"Vessels Collateral Theory", as the inherit and development of "blood vessels" in Huangdi Neijing, is a systematic system by integrating severe vascular diseases. In this article, by taking cardiovascular diseases (CVD) as a cut-in point, roles of "minute collateral-microvascular" lesions in the occurrence and development of CVD were further explored. The interventional effect of collateral-unblocking medicines under the guidance of Vessels Collateral Theory was also in-depth explored, hoping to leading Chinese medical prevention and treatment of CVD.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Research

Objective To analyze the influence of age on the diagnosis of acute heart failure (AHF) with amino terminal brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) ,and to explore the best cut‐off value of NT‐proBNP in the diagnosis of AHF .Methods Totally 457 inpatients suspected with AHF obtained a blood NT‐proBNP measurement within 24 hours when in charged ,including 194 patients with AHF .Patients were divided into three groups according to their age :≤50 years ,>50-70 years and >70 years . The relationship between NT‐proBNPand AHF was analyzed .The diagnostic value of NT‐proBNP was evaluated for AHF in differ‐ent age groups .Results The median NT‐proBNP levels of AHF in all age groups were significantly higher than those without (P<0 .01) .AUC of NT‐proBNP for AHF in ≤50 years ,>50-70 years and >70 years groups were 0 .95 ,0 .91 ,0 .88 ,the best diagnos‐tic cut‐off points were 1 100 ,1 800 ,3 000 pg/mL ,respectively .The diagnostic specificity was 88% ,76% and 73% ,respectively .O‐verall ,the specificity of NT‐proBNP cut‐off values for age group was higher than non‐age groups .Conclusion NT‐proBNP has a good value in the diagnosis of AHF in patients with different ages .According to the age group ,the different NT‐proBNP cut‐off values can be used to improve the specificity of diagnosis .

Abstract: Objective　To understand the changes of newly emerging and re-emerging snail areas in Anhui from 2017 to 2021 and analyze its related influencing factors, so as to provide scientific basis for formulating snail control strategies. 　　Methods　According to the historical snail survey data, the information of newly emerging and re-emerging snails from 2017 to 2021 were collected, the causes for the formation of newly emerging and re-emerging snails flourish environments were investigated and analyzed retrospectively. Results During 2017-2021, in Anhui, the area with newly emerging snails was respectively 840.41 hm2, 559.14 hm2 (66.53%) in lake and marshland areas and 281.27 hm2 (33.47%) in hilly areas; the area of re-emerging snails was respectively 1 176.87 hm2, 669.39 hm2 (56.88%) in lake and marshland areas and 507.48 hm2 (43.12%) in hilly and mountainous areas. The sum of newly emerging snail area in Chizhou, Anqing and Wuhu accounted for 89.35% of all, the sum of re-emerging snail area accounted for 88.82%. In 2021, the areas with newly emerging and re-emerging snails peaked at 611.52 hm2 and 976.84 hm2, respectively. The newly emerging and re-emerging snail habitats were mainly distributed in the transmission interruption areas, accounting for 65.54% and 84.30%, respectively. The newly emerging and re-emerging snail habitats were mainly found in fluvial marsh, accounting for 65.54% and 52.12%, respectively. In recent 5 years, the longest time interval of re-emerging snails was more than 50 years. The main causes of newly emerging snails were natural factors such as flood disaster and snail drift along river system. Natural factors, such as flood disaster and snail drift along river system, were the main reasons for the newly emerging snail habitats, accounting for 71.44% and 21.75%, respectively. Human factors, such as soil extraction from snail habitats, construction of water conservancy facilities, farmland abandonment and seedling transplanting, could also lead to the newly emerging snail habitats. Flood disaster was the main cause of re-emerging snail habitats, accounting for 72.29%. In addition, the re-emerging snail habitats were caused by historical snail residue, soil collection in snail habitats for construction projects, land abandonment, seedling transplanting, prohibition of snail control in ecological protection areas, and construction of water conservancy facilities. Conclusions　Flood disaster is an important factor for snail newly emerging and re-emerging. Human factors such as engineering construction and seedling transplanting are also easy to cause snail newly emerging and re-emerging. In order to timely detect and deal with newly emerging and re-emerging snail habitats and prevent snail diffusion, it is necessary to investigate snail distribution after flood disaster, the routine monitoring of historical snail habitats should be strengthened; in engineering construction and seedling transplanting, the disposal of soil with snails should be done well.

OBJECTIVETo investigate results of total knee arthroplasty using the long-stem tibial component combined with metallic wedge of knee prosthesis for the treatment of proximal defects.

METHODSFrom January 2011 to May 2013, 10 patients (11 knees) were treated with total knee arthroplasties using the long-stem tibial component with metallic tibial wedge of knee prosthesis. All the patients were female and the average age was 67 years old (ranged, 60 to 77 years old). All the patients were osteoarthritis. All the patients were classified as T2A style. The patients were evaluated according to knee score system (KSS).

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up for 12 months on average (ranged 3 to 29 months). The clinical outcome was assessed using KSS score, including knee pain score, knee stability score, knee range of motion score and knee walking score, knee stairs score. There were significantly differences at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months between pre-and postoperative KSS score.

CONCLUSIONThe mechanical stability of tibial fixation in primary TKA is significantly increased by using the long-stem tibial component with metallic wedge of knee prosthesis, even in the presence of poor proximal bone.

Aged ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Knee Prosthesis ; Male ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Tibia ; abnormalities ; physiopathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the sub-acute oral effect of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles on the oxidation/antioxidation biomarkers and inflammatory cytokines in blood, liver, intestine, and colon in rats. METHODS: Twenty four 4-week-old clean-grade Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly devided into 4 groups by body weight (n=6, control, low, middle, and high), in which the rats were orally exposed to TiO₂ nanoparticles at doses of 0, 2, 10 and 50 mg/kg body weight/day for 28 consecutive days separately. Food intake, body weight and abnormal behaviors during the experiment were recorded. The rats were euthanized on the 29th day. The blood was collected via abdominal aortic method and centrifuged to collect the serum. Tissues from liver, intestine and colon were collected and homogenated. Then enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and microwell plate methods were used to detect oxidation/antioxidation biomarkers including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), total mercapto (T-SH), glutathione disulfide (GSSG), malomdialdehvde (MDA) and inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in the serum, liver, intestine and colon in the rats. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, no significant differences in body weight, food intake and organ coefficients were observed in all the three groups after TiO₂ gavage. No significant changes in GSH, GSH-Px, T-SH, and IL-6 were observed. Compared with the control group, significant increase of SOD activity in serum in high dose group, signi-ficant increase of GSSG concentration in intestine in middle and high dose group and significant increase of MDA concentration in liver in low and high dose group were observed. Compared with the control group, a significant increase of TNF-α in liver in middle and high dose group was observed. CONCLUSION TiO₂ nanoparticle can increase antioxidant enzymes activities in blood, increase oxidative biomarkers in liver and intestine, increase inflammatory cytokines in liver in rats after a 28-day sub-acute orally administration. Among blood, liver, intestine, and colon, liver is most sensitive to the toxicity induced by TiO₂ nanoparticles, followed by intestine, blood, and colon in sequence.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; Biomarkers ; Cytokines ; Nanoparticles ; Oxidative Stress ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Titanium

OBJECTIVETo analyze the outbreak patterns of acute schistosomiasis in Anhui province in 2003.

METHODSThe criteria of emergency event for schistosomiasis issued by the Ministry of Health were applled in this study. Epidemiological data of acute schistosomiasis outbreak in Anhui province in 2003 were collected, checked and analyzed.

RESULTSIn 2003, there were 6 episodes of acute schistosomiasis outbreaks in Anhui which had met the criteria of being emergency events, issued by the Ministry of Health. The preplanning was initiated in 5 outbreaks to respond to the outbreaks of acute schistosomiasis. All of the acute schistosomiasis cases received timing treatment, except those misdiagnosed cases coming from the non-endemic areas. There were no deaths or follow-up cases during the outbreaks. Health education, preventive treatment for people living in high risk villages were conducted in order to timely control the epidemics of schistosomiasis.

CONCLUSIONThe implementation of preplanning has played an important role in early cases-finding, timing report and response to the outbreaks of acute schistosomiasis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Animals ; Cattle ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Disease Reservoirs ; Female ; Health Education ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Schistosomiasis japonica ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Snails ; parasitology

The study aims to investigate the associations of SUMO4 polymorphisms with tacrolimus concentrations in Chinese renal transplant recipients. Blood samples and clinical data were collected from 132 renal transplant recipients with tacrolimus treatment. CYP3A5*3 genotypes were detected by PCR-RFLP, and SUMO4 (rs237024, rs237025) genotypes were detected by Sequenom® MassARRAY system. SUMO4 rs237024 and rs237025 genotypes were in complete linkage disequilibrium (D' = 1). The dose-adjusted concentration of tacrolimus in SUMO4 rs237024A-rs237025A (GA-GA +AA-AA) carriers was considerably higher than that in GG-GG carriers (P < 0.05). After stratification by CYP3A5*3 genotypes, SUMO4 rs237024A-rs237025A carriers (GA-GA+AA-AA) had a higher dose-adjusted tacrolimus concentration than that in GG carriers in CYP3A5 expresser (P < 0.05). The results illustrated that SUMO4 rs237024 and rs237025 polymorphisms were associated with tacrolimus concentrations, and the test of these genotypes may be useful for individualized medicine of tacrolimus.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; blood ; therapeutic use ; Kidney ; Kidney Transplantation ; Linkage Disequilibrium ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Small Ubiquitin-Related Modifier Proteins ; genetics ; Tacrolimus ; blood ; therapeutic use

BACKGROUNDNon-valvular atrial fibrillation is associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke; however, the appropriate intensity of anticoagulation therapy for Chinese patients has not been determined. The purpose of this study was to compare the safety and the efficacy of standard-intensity warfarin therapy, low-intensity warfarin therapy, and aspirin therapy for the prevention of ischemic events in Chinese patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF).

METHODSA total of 786 patients from 75 Chinese hospitals were enrolled in this study and randomized into three therapy groups: standard-intensity warfarin (international normalized ratio (INR) 2.1 to 2.5) group, low-intensity warfarin (INR 1.6 to 2.0) group and aspirin (200 mg per day) group. All patients were evaluated by physicians at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 months after randomization to obtain a patient questionnaire, physical examination and related laboratory tests.

RESULTSThe annual event rates of ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA) or systemic thromboembolism were 2.6%, 3.1% and 6.9% in the standard-intensity warfarin, low-intensity warfarin and aspirin groups, respectively (P = 0.027). Thromboembolic event rates in both warfarin groups were significantly lower than that in the aspirin group (P = 0.018, P = 0.044), and there was no significant difference between the two warfarin groups. Severe hemorrhagic events occurred in 15 patients, 7 (2.6%) in the standard-intensity warfarin group, 7 (2.4%) in the low-intensity warfarin group and 1 (0.4%) in the aspirin group. The severe hemorrhagic event rates in the warfarin groups were higher than that in the aspirin group, but the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.101). The mild hemorrhagic and total hemorrhagic event rates in the warfarin groups (whether in the standard-intensity warfarin group or low-intensity warfarin group) were much higher than that in the aspirin group with the annual event rates of total hemorrhages of 10.2%, 7.6% and 2.2%, respectively, in the 3 groups (P = 0.001). Furthermore, there was no significant difference in all cause mortality among the three study groups.

CONCLUSIONIn Chinese patients with NVAF, the warfarin therapy (INR 1.6 - 2.5) for the prevention of thromboembolic events was superior to aspirin.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anticoagulants ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Aspirin ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Atrial Fibrillation ; drug therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Warfarin ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use

The alkaloids in Zanthoxylum nitidum were identified by HPLC-DAD/ESI-Q-TOF-MS. Separation was performed on a Hanbon C18 column with acetonitrile (with 0.1% formic acid) and water(with 0.1% formic acid) as mobile phase. Based on the high-resolution mass information, MS/MS fragmentation behaviors and chemical components from literatures, 48 components were identified or tentatively characterized including 6 new compounds. This work could be useful for the quality control and further studies of the plant.
Alkaloids ; chemistry ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization ; Zanthoxylum ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo observe the change of lipid metabolism and vascular endothelium as well as morphology of heart tissue in rats who were long-time exposed to moxa smoke with different concentrations in order to provide reference for safety assessment of moxa smoke on cardiovascular system.

METHODSOne hundred and sixty-eighty Wistar rats were randomly divided into a control group, a low-concentration group, a median-concentration group and a high-concentration group, 42 rats in each one. The rats were exposed to moxa smoke with concentration of 0%, 10%, 40% and 70%, respectively, for 20 min per day. After continuous intervention for six months, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was applied to measure the level of low density lipoprotein-receptor (LDL-r) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in blood serum in each group; the slices of heart tissue were stained with hematoxylin-eosin staining method to observe morphology change of heart tissue.

RESULTS(1) After the intervention of moxa smoke, the levels of LDL-r and ICAM-1 in the low-concentration group were not statistically different from those in the control group (both P > 0.05); the level of LDL-r in the median-concentration group was significantly increased, which was statistically different from that in the control group [(3.87 +/- 0.27) mg/mL vs (2.12 +/- 0.13) mg/mL, P < 0.01], however, the content of ICAM-1 was not obviously changed; although the level of LDL-r in the high-concentration group was presented with an escalating trend, it was not statistically different from that in the control group (P > 0.05) while the level of ICAM-1 was obviously increased (P < 0.01). (2) Under the light microscope, the abnormalities of cardiac muscle fibers and myocardial cell in each group were not been observed.

CONCLUSIONThe long-time intervention of low-concentration moxa smoke has no significant effects on lipid metabolism and vascular endothelium of rats, indicating that clinical application of low-concentration moxa smoke is relatively safe. The long-time intervention of moderate-concentration moxa smoke could significantly increase the clearance rate of cholesterol, implying the beneficial regulation of moxa smoke on lipid metabolism. The high-concentration moxa smoke could induce certain damage to vascular endothelium but its mechanism is in need of further research. The pathologic change of heart tissue could not be induced by moxa smoke with any concentration.

Animals ; Heart ; anatomy & histology ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Lipid Metabolism ; Male ; Moxibustion ; adverse effects ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptors, LDL ; metabolism ; Smoke ; adverse effects ; analysis