BACKGROUND: Cardiac fibrosis, which results from the loss of balance between synthesis and degradation of cardiac matrix component, is the structural foundation of the stiffness of damaged myocardial tissues. Astragalus membranaceus, a traditional Chinese herb, has multiple functions such as exerting a tonic effect on the heart to induce diuresis. However,the effect of astragaloside Ⅳ on cardiac collagen is poorly known in practice.OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of astragaloside Ⅳ on myocardial collagen and cardiac function in ischemic rats and to investigate the dosage and time effects of astragaloside Ⅳ.DESIGN: A completely randomized grouping design and randomized controlled trial.SETTING: Department of Pediatrics, the Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Qingdao University.MATERIALS: The study was conducted in the Encephalopathy Research Institute, Medical College of Qingdao University, from July 2003 to February 2004. Totally 132 Wistar rats of cleaning grade were randomized into three groups: control group (n=11), ischemic group (n=10) and astragaloside Ⅳ group (n=121).METHODS: Rats in control group had thoracotomy, but did not have their left anterior descending coronary artery ligated; rats in ischemic group had thoracotomy and had their left anterior descending coronary artery ligated to establish acute myocardial infarction model; rats in astragaloside Ⅳ group were given astragaloside Ⅳ after surgical ligature of left anterior descending coronary artery. The changes in hemodynamic parameters, cardiac function and myocardial collagen were determined. The dosage and time effects of astragaloside Ⅳ on myocardial collagen and cardiac function were observed.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① The dosage and time effect of astragaloside Ⅳ on the content of myocardial collagen in the left ventricle of rats with myocardial infarction; ② The dosage and time effects of astragaloside Ⅳ on hemodynamics and cardiac function of rats with myocardial infarction.RESULTS: One hundred rats entered the results analysis. There were 10 in control group and ischemic group, respectively, and 80 in astragaloside Ⅳ group. The five dosage groups of astragaloside Ⅳ [2.5, 5.0, 10.0, 15.0 and 20.0 mg/(kg·d)] and the five postoperative time points (3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days) had eight rats for each. Astragaloside Ⅳ at a dose of 15.0 mg/kg per day was found to have the most marked effect on ischemic myocardium, so this dose was chosen for observing time effect. ① After administration of astragaloside Ⅳ, the content of collagen in myocardial tissues of the infarcted area of left ventricle, the serum concentration of carboxyterminal procollagen type Ⅰ propeptide and aminoterminal procollagen type Ⅲ propeptide decreased gradually with the increased dose of astragaloside Ⅳ and with the prolonged action time of astragaloside Ⅳ [15 mg/(kg·d)] (P ＜ 0.05-0.01). The serum concentration of carboxyterminal procollagen type 1 propeptide and aminoterminal procollagen type Ⅲ propeptide returned to the level of control at a dose of 10 mg·kg-1per day and at 21 days after astragaloside Ⅳ administration, respectively. The content of collagen in myocardial tissues of the infarcted area of left ventricle was higher than that of non-infarcted area (P＜ 0.01); there were no significant changes in the content of cardiac collagen of right ventricle and non-infarcted area of left ventricle before and after astragaloside Ⅳ administration. ② The cardiac function of ischemic rats significantly improved after astragaloside Ⅳ administration (P ＜ 0.05-0.01); cardiac output, heart rate, stroke volume,mean aortic pressure, systolic aortic pressure, and the stroke work of left ventricle gradually returned to the level of control with the increased dose of astragaloside Ⅳ and with the prolonged action time of astragaloside Ⅳ.CONCLUSION: Astragaloside Ⅳ can inhibit the proliferation of cardiac collagen and improve cardiac function in rats with myocardial infarction.The content of myocardial collagen gradually decreases and cardiac function gradually improves with the increased dose of astragaloside Ⅳ and the prolonged action time of astragaloside Ⅳ.

Objective To explore the relationships between the sleep/wake-up patterns and temperament in preterm infants.Methods The developmental characteristics of sleep/wake-up patterns and temperament in preterm infants aged 4 months at corrected gestational age in their own home environments were described.The 23 relatively low-risk preterm infants were enrolled in this study.The sleep/wake-up data was collected with actigraphy.The temperament was assessed by Chinese Infant Temperament Questionnaire.Results Among the 23 infants,there were 13 coordinated difficult(D) type and 10 coordinated easy(E) type.The number of night wake-up in the coordinated D-type preterm infants[(2.78 ±0.01) times] were significantly more than that of coordinated E-type ones[(2.60 ± 0.03) times] (t =3.285,P =0.001).The longest continuous sleep time of coordinated D-type preterm infants [(4.20 ± 1.21) h] was significantly less than that of coordinated E-type ones[(4.41 ± 1.14) h] (t =3.374,P =0.001).There were no significant differences in daytime sleep duration,the number of naps,bedtime,sleep latency,nighttime sleep duration,the 24 hour sleep duration and morning awaking time between the two groups (all P ＞ 0.05).After the sex factor was controlled,there was a positive correlation between emotional nature and sleep latency at night (r =0.599,P =0.032).There was also positive correlation between persistence and the number of naps in daytime (r =0.439,P =0.035).Conclusions Preterm infants with different temperament types have different number of night wake-ups and the longest continuous sleep time.The emotional nature and persistence are associated with sleep latency at night and number of naps in daytime respectively.The parents of preterm infants should change their child rearing behaviors to improve sleep quality of the preterm infants.

Objective To further recognize the coronary artery three vessel disease by studying the abnormal change of the electrocardiogram(ECG)and echocardiography of ischemic heart disease patients and unstable angina pectoris patients,and to analyze the results of coronary angiography.Methods Coronary arteriography for 2 654 patients diagnosed as ischemic heart disease,unstable angina pectoris,were conducted and the result of coronary arteriography were compared with the ECG and echocardiography.Results There were certain statistically significant correlation among the ECG,echocardiography abnormal change and three vessel coronary artery disease(ECG:χ2 =9.02,P <0.01;echocardiography:χ2 =14.36,P <0.01).The sensitivity,specificity,false positive rate,and false negative rate of ECG were 71.46%,27.47%,62.26% and 28.50% respectively.The sensitivity,specificity,false positive rate, and false negative rate of echocardiography were 61.27%,27.08%,72.91% and 38.72% respectively.ECG′s change of patients appear in 8 or more leads when angina pectoris attacks exist,the incidence of chest lead terminal positive T wave were higher than 90.00%.Ⅲ lead fQRS wave group or low voltage changeed and AVR lead ST seg-ment elevation were accounting for 82.61% and 56.52% respectively.Conclusion There are certain correlation and predictive value among the ECG,echocardiography and three vessel coronary artery disease.There are characteristic waveform change of ECG when angina pectoris attacks exist.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the down-regulation effect of antisense oligonucleotides (AS ODNs) targeting X-chromosome-linked inhibitors of apoptosis (XIAP) on hep-2 cells apoptosis and radiotherapy sensitivity in vitro. METHOD: G4 AS ODN was transfected into cultured hep-2 cells which received radiation 6 hours later. Twenty-four hours after radiation, cells were observed under inverted phase contrast microscope and fluorescence microscope. Apoptosis rate, cell viability, expression of XIAP mRNA and protein were tested. RESULT: In cultured hep-2 cells, G4 AS ODN down-regulated XIAP mRNA expression. Furthermore, the protein expression of XIAP and the cell viability decreased too. In contrast to that, the scrambled control ODN caused minor XIAP loss and less cell inhibition. In addition, G4 AS ODNs activated Hep-2 cells after the radiation of 4 Gy Co60 ray. CONCLUSION XIAP is a viable target for cancer therapy in human laryngeal neoplasms. In cultured Hep-2 cells, AS ODN targeting XIAP can down-regulate protein expression of XIAP, induce cell apoptosis and enhance the radiotherapy sensitivity.
Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Oligonucleotides, Antisense ; pharmacology ; X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein ; genetics ; pharmacology

Objective To observe the expression change of melanoma-associated antigen(MAGE)-A9 in colorectal cancer (CRC)tissue and to explore its significance.Methods The samples in 23 cases of initially diagnosed CRC in the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from January 2006 to December 2008 were collected.The quantitative real-time(qRT)-PCR was adopted to detect MAGE-A9 mRNA expression in cancer tissue and corresponding paracancerous tissue.Its correlation with the clinicopatho-logical features and prognosis was analyzed.Results The positive rate of MAGE-A9 in CRC tissue was significantly higher than that in paracancerous normal tissue(P<0.05).MAGE-A9 protein expression in CRC was related to the clinicopathological features such as tumor differentiation degree(P=0.011),TNM stage(P=0.003),tumor infiltration depth(P=0.001)and lymph node me-tastasis(P=0.003).The survival analysis showed that the expression of MAGE-A9 was closely related to the prognosis of CRC pa-tients.Conclusion MAGE-A9 expression is increased in CRC tissue,suggesting the poor prognosis.

Objective:To explore the application of multi-modal digital massive open online courses (MOOCs) mode in the standardized residency training of obstetrics and gynecology.Methods:A total of 40 residents who entered the training program of obstetrics and gynecology from September 2018 to February 2020 were selected as the control group, and 40 residents from March 2020 to August 2020 were selected as the study group. The control group adopted the traditional teaching method, and the study group adopted the multi-modal digital MOOCs teaching method. The scores of theoretical examination and skill operation examination after the standardized training, clinical ability examination before and after the standardized training and teaching satisfaction were compared between the two groups. SPSS 22.0 was performed for t test and chi-square test. Results:After the standardized training, the scores of theoretical knowledge [(88.53±6.04) vs. (79.67±5.52)] and skill operation [(85.52±6.33) vs. (71.15±7.86)] in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group ( P < 0.05). After the standardized training, the scores of all kinds of clinical ability of the two groups were higher than before ( P < 0.05), and the scores of all items in study group were higher ( P < 0.05). The satisfaction of all aspects of teaching in the study group was higher than that in the control group ( P < 0.05). Conclusion:The application of multi-modal digital MOOCs teaching mode in the standardized residency training of obstetrics and gynecology can strengthen the learning and mastering of theoretical knowledge, operational skills and the cultivation of clinical ability, and significantly improve the quality of teaching with high teaching satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) and the apoptosis rate in cultured Hep-2 cells, and discuss their relationship. METHOD: Cultured Hep-2 cells were irradiated with 2, 4, 8 Gy gamma ray. Living inhibitor rate detected with MTT, apoptosis rate and fluorescence index number of XIAP in mRNA level by RT-PCR and in protein level by flow cytometry (FCM) were measured at 12th, 24th, 48th hours after radiation respectively. RESULT: After irradiation, the volume of adherent cells increased and the number of suspended cells increased accordingly. 48 hours after irradiation with 2, 4, 8 Gy, the living inhibitor rate of Hep2 cells were 3.24%, 8.29%, 13.53%, and apoptosis rate was 3.27%, 5.33%, 8.22%. The fluorescence index number of XIAP protein measured by FCM was 1.23, 1.46, 1.58 respectively. With the dosage of 4 Gy, at the 12th, 24th, 48th hours of irradiation, the apoptosis rate was 3.19%, 3.22%, 5.31%. The living inhibitor rate was direct correlation with apoptosis rate in radiated Hep-2 cells. The expression of XIAP increased quickly at the 24th hours after radiation but the apoptosis rate did not increased in the course. XIAP was no more increase at the 48th hours, while the apoptosis rate was significantly higher. Which indicated that Them two were negative correlation. CONCLUSION gamma-ray can inhibit the growth of Hep-2 cells. The irradiation dosage was direct correlation with living inhibitor rate. Apoptosis is the main death method of Hep-2 cells after irradiation. The over expression of XIAP maybe one reason which caused the delayed apoptosis after radiation.
Apoptosis ; radiation effects ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Gamma Rays ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein ; metabolism

Objective:To detect pathogenic mutation in a Chinese family affected with isolated bilateral microtia.Methods:During 2022 June to December, one Chinese Han family with non-syndromic bilateral microtia was recruited at the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University. The clinical data and peripheral blood samples were collected from the family members. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed in the proband to screen all candidate variants. Quantitative PCR was applied to identify the candidate copy number variation (CNV) among the proband, the unaffected wife and the affected son to demonstrate the association between candidate variant and phenotype.Results:The patients in the family had non-syndromic bilateral concha-type microtia. WGS detected the duplication in the intergenic region of HMX1 and CPZ gene in the proband, which involved the evolutionarily conserved region (ECR). Both the proband and his affected son carried the CNV, while his unaffected wife did not have this variation.Conclusion:Duplications involving the long range HMX1 enhancer ECR are associated with the bilateral concha-type microtia in this family.

Objective:To detect pathogenic mutation in a Chinese family affected with isolated bilateral microtia.Methods:During 2022 June to December, one Chinese Han family with non-syndromic bilateral microtia was recruited at the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University. The clinical data and peripheral blood samples were collected from the family members. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed in the proband to screen all candidate variants. Quantitative PCR was applied to identify the candidate copy number variation (CNV) among the proband, the unaffected wife and the affected son to demonstrate the association between candidate variant and phenotype.Results:The patients in the family had non-syndromic bilateral concha-type microtia. WGS detected the duplication in the intergenic region of HMX1 and CPZ gene in the proband, which involved the evolutionarily conserved region (ECR). Both the proband and his affected son carried the CNV, while his unaffected wife did not have this variation.Conclusion:Duplications involving the long range HMX1 enhancer ECR are associated with the bilateral concha-type microtia in this family.

Objective To analyze research literatures of patient safety culture in our country, and investigate the present research situation and development trend, in order to provide a reference for the further study.Methods Three Chinese databases such as CNKI、CBM and VIP journals resource integration service platform were used as the data sources; main contents and relevant characteristics were screen out by EXCEL and then we carried out the descriptive analysis. Results This study included 342 articles. Average number of articles for each year were on a rise;the ranking of top five regions for number of articles were all economically developed areas in China. Type of patient safety culture research in China was given priority to experience exchange researches ( 51. 5%) . Authors′ units were given priority to hospitals or departments in hospitals (74. 3%), and authors′professions were given priority to nurses (76.0%). Nursing was the majority of research direction of patient safety culture and accounted for 59. 1%. 134 in 342 articles were researches carried out in hospitals or departments of them. Literature cooperation degree was 2.36, co-authorship percentage was 59.1%. Fund-supported projects were 33, and accounted for 9. 94%, in which national funds accounted for 1. 46%. Conclusions The number of existed literatures in China was not much, the annual number of articles showed a trend of increase. Most authors of literatures were nurses and most of the literatures were researches from the perspective of nursing and were concentrated in the hospitals and their departments. Research of patient safety culture in other institutions was little. Most of the existed patient safety culture literatures belongs to experience exchange type, and literatures about assessment tool development for the safety culture war little. Researches of patient safety culture in economy underdeveloped areas in the domestic was relatively backward. Literature cooperation rate was low, and the fund support was low.