Objective To investigate the related risk factors in patients with atrial fibrillation in order to prevent and delay the occurrence of atrial fibrillation.Methods Five hundred and fifty-eight inpatients with atrial fibrillation were retrospectively analyzed from June 2005 to June 2008.They were divided into several groups according to the age and the characteristics of the elder patients with atrial fibrillation were analyzed.Results In the 558 cases with atrial fibrillation, there were 298 males (53.4%) and 260 females (46.6%) aged from 21 to 97 years.The average age was (72.8 ±10.1) years.There were 57 cases aged 21-59 years(10.2 %)and 501 cases aged 60-97 years(89.8 %).The total number of inpatients in our hospital was 11 869, and there were 4049 cases aged<60 years, 2527 cases aged 60-69 years, 3971 cases aged 70-79 years, 1244 cases aged 80-89 years and 78 cases aged>90 years.The proportions of the inpatients with atrial fibrillation in the above five age groups of inpatients were 1.4%(57 cases), 4.2%(107 cases), 6.6% (262 cases), 9.5%(118 cases)and 17.9% (14 cases), respectively.In 558 cases with atrial fibrillation, there were 230 cases (41.2%) with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, 44 cases (7.9%) with persistent atrial fibrillation and 284 cases (50.9%) with permanent atrial fibrillation.The most common underlying disease was hypertension in the 558 cases, followed by coronary heart disease, heart failure, diabetes, rheumatic heart disease and so on.Conclusions The prevalence of atrial fibrillation is increased with aging.Hypertension, coronary heart disease, rheumatic heart disease, heart failure, hyperthyroidism,diabetes, chronic pulmonary disease and renal failure are all the risk factors for atrial fibrillation.

Objective To discuss the relationship of hypertension with ageing and comorbidities in 6426 inpatients. Methods The data of 6426 inpatients with hypertension from May 2005 to May 2009 were analyzed retrospectively. All inpatients were divided into four groups: the young-aged group from 18 to 44 yrs (n= 312, 4. 8%), the middle-aged group from 45 to 59 yrs (n= 1529,23.8%), the elderly group from 60 to 79 yrs (n=3847, 59.9%) and the old old group from 80 to 99 yrs (n=738, 11.5%). The percentages of hypertension patients in the same age group over the same period were calculated and the comorbidities were observed respectively. Results Of 6426 hypertensive cases, there were 3438 males (53.5%) and 2988 females (46.5%), ranging from 18 to 99 yrs with the average age of (66.3± 12. 1) yrs. There were 25 504 inpatients over 18 years old including 11 208 in the youth group, 5389 in the middle-aged group, 7596 in the elderly group and 1311 in the old old group. The proportions of hypertension inpatients to total in-patients in the four age groups were 2.8%, 28. 4%, 50.7% and 56.3% respectively. In the youth and middle-aged groups, numbers of males with hypertension were more than of females, however there was no significant difference in gender in the elderly and the old old groups. Within 6426 inpatients with hypertension, 2069 (32.2 %) had diabetes mellitus, 1508 (23.5%) had hyperlipidemia, 105 (1.6 % )had sleep apnea syndrome, 1061 (16.5%) had coronary artery disease, 904 (14.1%) had heart failure, 2353 (36.6%) had stroke and 678 (10. 6%) had kidney failure. Conclusions The prevalence of hypertension increases with ageing significantly. The correlated risk factors for hypertension include diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia and sleep apnea syndrome, being a clustering phenomenon, especially for elder patients. These risk factors also deteriorate the damage on heart,brain, kidney and other target organs, which might ultimately result in serious cardio-cerebral vascular events. Therefore, besides control of blood pressure, we should strengthen the complex treatment on hypertension to prevent and delay the occur of complicating diseases.

Objective To explore the effects of rehabilitation for adult cervical spinal cord injury without radiological abnormality. Methods 80 patients were studied retrospectively. Results The increase of motor score of anterior, posterior and conservative group were around 5, 2 and 2, whereas that of FIM were 11, 17 and 15, respectively. The changes of sensory score were uncertain.Conclusion The effect of surgical or conservative treatment is limited on neurological recovery, while rehabilitation can bring more functional independence to patients with cervical spinal cord injury without radiological abnormality.

Objective To investigate the relationship between calcific aortic valve stenosis and inflammatory cells in peripheral blood and dyslipidemia in elderly patients(age ≥65 years).Methods A total of 76 elderly patients(≥65 years old)diagnosed as calcific aortic stenosis in our hospital from June 2015 to June 2017 were selected as the case group,and 78 seniors(excluding valvular heart disease)hospitalized due to chest discomfort were selected as the control group.The white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophil ratio (N%), neutrophil count (N), lymphocyte count (L), neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR),hypersensitive C-reactive protein(hs-CRP),N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide(NT-pro BNP),total cholesterol (TC),triglyceride(TG),apo-α,high-density lipoprotein(HDL),low-density lipoprotein(LDL),very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)and other indicators were tested on admission.All these indicators were compared between the two groups. Results The levels of WBC, N%,N,NLR, hs-CRP, NT-pro BNP,VLDL were higher in the case group than those in the control group.The levels of L and HDL were significantly lower in the case group than those of the control group(P<0.05).Multiple regression analysis showed that smoking, the increased hs-CRP and NT-pro BNP levels were independent risk factors for senile calcific aortic stenosis.Conclusion Senile calcific aortic stenosis is not a simple degenerative disease.It is closely related to systemic inflammatory response and abnormal lipid metabolism.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the compositional variation of fibrous callus in the fracture site and the joint cavity and joint cartilage after being transplanted in the muscle pouch.

METHODSThirty 2 month old New Zealand white rabbits (weighing 1-1.5 kg) were randomly divided into two groups: a callus transplantation group (Group A, n=15) and a cartilage transplantation group (Group B, n=15). In Group A, closed radius fracture was made and the autologous fibrous callus was transplanted in the right knee joint cavity at 12 days postoperatively. In Group B, the right knee joint cartilage of the animals was transplanted in the autologous back muscle pouches under anesthesia. Then all the animals were killed by overdose anesthetic 3 weeks after transplantation. And the transplanted fibrous callus, the healed bones in the fracture sites and the transplanted joint cartilage were obtained for assessment of compositional variation.

RESULTSPure fibrous composition was found in the callus at the fracture sites in Group A at 12 days postoperatively. And for 11 out of the 15 animals, the fibrous callus was transformed into cartilaginous tissues after 3 weeks of transplantation, but the fibrous callus was absent in the other 4 animals. The fibrous calluses at the original site and the fracture locus were differentiated into bony tissues. Bony tissue transformation was found in the transplanted joint cartilages in the muscle pouch of all the animals in Group B.

CONCLUSIONSThe fracture sites or joint cavity may facilitate callus differentiation in different ways: the former is helpful for osteogenesis while the latter for the development and maintenance of cartilages, and the muscle pouch is inclined to induce the osteogenic phenotype for cartilages.

Animals ; Bony Callus ; cytology ; transplantation ; Cartilage, Articular ; cytology ; transplantation ; Cell Differentiation ; Fracture Healing ; physiology ; Knee Joint ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Rabbits ; Radius Fractures ; physiopathology

Objective To evaluate treatment strategies for fungal endocarditis after heart prosthetic valve surgery. Methods Two cases of severe fungal infection after heart prosthetic valves surgery were analyzed retrospectively, related literatures were reviewed.Results Two patients had fungal endocarditis after surgery,the valve function was affected,patients were hospitalized repeatedly after surgery.In case 1 ,fever occurred 45 days after cardiac sur-gery and patient was returned to the hospital for re-examination,emergency mitral valve replacement was performed under cardiopulmonary bypass,the postoperative vegetation culture suggested Aspergillus flavus.In case 2,the aortic wall vegetation was removed 5 months after heart surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass,pathology of post-operative vegetation suggested mucor.Two patients were promptly removed infection foci through surgery and trea-ted with standard antifungal agents,patient with Aspergillus infection died after rescue,and patient with mucor in-fection was cured,the latter was more powerful in antifungal therapy.Conclusion Prevention is the key to fungal endocarditis after heart prosthetic valve surgery,treatment should be prompt and effective,antifungal agents should be given in sufficient dose and course.

Objective To identify the genetype of the PS1/APP double transgenic mouse model, then to analyse the histopathological changes in the brain and compare the differences between the transgenic mice models and Abeta1-40-injected rats models of Alzheimer disease. Methods The modified congo red staining, Nissl's staining and immunohistology staimouse extensively displayed Abeta deposits, activation of astrocyte respectively. Results (1) The PS1/APP transgenic mouse extensively displayed Abeta deposits in the cortex and hippocampal structures, and GFAP positive cells were aggregated in mass and surrounded the congo red-positive plaque. (2) The Abeta1-40-intrahippocampal-injected rat model showed the Abeta plaque deposits in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, with the astrocyte surrounded. The neurons loss was significant in the injection point and pin hole of injection with Nissl's staining methods. GFAP-positive cells increased significantly compared with the uninjected lateral of the hippocampus. Conclusion Although Abeta1-40-injected rat models could simulate some characteristic pathological features of human Alzheimer diseases, Abeta deposits and neurons loss in partial hippocampal, it would not simulate the progressive degenenration in the brain of AD. The double transgenic PS1/APP mice could simulate the specific pathogenesis and progressive changes of AD, mainly is Abeta deposits and the spongiocyte response, while no neurons loss were observed in this model.

OBJECTIVETo identify the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the regulatory and coding regions of heat shock protein 60 gene and search for its genetic makers in Chinese Han people.

METHODSThe 5' flank region, parts of the exons and introns of hsp60 gene were resequenced to identify the SNPs in Chinese Han people, and then the sequenced results to the Japanese, European and African's data in National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and HapMap databases were compared.

RESULTSOne novel SNP was identified in exon 2 resulting in synonymous variant and the G allele frequency was 0.025. There were 11 reported SNPs in the sequenced region. The minor allele frequencies of rs1116734, rs3749095, rs1050347, rs8539 were 0.51, 0.30, 0.29, 0.49. The heterozygosity of the other 7 SNPs was 0. The distributions of rs1116734, rs1050347, rs8539, rs3749095 in Chinese Han people were similar to the Japanese's. The hsp60 rs3749095 which was not found in Japanese people was a high-frequency SNP in Chinese Han people; the distribution of rs8539 in Chinese Han people was quite different from European and African's (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe SNPs of hsp60 in Chinese Han people are different from the other peoples. The SNPs of hsp60 gene rs1116734, rs3749095, rs1050347, rs8539 are very common in Chinese Han people and might be used for candidate genetic markers of hsp60 gene.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Alleles ; Chaperonin 60 ; genetics ; China ; ethnology ; Exons ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Humans ; Male ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Abdominal Pain ; diagnosis ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Sports ; Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome ; diagnosis ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Angelica dahurica extracts on the biological characteristics of human dermal fibroblasts in vitro and to preliminary explore its possible therapeutic mechanism for wound healing.

METHODSThe optimal concentration of Angelica dahurica extracts was identified by analysing of proliferation activity of human normal fibroblasts (Fb) that treated with different concentration of Angelica dahurica extracts through thiazole blue (MTT) colorimetric assay. Cell cycle, collagen I and collagen III mRNA levels of the optimal Angelica dahurica extracts treated Fb were detected by flow cytometry (FCM) and real-time PCR techniques.

RESULTSAt concentrations of 5 × 10(-4) to 5 × 10(-2) g/L, the Angelica dahurica extracts significantly enhanced the proliferation of Fb. The most significant concentration was 5 × 10(-3) g/L (t = 5.79, P < 0.01), at which an increased percentage of G1 to S and S to G2 phase cells (t = 11.2, 5.69, 2.44, P < 0.05) as well as an increased level of collagen I (1.61 ± 0.26 vs. 1.00 ± 0.16) and collagen III mRNA (3.36 ± 0.40 vs. 1.00 ± 0.14) were obtained compared to the control group (t = 6.69, 7.64, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSAngelica dahurica extracts can notably promote the proliferation of Fb and accelerating the cell cycle of Fb as well as up-regulating the expression of collagen I and collagen III, which may enhance the process of wound healing.

Angelica ; chemistry ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Collagen ; metabolism ; Dermis ; cytology ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Humans ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology