Cardiovascular disease is a severe threat to human health and life. Among many risk factors of cardiovascular disease, genetic or gene-based ones are drawing more and more attention in recent years. Accumulated evidence has demonstrated that the loss or mutation of ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene can result in DNA damage repair dysfunctions, telomere shortening, decreased antioxidant capacity, insulin resistance, increased lipid levels, etc., and thus can promote the occurrence of cardiovascular risk factors, such as aging, atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome. In this review, we discusses the possible mechanisms between ATM gene and cardiovascular risk factors, which could be helpful to the related research and clinical application.
Aging ; Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins ; genetics ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; genetics ; DNA Damage ; DNA Repair ; Humans ; Mutation ; Risk Factors

Objective To investigate the roles of theaflavins(TFs) in airway mucus hypersecretion induced by human neutrophil elastase(HNE). Methods Human lung adenocarcinoma cell A549 was stimulated by HNE for mucus hypersecretion,and TF monomers(TF1,TF2 and TF3) were used for intervention.The effects of TF monomers on viability of A549 cells were examined by MTT method.After the effective doses of TFs were determined,A549 cells were divided into 4 groups for experiment.In control group,A549 cells were cultured with serum-free medium.In HNE treatment group,A549 cells were treated with HNE(50 nmol/L) for 24 h.In TF monomer intervention groups,A549 cells were pre-treated with TF1,TF2 or TF3(50,100 or 200 ?g/mL) for 24 h,and were then treated with HNE for another 24 h.In AG1478 intervention group,A549 cells were pre-treated with AG1478(5 ?mol/L),an epidermal growth factor receptor blocker for 30 min,and were then treated with HNE for another 24 h.The changes in mucin(MUC) after treatment by different doses of TF1,TF2 and TF3,and by TF3(200 ?g/mL) for different time(12 h,24 h and 36 h) were detected.The changes in MUC5AC mRNA expression and MUC5AC protein expression were detected by RT-PCR and ELISA,respectively. Results The MUC5AC mRNA expression and protein expression in HNE treatment group were significantly higher than those in control group(P

Bridged-Ring Compounds ; poisoning ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Poisoning ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome

Carrier State ; virology ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; complications ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged

After 28 foreign species of AM fungi were inoculated in sterilized soil, the effects of the AM mycorrhizal colonization and the medicine quality of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis were observed by combination of inoculation test in pot at room temperature and instrumental analysis. The results showed that, compared with control group (CK), the inoculation of foreign AM fungi in the soil influenced the spore density, mycorrhizal infection rate, and colonization intensity of AM fungi in root system of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis. The inoculation of foreign AM fungi enhanced the mycorrhiza viability of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis by increasing the activity of succinic dehydrogenase (SDH) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in intraradical hyphae. The content of single steroid saponin in rhizome of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis showed variation after P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis was inoculated by different foreign species of AM fungi, which was beneficial for increasing the medicine quality; however, the kinds of steroid saponin showed no difference. In a degree, there was a selectivity of symbiosis between P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis and foreign AM fungi. And we found that the Claroideoglomus claroideum and Racocetra coralloidea were best foreign AM fungi species for cultivating P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis under field condition.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Fungi ; classification ; growth & development ; Liliaceae ; chemistry ; growth & development ; microbiology ; Mycorrhizae ; classification ; growth & development ; Plant Roots ; chemistry ; growth & development ; microbiology ; Quality Control

Objective To investigate the distribution and severity of cerebral artery stenosis and the prognosis in elderly patients with acute cerebral infarction using digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Methods The 432 elderly patients with acute cerebral ischemia infarction underwent DSA,and they were divided into two groups: elderly group (n= 320) and non-elderly group (n= 112). The characteristics of distribution and severity of cerebral artery stenosis, the relationship between artery stenosis and relative risk factors, and the prognosis of acute cerebral infarction were analyzed.Results In elderly group, 270 cases (84.3%) had intra- and extra- cranial artery stenosis, of which 98 patients (30.6%) with pure extracranial arterial stenosis, 132 patients (41.3%) with combined extra- and intra-cranial artery stenosis. They were both significantly higher than the corresponding data in non-elderly group [23 cases (20.5%) and 28 cases (25%), P＜0.05 and 0.01]. The prevalences of moderate and severe cerebral artery stenosises were higher in elderly group than in nonelderly group [224 locations (52.1%) vs. 51 locations (40.8%), P＜0. 05]. The number of patients with previous history of cerebrovascular disease was much more and the prognosis was much worse in elderly group than in non-elderly group (both P＜0.05), Conclusions The elderly patients with cerebral infarction have severer cerebral artery stenosis, increased proportion of multivessel disease and poor prognosis. So it is very important to take aggressive treatment as soon as possible, and to make secondary prevention and effective rehabilitation so as to improve their prognosis.

Objective To explore the effects of andrographolide(AP),extracted from the traditional Chinese herb Andrographlis paniculata(AP),on injury induced by radiation exposure.Methods Sixty male rats were randomly divided into 4 equal groups and irradiated with 60Co γ-rays at the doses of 1,2,and 4 Gy,respectively:low dose AP group(intragnstrically administered with AP at the dose of 100 ms/kg daily for 10 d before irradiation),and high dose AP group(intragastrically administered with AP at the dose of 200 ms/kg daily for 10 d before irradiation),model group(administered with the same volume of normal saline instead of AP for 10 d before irradiation),and control group(irradiated only at 3 different doses).One day after irradiation all rats were killed with their livers being fixed to make paraffin section.The morphological feature was observed under light microscope after HE staining,and the cell apoptosis was detected by TUNEL technology.Results Compared to the control and model groups,the pathological changes of liver were significantly gentler in the AP treatment groups.The apoptosis rates of the liver cells of all the AP sub-groups were significantly lower than those of the control and model subgroup(t=2.19-4.80.P<0.05).Conclusions AP might have prevention effect against radiation exposure.

Objective To identify lesion patterns and stroke mechanisms in middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory using early diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) combined with CTA as well as EKG and echocardiography.Methods One hundred and forty-eight acute ischemic stroke patients who had (1) symptomatic lesions located in the unilateral MCA territory on DWI performed within 1 week of symptom onset,and (2) either corresponding MCA disease,internal carotid artery (ICA) disease,MCA & ICA disease or cardio embolism (CE),or (3) neither corresponding MCA disease,ICA disease,nor CE which were taken as group of negative results (NR),were reviewed.Acute DWI lesion patterns were classified as (1) single (small perforator < 2 cm;large perforator ≥2 cm;pial;large territorial;border-zone) and (2) multiple according to principle of single-blind.Results There were 12 types of lesions in MCA territory.Distribution of lesion patterns in different stroke subtypes might be different (χ2= 55.88,P = 0.004).No specific pattern could be found in patients with MCA disease,ICA disease,MCA & ICA disease or CE.Big perforator infarcts might be more common in patients with MCA disease than with ICA disease and CE.Compared with negative group,concomitant perforator and pial infarcts were more common in patients with ICA disease (7/27,χ2=6.61,P <0.05),especially with severe stenosis or occlusion (5/16,χ2=7.32,P < 0.05);No specific pattern could be found in patients with MCA disease or CE.Concomitant perforator,pial,with border-zone infarcts (6/30,χ2= 6.41,P <0.05),and concomitant perforator with border-zone infarcts (4/30,χ2= 5.59,P < 0.05) were more often in patients with severe stenosis or occlusion of MCA.Conclusion Different lesion patterns may indicate different mechanisms of stroke such as hypoperfusion and arterial embolism could be coexistent in MCA territory.The relationship has not been identified perfectly.

Objective To analyze the value of conventional T2WI combining with breath-hold Cartesian VIBE sequence, and compared with Blade combining with breath-free radial VIBE sequences in pre-operative T staging of potentiallly resectable esophageal carcinoma. Methods Sixty-five cases of esophageal carcinoma were concluded prospectively. All patients had received pathological examination of gastroscope biopsy before MRI. Patients received MR examination, including T2WI, breath-hold VIBE, Blade, and breath-free radial VIBE sequences. Two radiologists with more than five years experiences in the diagnosis of chest, performed T staging in MRIby referring to the the 7th edition of UICC-AJCC TNM classification. The results of MRI T staging and the postoperative pathological T staging were analyzed byχ2 test. Results Sixty-five patients were included. Diagnostic coincidence rates of the preoperative T staging by using conventional T2WI combining with breath-hold Cartesian VIBE sequences and Blade combining with breath-free radial VIBE sequences were 51%(33/65) and 88%(57/65) ,with 32 and 8 cases overstaging or understaging respectively, and the statistical differences were significant(χ2=20.80, P<0.05). The former diagnostic accuracy of esophageal carcinoma in situ, muscularis violation and esophageal fiber membrane were 42%(8/19), 54%(14/26), 55%(11/20), and the latter were 89%(17/19), 88%(23/26), and 85%(17/20). Conclusions Diagnostic coincidence rate of the preoperative T staging by using Blade combining with breath-free radial VIBE sequences is much higher than conventional T2WI combining with breath-hold Cartesian VIBE sequences. Blade combining with breath-free radial VIBE sequences could be used as non-invasive imaging method in preoperative T staging of potentially resectable esophageal carcinoma.

In order to explore the diagnosis and therapeutic effectiveness of nocardiosis after allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), the features of clinical manifestation, laboratory examination and response to TMP-SMZ treatment in two cases of nocardiosis after allo-HSCT were analyzed retrospectively. The result showed that the attack happened to 2 patients at day 15 and 170 after allo-HSCT respectively, displaying fever and chest pain. Chest CT scan indicated bilateral pulmonary tuberculous shadow. Nocardiosis was diagnosed by the culture of sputum, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and pus samples as well. Both of these cases exhibited good response to combined therapy containing TMP-SMZ for half a year. It is concluded that nocardiosis is a rare complication after allo-HSCT, in which pulmonary involvement is commonly observed. The culture of BAL fluid is helpful for its diagnosis and this disease might be sensitive to the treatment of TMP-SMZ-containing regimens.
Adolescent ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nocardia Infections ; etiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplantation, Homologous