Purpose.To introduce the epidemical, pathological, and clinical characteristics as well as the diagnostic and therapeutical experiences of endomyocardial fibrosis(EMF) in China. Data sources.A CMBdisc search was done of the Chinese-language literature published from January 1983 through June 1997 about EMF and/or restrictive cardiomyopathy. A manual search was then done for other contributions, including abstracts, between January 1965 and June 1997.Results. Eighty-seven Chinese cases of EMF were collected in this paper. There were 49 men and 38 women, with a mean age of 28±13 years(range, 8 to 68 years). The distribution of the cases is mainly in the south of China. Combined right and left ventricular disease occurs in 48 percent of cases, with pure right ventricular involvement occurring in 42 percent and pure left ventricular involvement in the remaining 10 percent of patients who are examined postmortem. The diagnosis of EMF was confirmed in 21 cases at autopsy, and in 66 cases by echocardiography, angiocardiography, and/or endomyocardial biopsy which showed the characteristic changes. Clinically, right-sided disease is the commonest variety. Endocardiectomy and tricuspid(n＝7) or mitral(n＝1) valves replacement have been performed in 8 patients. There were 2 operative deaths. Six patients had a satisfactory recovery postoperatively and living well in the follow-up duration. Conclusion.EMF has been diagnosed clinically and confirmed at necropsy in a number of cases in the south of China. The etiology, incidence and epidemiology are still unknown. The pathological and clinical features are similar to those in tropical areas, but right ventricular involvement is the commonest type in our country.

AIM and METHODS: To study the changes of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in a rat model of acute myocardial infarction (MI) and its significance. Eighty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. MI was produced by left coronary arterial ligation in 80 animals, and eight rats undergoing thoracotomy but not coronary ligation served as controls (sham).Blood samples were drawn from the right atrium before (sham animals) and 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 hours and 2, 3, 5, 7, 14 days after MI( n =8,respectively). Serum VEGF concentrations were measured by a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with a rabbit polyclonal antibody specific for VEGF. RESULTS: In 8 sham animals, the concentration of serum VEGF was (66 99?17 83) pg/mL. Six hours after MI, the level of serum VEGF significantly increased to (125 68?28 07)pg/mL ( P

Objective To analyze the distributional characteristics of NPC1L1 1 735 C>G polymorphism and the relation-ship between serum lipid levels and obesity in Guangxi Han population.Methods Genotyping of the NPC1L1 1 735 C>G poly-morphism of 409 cases of Han was performed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism combined with gel electrophoresis in all subjects.The relationship of different genotypes in blood lipid levels and obesity were evaluated.Re-sults The frequency of CC,CG and GG genotypes was 39.40%,46.00% and 14.60% in Han.The frequency of C and G alleles was 62.35% and 37.65% in Han.The levels of BMI,LDL-C,ApoB was different among the three genotypes (P <0.05).The G al-lele carriers had higher serum LDL-C and ApoB levels than the G allele noncarriers (P <0.05 ).Serum lipid parameters and BMI were also correlated with some environmental factors.Conclusion The 1 735 C>G polymorphism in NPC1L1 gene may be correla-ted with serum lipid profiles and obesity,the G allele might increase the risk of hyperlipemia and obesity.

Objective To study the effect of Tongxinluo on the plasma C-reactive protein(CRP)and endothelin-1(ET-1)in acute coronary syndrome(ACS) patients.Methods 100 patients with ACS were randomly divided into conventional therapy group and treatment group(conventional therapy+Tongxinluo gelatin capsule).The changes of CRP and ET-1 in the first day,7th and 14th day were observed.Results In the treatment group,CRP and ET-1 were significantly decreased in the 7th and 14th day(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),and there was significant decrease only in the 14th day(P＜0.05)in the conventional therapy group.CRP and ET-1 levels in the treatment group were significantly different as compared with conventional thereapy group(P＜0.01).Conclusion Tongxinluo capsule may protect blood vessel endothelium through inhibiting CRP and ET-1 to decrease the inflammatory response of endangium.

OBJECTIVE:To search a more effective treatment for hepatic functional lesion in primary hepatocellular car?cinoma.METHODS:60patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma were randomly divided into2groups,treatment group received treatment with polarized solution of Ka and Mg combined with compound glycyrrhizin glycyrrhizinate,while control group underwent treatment with polarized solution of Ka and Mg in combination with decomposed glutathione,both of the treatment courses were2wk～4wk.RESULTS:The decrease in levels of ALT and AST was significantly greater in treatment group,as compared with control group(P

Objective To compare the effects of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) and compound norethisterone enanthate (CNE) on the susceptibility of BABL/c mice to lower reproductive tract infection with chlamydia trachomatis (Ct). Methods A total of 60 BALB/c mice were randomly and equally divided into 6 groups:MPA-pretreated control group and CNE-pretreated control group inoculated with MyCoy cell suspensions in the vagina on the 5th day after single treatment with MPA and CNE respectively, blank control group receiving no treatment, MPA-pretreated infected group and CNE-pretreated infected group inoculated with 1 × 107 inclusion-forming units(IFU)of Ct serovar E in the vagina on the 5th day after single treatment with MPA and CNE respectively, control infected group inoculated with the same quantity of IFU of Ct serovar E in the vagina but receiving no pretreatment. On day 4, 7 and 14 after inoculation, vaginal irrigation fluid was obtained from all the mice for cell culture of Ct. Three mice were randomly selected from each of these groups at the above three time points and sacrificed, and vaginal and uterine tissue specimens were obtained for hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining and microscopic examination. Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test were conducted to compare infection rate among different groups. Results No growth of Ct was observed in the three control groups at the above time points. The culture-positive rate of Ct was 1/10 on day 4 but 0 on day 7 and 14 in both the CNE-pretreated infected group and control infected group, 7/10 on day 4, 2/7 on day 7 but 0 on day 14 in the MPA-pretreated infected group. Fisher's exact test revealed that the culture-positive rate of Ct was significantly higher in the MPA-pretreated infected group than in the control infected group and CNE-pretreated infected group on day 4 (both P =0.03), but similar among the three infected groups on day 7 (P = 0.23). Both the MPA-pretreated control group and infected group showed an increase in endovaginal mucus, thinning of vaginal stratified squamous epithelium, mucification of vaginal epithelium, presence of secretions in vaginal lumen and submucosal infiltration of a few inflammatory cells on day 4, 7 and 14, as well as appearance of pathological changes (including the presence of large quantities of purulent secretions in lumen, mild tissue edema and submucosal infiltration of a few inflammatory cells) in the vagina on day 4. Vaginal tissues were normal in both the CNE-pretreated infected group and control group at the above three time points, but mild tissue edema, lumen expansion, secretion retention and infiltration of scattered inflammatory cells were observed in the uterus on day 4 after inoculation. Conclusions MPA can arrest the estrous cycle of mice at diestrus with the mucification of vaginal epithelium, which may increase the susceptibility to Ct vaginal infection in mice. In contrast, CNE has no obvious effect on the estrous cycle and susceptibility to Ct vaginal infection despite of the appearance of pathological changes in the uterus.

Objective To determine the effect of intravenous administration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on myocyte apoptosis and the expression of P 53 , Fas, Bax and Bcl 2 in an experimental model rat with acute myocardial infarction Methods Thirty three male Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to left coronary artery ligation The rats were randomized to receive VEGF 165 heparin(treated group) or heparin saline(control group), respectively, 24 hours after surgery VEGF 165 (2 ?g/1 ml)with heparin(50 U)or heparin saline(50 U/1 ml)was administered daily via tail vein for 7 days(treated group, n=8;control group, n =10) and 14 days(treated group, n=7;control group,n =8)separately Apoptotic index and the expression of the P 53 , Fas, Bax and Bcl 2 in myocardium were measured at 9 or 16 days after coronary artery ligation Results The number of apoptotic myocytes in VEGF treated group was less than that in control group\[(10?2)% vs (28?2)%, P

Objective. To investigate the dynamic changes of serum vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) levels in a rat model of acute myocardial infarction. Materials and methods. Eighty-eight adult male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing approximately 270 g were used in this study. Eighty rats were subjected to left coronary artery ligation, with 8 rats for each different duration of infarct.Eight sham-operated animals in which the left coronary artery was surgically exposed without ligation were used as con-trols. Blood samples were drawn from the right atrium before ( sham animals ) and 1,3,6,12,24 h and 2,3,5,7,14 dafter myocardial infarction. The concentrations of serum VEGF were measured by a sensitive enzyme-linked im munosorbent assay with a rabbit polyclonal antibody specific for VEGF. Results. In the 8 control animals, the mean concentration of serum VEGF was 66.99 ± 17.83 pg/ml. Six hours after myocardial infarction, the level of serum VEGF significantly increased to 125.68 ± 28.07 pg/ml ( P ＜0.01 vs. sham controls), and reached a peak (240.61 ± 70.63 pg/ml. P ＜0.01 vs. sham animals) at 24 h after ligation and then decreased gradually over the remaining 2 weeks. However, the level remained significantly elevated for 14 d(107.64±30.13pg/ml, P＜0.01 vs. sham controls). Condusion. The present study shows that the levels of serum VEGF are markedly increased until 14 d in the ratmodel of acute myocantial infarction. The increased serum VEGF level may play an important role in the angiogencsisassociated with myocardial infarction.

Objective To compare the pathogenicity between Ureaplasma urealyticum serotype 1 (Up1)and 8 (Uu8) in the genital tract of BALB/c mice.Methods A total of 48 BALB/c mice were randomly and equally divided into four groups:blank control group receiving no treatment,estradiol group pretreated with intramuscular injection of estradiol followed by intravaginal inoculation with sterial liquid culture media,Up1 and Uu8 groups pretreated with intramuscular injection of estradiol followed by intravaginal inoculation with suspensions of Up1 and Uu8 respectively.Three mice were randomly selected from each group to be sacrificed after the collection of vaginal lavage fluid on day 3,7,14 and 21 after the inoculation.Vaginal and uterine tissue specimens were obtained from these sacrificed mice and underwent hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining.Vaginal lavage fluid samples were subjected to culture of Uu and measurement of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α).Results No evidences were observed for Uu growth in either the blank control group or estradiol group at any of the time points after the inoculation,with the average level of TNF-α in vaginal lavage fluid being (4.17 ± 0.85) pg/ml at these time points in both groups.Uu grew in all the vaginal lavage fluid samples from the Up1 and Uu8 groups at the four time points,with the color change unit (CCU) value decreasing with time.The level of TNF-α in vaginal lavage fluid peaked on day 14 after the inoculation in the Up 1 ((14.93 ± 1.11) pg/ml) and Uu8 ((27.04 ± 24.26) pg/ml) groups.Both Up1 and Uu8 infection caused acute and chronic inflammatory responses in the mice,which were mainly located in the uterus,and Up1 might cause intrauterine adhesion.Conclusions At the same inoculation concentration,no significant difference is found in the pathogenicity between Up1 and Uu8,both of which appear to mainly cause cervicitis.Upl might be partially responsible for intrauterine adhesion in mice.

Objective To test the ceftriaxone susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) isolates from Nanjing city,and to assess their genotypes by using the NG multi-antigen sequence typing (NG-MAST) method.Methods A total of 204 NG strains isolated in 2007 and 81 in 2012 from Nanjing city were included in this study.The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ceftriaxone was determined for these strains using an agar dilution method.DNA was extracted by the Qiagen commercial kit from these strains followed by NG-MAST.Results All the isolates were susceptible to ceftriaxone (MIC,≤ 0.25 μg/ml).The MIC of ceftriaxone was ≥ 0.06 μg/ml for 63.2％ of all the NG strains,70.6％ of those isolated in 2007 and 44.4％ of those in 2012,and ≥ 0.125 μg/ml for 31.6 ％ of all the NG strains,39.7％ of those isolated in 2007,11.1％ of those in 2012.Totally,166 genotypes were identified among the 285 isolates,of which,73 had been reported,and 93 were previously unreported.The most prevalent genotype was ST568 (n =13) in NG strains isolated in 2007,followed by ST270 (n =9),ST421 (n =7),ST2288 (n =5),ST1731 (n =4),ST1766 (n =4),ST1866 (n =4),ST1870 (n =4),while ST2318 (n =5),ST1053 (n =4),ST5990 (n =4),ST8726 (n =4) were the common genotypes in 2012.Those isolates with identical or similar genotypes tended to display similar MICs for ceftriaxone.Conclusions The prevalent genotypes of NG are markedly different between 2007 and 2012 in Nanjing region,and there is a strong association between the genotypes and ceftriaxone susceptibility of NG.NG-MAST results may serve as a genetic marker in the surveillance of antibiotic susceptibility in NG.