Obiective To observe the value of speckle tracking imaging(STI)in assessing left atrial(LA) function in patients with chronic heart failure(CHF).Methods Twenty-two patients with CHF[LVEF(37.1± 10.5)%]and twenty normal controls[LVEF(61.94±10.68)%]were studied.CHF group was subdevided into patients with normal or abnormal LV filling pressure.Velocity vector imaging(Siemens Medical Solutions)was used to acquire 2-D images at parasternallong axis and apical 4-chamber views.The LA dimension and volume,LV volume and ejection fraction,ratio of mitral valve E wave and mitral annulus velocity e'E/e')were measured. LA tangential and radial velocity(Vt-As,Vr-As)and time to peak velocity(TVt-As,TVr-As)were analysed on Syngo Workplace offline.Results Vt-As and Vr-As of the CHF group were significantly smaller than those of the controls(P＜0.05),and Vr-As was even decreased in patient with elevated LV filling pressure(P＜0.05), however,TVt-AS and TVr-AS didn't show evident impairment in the CHF group(P＞0.05).Vt-As and Vr-AS were closely correlated with LVEF,EDV and ESV(P＜0.05).Vt-As was negtively correlated with LA volume (P＜0.05).Conclusions STI can quickly and accurately assess LA function,and help to recognize patients with elevated LV filling pressure,which is useful in the risk stratification,treatment evaluation and prognosis prediction of CHF patients.

To observe the germistatic and germicidal effects of origanum volatile oil (OVI) on the dysentery bacteria, the abdominal cavity of mice was infected with Shigella sonne (Sh. sonnei) and Shigella flexneri (Sh. flexneri) F2a. After OVI was given to the mice via gastric lavage, the effects of OVI on the infected mice were observed. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) for dysentery bacteria were determined in vitro. The results showed that origanum volatile oil showed obvious protective effect on mice infected with Sh. sonnei and Sh. flexneri F2a and it had germistatic and germicidal effects on dysentry bacteria. We are led to conclude that origanum volatile oil is an effective medicine against the infection of dysentery bacteria.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/*pharmacology ; Dysentery, Bacillary/*microbiology ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Oils, Volatile/*pharmacology ; Shigella flexneri/*drug effects ; Shigella flexneri/isolation & purification ; Shigella sonnei/*drug effects ; Shigella sonnei/isolation & purification

Objective:To establish an HPLC method to simultaneously determine the content of protocatechualdehyde, rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid A in Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. Methods: The chromatographic column was a Linksil-ODS ( 250 mm × 4. 6 mm,5 μm) column,the mobile phase was 1% acetic acid water solution-acetonitrile (7∶3) with the flow rate of 0. 8 ml·min-1 . The detection wavelength was 280nm , the column temperature was 30℃ and the injection volume was 20 μl. Results: The linear range of protocatechualdehyde, rosmarinicacid and salvianolic acid A was 3-300 μg·ml-1(r>0. 999 0), and the recovery was within the range of 95. 22%-99. 68% with RSD below 2% (n=5). Conclusion:The method is accurate, rapid and reproducible, and can be used to control the quality of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge.

Objective Inflammation plays a critical role in the presence , development and maintenance of atrial fibrillation ( AF) , but it remains unclear what factors induce inflammation in AF patients , especially in those with valvular heart disease ( VHD) . The aim of this paper was to investigate the role of the shedding of Syndecan -4 in left atrial inflammation in patients with valvular atrial fibrillation. Methods Sixty VHD patients scheduled for valvuloplasty or valve replacement surgery were divided into three groups of equal number:sinus rhythm (SR), paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PaAF), and persistent atrial fibrillation (PeAF).Another 10 pa-tients with congenital heart disease but no valve damage and atrial fibrillation were included in a control group .Baseline clinical data were recorded and tissues were obtained from the left atrial appendage during operation .The expressions of iNOS , HMGB1, and Syn-decan-4 in the left atrium were detected by Western blot , and the pathological changes of the left atrial tissue observed by HE staining . Results Western blot analysis was performed to detect expression levels of proteins .The iNOS level was significantly higher in pa-tients from the paroxysmal AF group (1.61 ±0.10) and persistent AF group (1.67 ±0.08) than those from sinus group (1.06 ± 0.11) and control group (1.02 ±0.12), as was the protein level of HMGB1 (0.63 ±0.05, 0.95 ±0.10, 0.45 ±0.07 and 0.46 ± 0.06 in paroxysmal AF group, persistent AF group, sinus group and controlgroup respectively ).Inflammatory cell infiltration in-creased, while syndecan 4 was down-regulated in AF groups.All these comparisons were significant (P<0.05). Conclusion The decreased expression of Syndecan-4 and enhanced inflammatory response in the left atrial tissue indicate that the shedding of Synde-can-4 may play a role in the presence and development of inflamma-tion in the left atrium .

To observe the germistatic and germicidal effects of origanum volatile oil (OVI) on the dysentery bacteria, the abdominal cavity of mice was infected with Shigella sonne (Sh. sonnei) and Shigella flexneri (Sh. flexneri) F2a. After OVI was given to the mice via gastric lavage, the effects of OVI on the infected mice were observed. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) for dysentery bacteria were determined in vitro. The results showed that origanum volatile oil showed obvious protective effect on mice infected with Sh. sonnei and Sh. flexneri F2a and it had germistatic and germicidal effects on dysentry bacteria. We are led to conclude that origanum volatile oil is an effective medicine against the infection of dysentery bacteria.
Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; pharmacology ; Dysentery, Bacillary ; microbiology ; Female ; Male ; Mice ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Oils, Volatile ; pharmacology ; Shigella flexneri ; drug effects ; isolation & purification ; Shigella sonnei ; drug effects ; isolation & purification

Objective To describe the discovery of a residual foci of bancroftian filariasis in Fuchuan County where the disease was announced to have been eliminated, and reveal its epidemiologic feature.Methods The investigation was carried out from August 2007 to March 2008 among residents in Changtang village where the first caseof filariasiswas found and the neighboring villages.They were screened with two thick blood smears.Immunochromatographic technology(ICT) was conducted for those going out but returned and those in surrounding areas.Vector mosquitoes were collected and dissected to find filaria larvae.Historical documents were reviewed and relevant people were interviewed.Results In Changtang administrative village, 1 052 residents were screened and 19 cases with microfilaremia were found in 2 natural villages, with a Mf-positive rate of 1.8%(5.1% in Gangshang and 1.4% in Yinshan respectively).No Mf-positive case was found in 4 119 residents screened in other 3 villages.The average microfilaria density in the 19 cases was 17.37/60 ?l blood.All the 19 cases belonged to 12 families, and 13 cases were relatives to each other, which showed a feature of spatial clustering and family clustering.More patients were identified in the age groups of 20-29 and 50-59, and 57.9% of them were older than 50 years.No larvae were found in 54 Culex pipiens fatigans dissected.Conclusion The Changtang village is identified as a residual focus of bancroftian filariasis with a low, limited endemicity.More cases have been among the elderly with a low average microfilaremia.

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of anterior and posterior decompression internal fixation in the treatment of spinal cord injury without fracture and dislocation(CSCIWFD).Methods The clinical data of sixty-five patients with CSCIWFD in Worker's Hospital and Handan Central Hospital from December 2013 to May 2015 was analyzed.According to the surgical methods,the patients were divided into two groups,31 cases in the anterior group,accepted the anterior cervical decompression and internal fixation,34 cases in the posterior group,treated with posterior cervical open-door laminoplasty fixation.The operation time, intraoperative blood loss,neurological function recovery and complications of each group were recorded.Results The operative time in the anterior group was(63.2 ± 15.1)min and in the posterior group was(113.8 ±21.5)min,there was significant difference between the two groups(P<0.05).The intraoperative blood loss in the anterior group was lower than that in the posterior group((116.3 ± 18.9)ml vs.(236.3 ± 41.0)ml,t=55.837,P<0.05).In the anterior group,the JOA score was(6.9±1.6)points before operation,(9.6±1.9) points at 2 weeks after operation,(11.7±2.6)points at 3 months after operation and(13.5±3.1)points at the last follow-up,there were significant differences between the preoperative level and postoperative level(F between groups=33.759,P<0.05;F grouP=5.213,P<0.05;F interaction=6.769,P<0.05).In the posterior group,the JOA score was(6.7 ± 1.5)points before operation,(8.7 ± 1.8)points at 2 weeks after operation, (10.9±2.5)points at 3 months after operation and(13.1±3.4)points at the last follow-up,the differences were all statistically significant(P<0.05).Based on the JOA scores,there was significant difference between the two groups at 2 weeks after operation(P<0.05).The anterior group had 1 case of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and 1 case of cerebrospinal fluid leakage,while the posterior group had 1 case of wound infection,1 case of liquefaction necrosis and 1 case of epidural hematoma.There was no significant difference in the complication rate between the two groups(X2= 0.000,P= 1.000).Conclusion The anterior decompression has the advantages of less operative trauma,shorter operation time,less intraoperative blood loss and quick recovery of nerve function.The selection of surgical method should be based on the compression section of the spinal cord.

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) directing therapy in the treatment of pelvic inflammatory disease sequelae (SPID) with the syndrome of Qi stagnation and blood stasis. Methods: From April 2016 to April 2018, 60 patients of SPID with the syndrome of Qi stagnation and blood stasis in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Pudong New Area of Shanghai were randomly divided into the treatment group and the control group according to the digital table, with 30 cases in each group.The control group was treated with FukeQianjin capsules, and the treatment group was treated with TCM directing therapy, with a course of 1 month.The clinical efficacy was observed, and the TCM syndrome score and gynecological examination score were compared. Results: The total effective rate of the treatment group was 96.67%(29/30), which was significantly higher than 80.00%(24/30) of the control group (χ²=4.043, P<0.05). The gynecological examination score of the control group after treatment was (8.87±3.26)points, which was significantly lower than that before treatment [(16.50±5.35)points] (t=9.34, P<0.05). The gynecological examination score of the treatment group after treatment was (6.47±3.19)points, which was significantly lower than that before treatment [(17.83±4.47)points](t=10.92, P<0.05). The TCM syndrome score of the control group after treatment was (11.33±4.18)points, which was significantly lower than that before treatment [(26.33±7.61)points](t=9.99, P<0.05). The TCM syndrome score of the treatment group after treatment was (8.93±3.74)points, which was significantly lower than that before treatment [(29.67±7.61)points](t=13.37, P<0.05). After treatment, the decrease of TCM syndrome score in the treatment group was obviously better than that in the control group (t=2.23, P<0.05). And the decrease of the gynecological examination score in the treatment group was obviously better than that in the control group(t=2.50, P<0.05). Conclusion TCM directing therapy has good efficacy in the treatment of SPID with the syndrome of Qi stagnation and blood stasis.

AIM: To investigate the interactive effects of blood glucose and blood calcium on the prognostic impact of patients with acute severe pancreatitis (SAP) and to analyze their predictive efficacy on prognosis. METHODS: One hundred and seven patients with SAP admitted to our hospital from September 2019 to October 2022 were selected for the study and were divided into poor and good groups according to their prognosis within 28 d. The blood glucose, blood calcium, modified Marshall score, bedside acute pancreatitis severity score (BISAP) were compared between the two groups before treatment, after 3 d of treatment, and after 7 d of treatment, and the correlation between blood glucose, blood calcium and modified Marshall score and BISAP score was analyzed. The blood glucose levels of patients with different blood calcium were compared. Cox regression was used to analyze the factors associated with prognosis. The presence and type of interaction between blood glucose and blood calcium on prognosis were analyzed using the interaction coefficient γ and relative risk (RR) values. The subject operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to analyze the predictive efficacy of blood glucose and blood calcium on prognosis. RESULTS: The blood glucose, modified Marshall score, and BISAP score of the adverse group after treatment were higher than those of the good group, while the blood calcium was lower than that of the good group (P<0.05). After 3 and 7 days of treatment, blood glucose was positively correlated with improved Marshall score and BISAP score (P<0.05). The blood glucose level in patients with decreased blood calcium was higher than that in patients with normal blood calcium (P<0.05). The decrease of blood calcium had positive interaction with the increase of blood glucose (P<0.05). After 3 and 7 days of treatment, the AUC of blood glucose combined with blood calcium was greater than that predicted by single index (P< 0.05). CONCLUSION: Blood glucose and blood calcium are related to the severity of the disease in SAP patients. There is an interaction between blood glucose and blood calcium in predicting the prognosis of SAP patients. The combined detection of blood glucose and blood calcium has a certain predictive effect on the prognosis of SAP patients.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the association between homocysteine level and prethrombotic status and long-term thromboembolic events in patients with primary hypertension.

METHODSResults between 110 hypertensive patients with elevated homocysteine (HCY) level were compared with 110 hypertensive patients with normal HCY level which were enrolled from October 2003 to November 2009. Fibrinogen (FIB), viscosity, thrombomodulin (TM), granule membrane protein (GMP-140), prethrombin F1+2 fragment (F1+2), D-dimer fragment (D-Dimer) and antithrombin III (AT-III) were measured and correlated to HCY and prethrombotic state. The endpoints of the study were arterial and venous thromboembolic events. The variables linked with arterial and venous thromboembolic events were included in Cox proportional hazard models. The event-free survival was illustrated with Kaplan-Meier survival curves and compared by the Log-rank test.

RESULTSThe patients were followed up for 8-122 months (median follow-up time was 85 months). Compared with hypertensive patients with normal HCY, the plasma level of TM ((4.8±1.2) µg/L vs. (4.5±1.0) µg/L, P = 0.045), GMP-140 ((18.8±3.2) µg/L vs. (17.1±4.3) µg/L, P = 0.001), F1+2 ((1.2±0.4) nmol/L vs. (1.0±0.6) nmol/L, P = 0.004) were significantly higher while the plasma level of AT-III ((95.3±10.4) % vs. (98.6±10.6)%, P = 0.021) was significantly lower in hypertensive patients with elevated HCY level. FIB, viscosity of plasma and D-dimer were similar between the two groups. Multiple regression analyses indicated that HCY level was negatively correlated with AT-III (β = -0.199, P = 0.011) and positively correlated with age (β = 0.217, P = 0.04), female gender (β = 5.667, P = 0.001) and TM (β = 2.341, P = 0.003). Cox multivariate analysis revealed that age and HCY level were independent prognostic risk factors of thromboembolic events (OR 1.046, 95% CI 1.013-1.082, OR 1.052, 95% CI 1.027-1.078, respectively) (all P < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier curves showed that there was a significant difference in the event-free survival between the two groups (Log-rank test, P = 0.027).

CONCLUSIONSCompared with normal HCY hypertensive patients, the levels of plasma prothrombin activators such as TM, GMP-140 and F1+2 were significant increased and anti-thrombin factor such as AT-III was significant decreased in hypertensive patients with elevated HCY. Old age and high HCY level were independent prognostic risk factors of thromboembolic events. The event-free survival in hypertensive patients with elevated HCY is lower than in hypertensive patients with normal HCY level.

Case-Control Studies ; Essential Hypertension ; Female ; Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products ; Homocysteine ; blood ; Humans ; Hypertension ; complications ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; P-Selectin ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Regression Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Thromboembolism ; complications