Objective:To analyze the correlation and diagnostic value of serum homocysteine (Hcy), methionine (Met) and cysteine (Cys) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).Methods:One hundred and seventy-eight patients with acute decompensation CHF (CHF group) and 70 healthy persons (healthy control group) from October 2018 to September 2019 in Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University were continuously enrolled. In CHF group, heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) was in 53 cases, heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF) was in 50 cases, and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) was in 75 cases. Serum levels of Hcy, Met and Cys were detected by tandem mass spectrometry. Serum level of N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide precursor (NT-proBNP) was detected by electrochemical luminescence immunity. The left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESd) and early diastolic peak blood flow velocity of mitral valve annulus/early diastolic peak velocity of mitral annulus (E/e′) were detected by echocardiography, then left ventricular eject fraction (LVEF) was calculated. Correlation was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn, and the area under curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the efficacy of serum Hcy, Met, Cys, NT-proBNP and LVEF in the diagnosis of CHF.Results:The Hcy, Met, Cys, NT-proBNP, LVEDd and E/e′ in CHF group were significantly higher than those in healthy control group: (12.64 ± 5.02) μmol/L vs. (8.71 ± 3.47) μmol/L, (23.38 ± 5.75) μmol/L vs. (20.52 ± 4.18) μmol/L, (343.45 ± 44.49) μmol/L vs. (290.53 ± 48.38) μmol/L, (5 759.43 ± 3 806.22) pg/L vs. (40.24 ± 31.91) pg/L, (52.67 ± 12.27) mm vs. (46.41 ± 12.27) mm and (17.32 ± 5.61)% vs. (9.54 ± 2.64)%, the LVEF was significantly lower than that in healthy control group: (45.27 ± 4.93)% vs. (62.37 ± 5.41)%, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.01 or <0.05). The Hcy and Cys in patients with HFmrEF and HFrEF were significantly higher than those in patients with HFpEF: (16.29 ± 8.18) and (18.68 ± 8.99) μmol/L vs. (13.75 ± 6.48) μmol/L, (346.64 ± 51.85) and (361.40 ± 52.34) μmol/L vs. (329.35 ± 55.16) μmol/L, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.05); there were no statistical differences between patients with HFmrEF and patients with HFrEF ( P>0.05). The serum Met in patients with HFrEF was significantly higher than that in patients with HFpEF and HFmrEF: (28.74 ± 8.22) μmol/L vs. (24.76 ± 7.60) and (25.15 ± 6.96) μmol/L, and there was statistical difference ( P<0.05); there was no statistical difference between patients with HFpEF and patients with HFmrEF ( P>0.05). Pearson correlation analysis result showed that serum Hcy, Met and Cys were positively correlated with NT-proBNP ( r = 0.632, 0.206 and 0.455; P<0.01), positively correlated with E/e′( r = 0.463, 0.198 and 0.346; P<0.01), and negatively correlated with LVEF ( r = -0.491, -0.152 and -0.330; P<0.05 or <0.01). ROC curve analysis result showed that ROC the cut-off value for the diagnosis of CHF with serum NT-proBNP based on the maximum Youden index (0.994) was 120 pg/L, and AUC was 0.994 (95% CI was 0.997 to 1.000); the cut-off value for the diagnosis of CHF with serum Hcy based on the maximum Youden index (0.646) was 10.56 μmol/L, and AUC was 0.899 (95% CI 0.859 to 0.939); the cut-off value for the diagnosis of CHF with serum Met based on the maximum Youden index (0.218) was 25.58 μmol/L, and AUC was 0.637 (95% CI 0.563 to 0.711); the cut-off value for the diagnosis of CHF with serum Cys based on the maximum Youden index (0.391) was 298.05 μmol/L, and AUC was 0.765 (95% CI 0.700 to 0.830); the AUC of LVEF less than 0.5. Conclusions:Serum Hcy, Met and Cys levels in patient with CHF are significantly increased, which are positively correlated with NT-proBNP and E/e′, negatively correlated with LVEF. Moreover, serum Hcy has certain application value in the diagnosis of CHF.

OBJECTIVEIn order to better understand the epidemiological features of Hantviruses in Inner Mongolia.

METHODSEpidemiological surveillance data during the period of the past 52 years were analyzed. An epidemiological survey was carried out in the main epidemic areas in 2005.

RESULTSA total of 8310 hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) cases were reported in Inner Mongolia from 1955 to 2006, and distributed in 61 counties. HFRS cases were mainly distributed in the east part of Inner Mongolia before 1990. However, HFRS cases had occurred in the middle and western parts since 1990. Hulunbeier prefecture, from the eastern part of Inner Mongolia, had been the most severe area being hit by HERS since the first outbreak in 1955, with 7369 cases reported over the past 52 years, and accounted for 88.68% of the total cases in the whole autonomous region. Although no HFRS cases had been reported before 1999 in Bayannaoer which located in the western part of Inner Mongolia, a total of 95 cases were reported in 2005. Hantavirus antigens had been detected in 11 species of rodents so far,including Apodemus agrarius, Rattus norvegicus, Mus Musculus, Cricetulus barabensis, meriones meridianus, Microtus maximowiczii , Clethrionomys rutilus, Apodemus peninsulae, Phodopus roborvskii, Dipus sagitta and Allactaga sibirica.

CONCLUSIONResults suggested that the epidemics might remain at a relatively high level in the years to come in Inner Mongolia. Furthermore, there might be other types of Hantaviruses in addition to the already identified Seoul viral type in this area.

Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; Hantavirus ; isolation & purification ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Rodent Diseases ; epidemiology ; virology ; Rodentia ; virology ; Zoonoses ; epidemiology ; virology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of the histone deacetylase inhibitor, MS-275, on the immune molecule content and categories in hepatocarcinoma exosomes.

METHODSExosomes were isolated from the human hepatocarcinoma cell lines, HepG2 and Hep3b, and purified by a combination technique of ultrafiltration centrifugation and sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation. The expressions of heat shock protein (HSP)70, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-I, HLA-DR, cluster of differentiation (CD) 80 and NY-ESO-1 on exosomes were analyzed with immunoelectron microscopy and Western blotting before and after MS-275 treatment. Intergroup differences were statistically analyzed by the Student's paired t-test.

RESULTSMS-275 treatment of both HepG2 and Hep3b cell types significantly increased the numbers of exosomes, their total protein content, and expression of HSP70, HLA-I and CD80 (per 100 exosomes), as compared to non-treated cells (all, P less than 0.01). MS-275 was also found to induce de novo expression of HLA-DR, but had no significant effect on NY-ESO-1 expression (P more than 0.05). The findings from immunoelectron microscopy confirmed those from Western blotting.

CONCLUSIONThe histone deacetylase inhibitor, MS-275, can significantly alter the immune molecule content and categories in exosomes of hepatocarcinoma cells. The differential expression profile may reflect an anti-cancer immune response and represent molecular targets for novel anti-hepatoma therapeutic or preventative strategies.

Antigens, Neoplasm ; immunology ; metabolism ; Benzamides ; pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; immunology ; metabolism ; Exosomes ; immunology ; metabolism ; Hep G2 Cells ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I ; immunology ; metabolism ; Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Pyridines ; pharmacology

Objective:A comparative study of non-invasive hemodynamics and echocardiography in 139 cases of heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) at baseline and one year follow-up to explore its value on diagnosis, monitoring and prognosis in patients with HFpEF.Methods:The baseline and one year follow-up data of 139 patients with HFpEF in Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University patients who had been enrolled in the China PEACE 5P-HF from June 2016 to May 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. The general data were collected which contented age of the study subjects is (30 - 80) y, average age (64.0 ± 12.3) y, and 63.31% male, (88/139) and 36.69% female (51/139), 56.8% smokers (79/139). t-test way was used to analyze the baseline and one year follw-up data, The indexs included blood pressure (BP), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and 6-munites walk test (6MWT). Non-invasive hemodynamic indicators included stroke volume (SV), ejection fractions (EF), cardiac index (CI), index of contratility (IC), pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PCWP), maximum angiectatic velocity(AMPC), left ventricular ejection time (LVET), left ventricular isovolumetric relaxation time (LVLVIVRT), pre-ejection period/left ventricular ejection fractions (PEP/LVET), left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and left cardiac work index (LCWI). Hemodynamic indicators included left ventricular end diastolic dimension(LVEDd), left ventricular end systolic dimension (LVEDs), interventricular septal thickness at diastole (IVSD), left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF) and E/e′.Results:There was no significant difference between the baseline and one year follow-up data in SBP, DBP, NT-proBNP, eGFR, 6MWT ( P>0.05). There were significant increase in SV, EF, CI, IC in one year′ follow-up compared with that in baselinee [(73.39 ± 29.47) ml vs. (63.39 ± 30.08) ml, (64.87 ± 9.16)% vs. (61.81 ± 9.02)%, (3.06 ± 1.10) ml/(min·m 2) vs. (2.62 ± 1.06) ml/(min·m 2), (0.039 ± 0.037) L/s vs. (0.028 ± 0.015) L/s] ( P<0.05). PCWP in one year′ follow-up was significantly decreased compared with that in baselin [(9.21 ± 3.34) mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa) vs. (9.87 ± 3.13) mmHg]( P<0.05), However, AMPC, LVE, LVLVIVRT, PEP/LVET, LVEDP, LCWI in baseline and one year′ follow-up showed no significant difference ( P>0.05). The Hemodynamic indicators in baseline and one year′s follow-up were as followed: LVEF in one year′ follow-up was significantly elevated compared with that in the baseline [(63.53 ± 8.39)% vs. (61.02 ± 7.16)%]; E/e′ in one year′s follow-up was significantly decresed compared with that in the baseline [12.89 ± 5.86 vs. 14.32 ± 6.61]( P<0.05); there were no significant differences in LVEDd, LVEDs and IVSD in baseline compared with those in one year′s followed-up ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Hemodynamic indicators including SV, EF, CI, IC and PCWP could be new reflections of early diagnosis, monitoring and prognosis on HFpEF. The combination of non-invasive hemodynamics and echocardiography on HFpEF can be more significant in reflecting the changes of myocardial remodeling and cardiac function.

BACKGROUNDThe purpose of this study was to conduct thyroid ultrasound examinations on a large sample of subjects and explore the occurrence, distribution, and characteristics of thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer to provide some information on the epidemic trend of thyroid nodules and cancer.

METHODSThe thyroid ultrasonic examination results of 19 895 healthy physical examinees who visited the Department of Health Management, Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2009 to December 2011 were analyzed retrospectively to determine the detection rate and characteristics of thyroid nodules. Fine needle aspiration or surgical resection was suggested to subjects suspected of having thyroid cancer.

RESULTSThe detection rate of thyroid nodules was 42.6% (8 480/19 895), 40.0% (4 661/11 678) in men and 46.5% (3 819/8 217) in women. The detection rate noticeably increased with increasing age. The detection rate of thyroid nodules by palpation was obviously lower than by ultrasonic examination in various age groups. Among those with thyroid nodules, 61.3% were multiple and 38.7% were solitary; multiple nodule was the major type both in men and women. Twenty-nine cases of malignant nodules were solitary, and 30 cases of malignant nodules were multiple. There was no significant difference. The detection rate of thyroid cancer was 0.30% for the entire group of examinees, and 0.15% in men and 0.50% in women. Among all sex and age groups, 30- to 40-year-old women had the highest detection rate (0.76%). The detection rate of thyroid nodules correlated with age, systolic blood pressure, height, and weight. Increasing age and/or higher systolic blood pressure correlated with a higher detection rate, while smaller height and weight also correlated with a higher detection rate with significant differences. However, there were no significant correlations between the detection rate and diastolic blood pressure or body mass index.

CONCLUSIONSThe detection of thyroid cancer increased significantly, especially in women. Thus, precautions needed to be taken. Regular physical examination and timely intervention after detection of malignant nodules are critical to improve the prognosis in thyroid cancer patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Thyroid Nodule ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Young Adult