This study was aimed to evaluate the relationship between the changes of plasma intermedin (IMD) and atrial fibrosis in hypertensive patients with atrial fibrillation. During the period from 2010 to 2011, appropriate 150 subjects of out-patients (female 50%, male 50%) were selected in West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and were divided into three groups: the hypertension-only group, the hypertension combined with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation group and the hypertension combined with persistent atrial fibrillation group. Firstly, we collected the Physical examination results and medical history records of the patients. We then performed ultrasound cardiogram and blood biochemical tests on the patients. We also detected the plasma IMD and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) using ELISA. The results showed that compared with the hypertensive group, the plasma level of IMD, TGF-β1 and left atrium director (LAD) in the hypertensive combined with atrial fibrillation group were higher significantly. Compared with the paroxymal atrial fibrillation group, the levels of IMD, TGF-β1 and LAD were higher significantly in persistent atrial fibrillation group. Analysis of correlation and partial correlation showed that IMD was positively correlated with TGF-p1 (r=0.51, P<0. 001), IMD was positively correlated with LAD(r=0.59, P< 0.001), and TGF-β1 was positively correlated with LAD (r = 0.57, P < 0.001). The results suggest that IMD might suppress the pathophysiological process of atrial fibrillation.
Atrial Fibrillation ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; physiopathology ; Male ; Peptide Hormones ; blood ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; blood

Heavy alcohol consumption results in alcoholic liver disease(ALD)with inadequate therapeutic options.Here,we first report the potential beneficial effects of ginsenoside Rk2(Rk2),a rare dehy-droprotopanaxadiol saponin isolated from streamed ginseng,against alcoholic liver injury in mice.Chronic-plus-single-binge ethanol feeding caused severe liver injury,as manifested by significantly elevated serum aminotransferase levels,hepatic histological changes,increased lipid accumulation,oxidative stress,and inflammation in the liver.These deleterious effects were alleviated by the treatment with Rk2(5 and 30 mg/kg).Acting as an nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3(NLRP3)inhibitor,Rk2 ameliorates alcohol-induced liver inflammation by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome signaling in the liver.Meanwhile,the treatment with Rk2 alleviated the alcohol-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction via enhancing NLRP6 inflammasome in the intestine.Our findings indicate that Rk2 is a promising agent for the prevention and treatment of ALD and other NLPR3-driven diseases.

Objective To analyze the clinical outcomes and surgical procedures of 32 patients who underwent laparoscopic radical resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma.Methods From January 2013 to July 2018,32 patients who were diagnosed to have hilar cholangiocarcinoma underwent total laparoscopic treatment in Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University.The clinical data of these patients were recorded,including the general data,Bismuth types,AJCC types,postoperative complications,pathological findings,and follow-up results.Results This study included 20 males and 12 females with a mean age of 60.9±8.8 years and a body mass index of 22.6±3.2 kg/m2.According to the preoperative imaging studies,the Bismuth types Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲa,Ⅲb,and Ⅳ were found in 12,2,3,4 and 11 patients,respectively.Laparoscopic radical resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma and bilioenteric anastomosis was performed in 12 patients,with radical resection and external bile drainage in 6 patients,extended hemihepatectomy with caudate lobectomy in 6 patients and concomitant portal vein resection in 2 patients.The mean operative time was 365.6± 121.9min and the median intraoperative blood loss was 300 (75,400) ml.Intraoperative red cell and plasma transfusion were 0-15 U and 400(0,625)ml,respectively.According to the Clavien-Dindo complication classification system,5 of 32 (15.6％) patients developed type Ⅱ morbidity.The postoperative pathological findings revealed bile duct adenocarcinoma in 30 patients and mucinous adenocarcinoma in 2 patients.The median size of cancer was 3.0 (1.0,3.5) cm.According to the 8th AJCC staging system,stage Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ,and Ⅳ were found in 6,13,11,and 2 patients,respectively.A negative resection margin was achieved in 24 of 32 patients (75％).Up to August 6,30 of 32 patients (93.8％) were followed up and the overall 1-,2-,and 3-year survival rates for the patients who underwent laparoscopic radical resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma were 80.0％,53.0％,and 53.3％.The median survival time was 21.8 months.Conclusion Total laparoscopic surgery for hilar cholangiocarcinoma was safe and feasible if performed by an experienced surgeon after accurate preoperative evaluation.

Objective To study the feasibility of laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy ( LPD) in the treatment of pancreatic head cancer, and to analyze the short-term postoperative outcomes. Methods The clinical data of 57 patients with pancreatic head cancer who underwent laparoscopic pancreaticoduode-nectomy from April 2015 to November 2017 in the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University were retro-spectively analyzed. Results Of the 57 patients, conversion to open surgery was required in 2 patients, and major venous resection and reconstruction were performed in 9 patients, including 8 end-to-end anastomosis, and 1 synthetic graft interposition. Total pancreatectomy was carried out in 4 patients. For the remaining 53 patients, pancreaticojejunal mucosal anastomoses were carried out in 50 patients, and sleeve pancreaticojeju-nostomy in 3 patients. The mean operative time and operative blood loss were 497 (240～720) min and 435 (50～3 000 ) ml, respectively. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 17. 7 ( 6. 0 ～59. 0 ) days. Postoperative complications were detected in 26. 3% (15/57) of patients, which included delayed gastric emptying (DGE) in 4 patients, Grade B pancreatic fistula (PF) in 4 patients, biliary fistula ( BF) in 2 patients, postpancreatectomy hemorrhage ( PPH) in 2 patients, intraabdominal infection in 1 patient and pulmonary infection in 2 patients. All the patients with DGE recovered with conservative treatment and they were discharged home. Reoperation was only required in the two patients with PPH. One patient died after the operation. The postoperative pathological results revealed pancreatic duct adenocarcinoma in 53 patients, adenosscale carcinoma in 1 patient and neuroendocrine carcinoma in 3 patients. The maximum and minimum tumor sizes were 7. 0 cm×5. 0 cm×3. 5 cm and 2. 5 cm×1. 5 ×1. 0 cm, respectively. The mean lymph nodes harvest and positive lymph node retrieval were 14(1～60) and 0. 7(0～3), respectively. Negative resection margins were obtained in 84. 2% (48/57) of patients. This study was censored on December 31, 2017. The follow-up for these patients ranged between 1 to 32 months. Mortality occurred in 21 patients, including 1 patient with a ruptured aneurysm 2 months after operation, 2 patients with GI bleeding 2 and 9 months respectively after operation, 1 patient with severe pulmonary infection and 17 patients with cancer recurrence with survival varying from 2 to 21 months. 35 patients were still alive. Conclusion Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy is a safe and feasible procedure for pancreatic head cancer.