OBJECTIVETo study the effect of Sanhuang Jiangtang recipe (SJR) on renin-angiotensin system in local myocardium in diabetic rats.

METHODSRats were made into diabetes model by intraperitoneally administering of streptozocin, and medicated through gastrogavage with SJR (50 g/kg), gliclazide (20 mg/kg), captopril (15 mg/kg) and nitrendipine (30 mg/kg) respectively, for successive 8 weeks, started from 2 weeks after modeling. Levels of fasting blood sugar (FBS), serum insulin (Ins), heart/body weight ratio (H/BW), myocardial angiotensin II (Ang II), angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and aldosterone (ALD) were determined. And the mRNA expression of type I angiotensin receptor (AT1R) in myocardium were detected by RT-PCR assay.

RESULTSAs compared with those in the normal rats, levels of FBS, H/BW, Ang II, ACE, ALD and AT1R mRNA expression were higher (all P < 0.05) and level of serum Ins was lower (P < 0.01) in the model rats. SJR, gliclazide, captopril and nitrendipine could slightly reduce the blood sugar level in model rats, but with no increase of serum Ins. All the four drugs could reduce H/BW, Ang II, ACE and AT1R mRNA expression. SJR and captopril could also decrease the ALD content in myocardium.

CONCLUSIONCardiac hypertrophy has been induced in 10 weeks after diabetic modeling. Activation of local myocardial RAS is related to the genesis of diabetic cardiomyopathy. SJR, gliclazide, captopril and nitrendipine could antagonize the genesis of diabetic cardiomyopathy, the mechanism is related to the inhibition of RAS activation in local myocardium.

Animals ; Cardiomegaly ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental ; complications ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Renin-Angiotensin System ; drug effects

PURPOSETo evaluate the usefulness and information collecting ability of speckle tracking imaging techniques in the assessment of myocardial regional ventricular contractility in a rabbit model with blunt cardiac injury.

METHODSFifteen healthy New Zealand rabbits weighing (2.70 ±0.28) kg were anesthetized (3% pentobarbital sodium/i.v) and impacted using the BIM-II biological impact machine to induce myocardial contusion (MC). Hemodynamic parameters, such as heart rate, systolic pressure, mean arterial pressure, diastolic pressure and central venous pressure, were determined before and after MC. Further, parameters reflecting left ventricular functions, such as left ventricular end systolic pressure, left ventricular end diastolic pressure, isovolumic pressure (IP) and the maximal increasing/decreasing rate of left intraventricular pressure (±dp/dtmax), were also determined before and after MC. Left ventricular functions were determined either by two dimensional transthoracic echocardiography or by speckle tracking imaging for segmental abnormal ventricular wall motions.

RESULTSHeart rate, systolic pressure, diastolic pressure and mean arterial pressure decreased significantly but transiently, while central venous pressure markedly increased after MC. In contrast to significant changes in diastolic functions, there was no significant change in cardiac systolic functions after MC. The speckle tracking imaging demonstrated that strain values of different myocardial segment significantly decreased post impact, and that of the ventricular segment decreased from segment to segment.

CONCLUSIONSpeckle tracking imaging is useful and informative to assess myocardial regional dysfunctions post MC.

Animals ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart Injuries ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Hemodynamics ; Male ; Myocardial Contraction ; Rabbits ; Ventricular Function ; Wounds, Nonpenetrating ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology

In recent years,the prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae(CRKP)infection has become a global public health issue.Ceftazidime/avibactam(CAZ/AVI)has been approved as a novel antimicrobial agent for the treatment of healthcare-associated pneumonia/ventilator-associated pneumonia,bloodstream infection,infection after kidney transplantation,and severe infection combined with liver cirrhosis.However,the use of CAZ/AVI has also led to the emergence of drug-resistant strains.The major mechanisms of drug-resistance include over-expression of blaKPC gene,mutation of β-lactamase and amino acids at key sites,changes in cell permeability caused by loss of membrane porin,and over-expression of efflux pump.This article reviews the research progress of CAZ/AVI in the treatment of CRKP infection,providing reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the levels of blood pressure and serum lipids, and examine the relationship between hypertension and hyperlipidemia in Hei Yi Zhuang Chinese living in Guangxi.

METHODSA total of 1056 people of Hei Yi Zhuang ethnicity were studied. Blood pressure, body height, body weight, and serum levels of lipids and apolipoprotein were measured. The data were compared with those in 925 people of Han ethnicity, who live in the same region.

RESULTSSystolic blood pressure and pulse pressure were significantly higher in Hei Yi Zhuang than Han Chinese (P < 0.001). The prevalence of isolated systolic hypertension and hypertension was also significantly higher in Hei Yi Zhuang than Han Chinese (P < 0.001). Serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoprotein (Apo) B, and the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipidemia were significantly lower in Hei Yi Zhuang than Han Chinese (P < 0.05). Serum concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and the Apo A1 to Apo B ratio were significantly higher in Hei Yi Zhuang than Han Chinese (P < 0.001). The prevalence of hypertension in Hei Yi Zhuang Chinese was positively associated with triglycerides (r = 0.425, P < 0.05), whereas the prevalence of hypertension in Han Chinese was positively correlated with total cholesterol (r = 0.623, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONThe present study revealed a significant difference in blood pressure and serum lipids between Hei Yi Zhuang and Han ethnic groups, and an association between hypertension and hyperlipidemia.

Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; ethnology ; Blood Pressure ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; epidemiology ; ethnology ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; ethnology ; Lipids ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Sampling Studies ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the source of the first human case of avian influenza A (H5N1) infection in Beijing. Methods Interviewing the relatives of the case and other key persons, collecting and detecting samples of related biological, epidemiological and environmental data of the case were conducted. Later, the infection source was thoroughly investigated. Results The case ever contacted a slaughtered duck 5 days prior to the onset of illness, and the duck was bought from a stall of a wet market in Yanjiao area of Hebei province. Ten environmental samples were collected in this stall and the neighboring stall of the market. Another 6 samples were tested positive for H5N1 virus by PCR method, with 5 virus strains isolated. The whole-genome sequencing indicated that the amino acid homology between the H5N1 virus strains from the environment and the virus isolated from the case reached 99.8%-100%. Conclusion From both epidemiological and virological evidence, it was proved that the first human case of avian influenza A (H5N1) infection in Beijing was infected by a duck that carrying H5N1 virus the case contacted 5 days proceeding the onset of illness.

OBJECTIVESTo confirm previous whole-genome scan results of mapping type 2 diabetes susceptibility genes in chromosome 1 in Northern Chinese Han population by conducting a new genome scan with both an enlarged number of type 2 diabetes families and a new set of microsatellite markers.

METHODSA genome scan method was applied. After multiplexed PCR, electrophoreses, genescan and genotyping analysis, size informations for all loci were obtained, and a further study was done using both parametric and non-parametric linkage analysis to calculate the P-values and Z-values of these loci.

RESULTSA total of 34 microsatellite markers distributed within 5 regions along chromosome 1 were surveyed, and 12,000 genotypes were screened. Evidence of linkage with diabetes was identified for 8 of the 34 loci (all the P-values of the 8 loci distributed in 3 regions were lower than 0.05, and the highest Z-value was 2.17). Interestingly, all the 5 markers at the P terminal 1p36.3-1p36.23 region, spanning a long range of 16.9 cM, suggested to be linked with the disease. The results of the other two regions were not consistent with the previous ones.

CONCLUSIONSThe study results have confirmed those gained in the previous genome-wide scan. The fact that all 5 loci at the P terminal region displayed linkage with diabetes suggests that more than 1 susceptibility gene may reside in this region.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Chromosome Mapping ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1 ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; genetics ; Ethnic Groups ; Genetic Linkage ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genetic Testing ; Genotype ; Humans ; Microsatellite Repeats ; genetics

Objective To investigate the correlation of wavefront aberration and myopic development in school-age children.Methods Together 150 school-age children (300 eyes) in Beijing city were collected and underwent cycloplegic refractometry for detect the refraction status and Allegretto wavefront aberrometry for the measurement of wavefront aberration for 1-year follow up.Results Totally 132 children were successfully followed up and only 120 children were included in this study.The average increased diopter was (0.74 ± 0.55) D.It was found that the development of myopia was correlated with age,myopic duration and the baseline diopter (all P ＜ 0.01),and the wavefront aberration was correlated with age (P ＜ 0.05).There were significant difference in the third order RMS value and C7 (coma) between the myopic children with rapid progress and slow progress.C12 (spherical aberration) was significantly correlated with the change of diopter (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Both third order RMS and C7 (coma) may be the major contributors for myopia progress in school-age children,and the increased diopter may polarize the spherical aberration toward minus values.