrophy (r =0.66,P ＜ 0.05).There was a significant difference in the expression rate of EGFR and Ki-67 between patients with different courses of vulvar dystrophy(both P ＜0.05),but not between patients with different age at onset of vulvar dystrophy(both P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion The expressions of EGFR and Ki-67 are different among patients with different courses of vulvar dystrophy.

Melanoma antigen A is a kind of rumor-associated antigen,which expresses in various types of hunman malignant tumor tissues especially in melanoma.Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a kind of malignant epithelial tumor with high incidence which occurs in liver.Searching for effective diagnosis and treatment methods of it become a pressing task.It is confirmed that MAGE-A gene is highly expressed in HCC tissues which has great significance to the diagnosis,treatment and prognosis for HCC.