OBJECTIVE: To explore etiology and pathogenesis of viral myocarditis (VMC) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). METHODS: The expression of Coxsackie B virus and adenovirus receptors (CAR) were detected with modified immunohistochemical (IHC) technique in myocardium of left ventricle, right ventricle, interventricular septum, and septal papillary muscle from 28 patients with viral myocarditis, 31 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and 17 control patients (including normal, hypertension heart disease, myocardial infarction and coronary atherosclerotic heart disease). RESULTS: The brown staining on the cell membrane of myocardium represents positive result. 100% (28 of 28) of VMC patients (IHC surface integral: 4.3975 +/- 0.0365) and 84% (26 of 31) of DCM patients (4.2064 +/- 0.052 6) had prevalent CAR expression compared to 0% (0 of 19) control patients (0.073 1 +/- 0.0362). There were statistically significant differences between VMC/DCM and control patients (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The prevalence of CAR expression was significantly higher in VMC and DCM patients (100% and 84% vs. 0% in control). In contrast, there was no difference found between VMC and DCM patients. These results suggest that both VMC and DCM involve viral etiology and could share a similar pathogenesis.
Adenovirus Infections, Human/complications* ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated/virology* ; Case-Control Studies ; Coxsackie and Adenovirus Receptor-Like Membrane Protein ; Coxsackievirus Infections/complications* ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Male ; Myocarditis/virology* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Receptors, Virus/metabolism*

BACKGROUND: Paeonol is an active ingredient of traditional orthopedic drugs, exhibiting pain easing, detumescence and promotion of bone healing. The brushite calcium phosphate cement possesses good biocompatibility, which can be completely degraded in the body. A large number of studies have addressed the modification of brushite calcium phosphate cement to make it more suitable for clinical applications. OBJECTIVE: To study the setting time, syringeability, compressive strength, drug delivery ability, antibacterial property and cell affinity of brushite calcium phosphate cement with the addition of paeonol. METHODS: The tricalcium phosphate was synthesized by calcium nitrate and diammonium hydrogen phosphate, followed by being calcined into β-tricalcium phosphate at 1 000 ℃. Chitosan was dissolved in citric acid solution to prepare the liquid phase. The composite bone cement was prepared by mixing paeonol, β-tricalcium phosphate and monocalcium phosphate with the liquid phase. The setting time, syringeability, phase composition, anti-collapsibility, compressive strength, degradation property, drug delivery ability, antibacterial property and cell affinity of the composite bone cement in vitro were evaluated. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The setting time of bone cement was 12-17 minutes, which was prolonged with the increase of paeonol release. Moreover, the loaded paeonol showed no significant effect on the phase composition, syringeability, anti-collapsibility, and compressive strength of the compound. However, the degradation rate and drug release content were significantly enhanced with the increase of paeonol release.The inhibition zone experiments showed that the paeonol loaded cement inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli, but was not sensitive to Staphylococcus aureus.HepG2 cells could adhere and proliferate on the material surface after 3 days co-culture,with clear cell pseudopodia arising from the cell surface under the scanning electron microscope.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the short-term effects of flurothyl-induced neonatal recurrent seizures on gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor (GABAAR) alpha1 and beta2 subunit expression in the rat brain, and to study the relationship between the alterations of GABAAR subunits in the developing brain and seizure-induced brain injury.

METHODSSixty-four 7-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups: control and seizure. Seizures were induced by inhalant flurothyl daily for six consecutive days. The expression of GABAAR alpha1 and beta2 subunits protein in the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus were detected by Western blot and immunohistochemistry method 1 and 7 days after recurrent seizures.

RESULTSCompared to the control, the accumulated optical density (AOD) of GABAAR alpha1 subunit immunoreactivity (IR) in the parietal cortex, the CA3-CA4 regions and the dentate gyrus in seizure rats increased significantly 1 day after recurrent seizures (P<0.05). The AOD of GABAAR alpha1 subunit IR in the parietal cortex, the CA1-CA4 regions and the dentate gyrus in seizure rats increased significantly 7 days after recurrent seizures compared with the control (P<0.05). The expression of GABAAR alpha1 subunit in the hippicampus and the cerebral cortex increased significantly in seizure rats compared with that in control rats 1 and 7 days after recurrent seizures. After 7 days of recurrent seizures, the AOD of GABAAR beta2 subunit IR in the CA1-CA2 regions increased significantly in the seizure group compared with that in the control group (P<0.05), but the AOD of GABAAR beta2 subunit IR in the thalamus decreased significantly in the seizure group compared with that in the control group (P<0.05). The expression of GABAAR beta2 subunit protein in the hippocampus increased significantly in the seizure group compared with that in the control group 7 days after recurrent seizures (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSRecurrent neonatal seizures may result in the short-term alterations of GABAAR alpha1 and beta2 subunits expression in the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus in rats, suggesting the alterations of GABAAR subunit expression may be related to the developing brain injury following recurrent seizures.

Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Blotting, Western ; Brain Chemistry ; Immunohistochemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, GABA-A ; analysis ; Recurrence ; Seizures ; metabolism

Objective To study the effect of Phenobarbital (PB) on experimental rats,observe the histological changes of immature brain and the expressions of apoptosis-related proteins Bcl-2 and Bax in neurons detected by immunohistochemistry,and to explore the influence and mechanism of PB on brain damage at therapeutic levels to immature brain maturation of rat in order to provide the theoretical and experimental base for clinic.Methods A total of 40 healthy 18-day-old Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats (male or female) were randomly assigned into 2 groups:normal saline (NS) treated as control group(20 cases),PB group(20 cases).Each group was further randomly divided into longterm(4 weeks) treated group and short-term(2 weeks) treated group(10 rats in each group).The rats in PB group received intragastricadministration with PB (30 mg/kg).The rats in control group were handled by injection of NS into stomach and abdomen according to 4 mL/kg.All performances were undertaken for twice every day.At the end of the therapeutic period,body and brain weight were measured when the rats were sacrificed.Histological studies on the tissues of frontal lobes and hippocampus were performed by Hematoxylin-Eosin(HE) staining and Nissl staining.Expressions of apoptosis-related proteins Bcl-2 and Bax in neurons were detected by immunohistochemistry.Results There were no significant differences in body and brain weights or histological studies index among control group as well as PB group before and after treatment for short term(P ＞0.05).Remarkable reduction of brain weight was only observed in immature rats exposed to PB compared to control group for long period,and significant neurodegeneration,neuronal necrosis were observed in immature rats exposed to PB compared to control group(all P ＜ 0.01).The expression of Bax protein in the frontal lobe increased significantly in immature rats receiving PB for long period comparing with control (P＜0.01).In contrast,expression of Bcl-2 protein did not change at therapeutic level.The ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 was obviously increased.Conclusions Chronic treatment with PB will result in significant neuronal apoptosis and necrosis and persistent cognitive impairment and brain damage to immature rates.Brain damage of PB at therapeutic level to immature brain may be irreversible.The significant expression of Bax protein in the frontal lobe and the high rate of Bax/Bcl-2 are probably the main reasons which cause brain weight decreasing and brain damage by PB in immature brain tissue.

Animals ; Chelating Agents ; pharmacology ; Lead ; toxicity ; Learning ; drug effects ; Memory Disorders ; drug therapy ; Mice ; Morus ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Succimer ; pharmacology

Humans ; Multiple Myeloma ; Nasal Cavity

Objective: To confirm the impact of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) on perioperative and long-term outcome in patients with Stanford type A aortic dissection. Methods: From June 2010 to July 2017, the clinical data of 91 patients with Stanford type A aortic dissection were analyzed. Among them, 51 patients with OSAHS were included in the study group and 40 patients without OSAHS were included in the control group. After 36 months follow-up, all-cause death was regarded as the end event. The clinical baseline data, perioperative period and 36 months survival rate of the two groups were compared. Kanplan-Meier method was used to describe the 36 month survival curve of the two groups. Cox proportional risk model was used to evaluate the risk ratio (HR) and 95%CI of 36 month survival rate. Results: The mortality rate during hospitalization was 5.9% (3 cases) in the study group and 5.0% (2 cases) in the control group, and the difference was not statistically significant (χ~2=0.03, P>0.05). The actual follow-up was (36.2±1.5) months, 88 cases were followed up and 3 cases were lost. The all cause mortality rate of 36 months was 27.5% (14/51)in the study group and 10.0%(4/40) in the control group, the difference was statistically significant (χ~2=4.30, P<0.05).By Cox proportional risk model analysis, 36 months after operation, the study group was compared with the control group after adjusting for age, male, bicuspid of aortic valve, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, anemia, preoperative pericardial tamponade, postoperative organ dysfunction, preoperative LVEF, emergency operation, Sun's operation, coronary artery bypass grafting, hypertension, cardiac arrhythmia, and advanced avulsion of distal aortic dissection The survival rate was lower, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).In addition to OSAHS, coronary artery bypass grafting and preoperative pericardial tamponade were also risk factors for the increase of 36 month mortality rate (HR=11.28,95%CI: 1.98-46.25, P=0.009; HR=9.08, 95%CI: 2.22-41.3, P=0.032). Conclusions: There was no significant difference in mortality during hospitalization in patients with Stanford A aortic dissection combined with OSAHS. The survival rate of 36 months after operation was lower than that of the control group.
Aneurysm, Dissecting/surgery* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Postoperative Period ; Risk Factors ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive

Cangumycins A-F (1-6), six new angucyclinone analogues, together with two known ones (7 and 8), were isolated from the fermentation broth of a soil-derived Streptomyces sp. KIB-M10. Structures of these compounds were elucidated via a joint use of spectroscopic analyses and single-crystal X-ray diffractions. Among them, cangumycins E (5) and F (6) share a C-ring cleaved backbone, and cangumycins B (2) and E (5) exhibit potent immunosuppressive activity (IC 8.1 and 2.7 μmol·L, respectively) against human T cell proliferation at a non-cytotoxic concentration.

Inthomycins are polyketide antibiotics which contain a terminal carboxamide group and a triene chain. Inthomycin B (1) and its two new analogues 2 and 3 were isolated from the crude extract of Streptomyces pactum L8. Identification of the gene cluster for inthomycin biosynthesis as well as the N-labeled glycine incorporation into inthomycins are described. Combined with the gene deletion of the rare P450 domain in the NRPS module, a formation mechanism of carboxamide moiety in inthomycins was proposed via an oxidative release of the assembly chain assisted by the P450 domain.

Objective: Several COVID-19 patients have overlapping comorbidities. The independent role of each component contributing to the risk of COVID-19 is unknown, and how some non-cardiometabolic comorbidities affect the risk of COVID-19 remains unclear. Methods: A retrospective follow-up design was adopted. A total of 1,160 laboratory-confirmed patients were enrolled from nine provinces in China. Data on comorbidities were obtained from the patients' medical records. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratio ( Results: Overall, 158 (13.6%) patients were diagnosed with severe illness and 32 (2.7%) had unfavorable outcomes. Hypertension (2.87, 1.30-6.32), type 2 diabetes (T2DM) (3.57, 2.32-5.49), cardiovascular disease (CVD) (3.78, 1.81-7.89), fatty liver disease (7.53, 1.96-28.96), hyperlipidemia (2.15, 1.26-3.67), other lung diseases (6.00, 3.01-11.96), and electrolyte imbalance (10.40, 3.00-26.10) were independently linked to increased odds of being severely ill. T2DM (6.07, 2.89-12.75), CVD (8.47, 6.03-11.89), and electrolyte imbalance (19.44, 11.47-32.96) were also strong predictors of unfavorable outcomes. Women with comorbidities were more likely to have severe disease on admission (5.46, 3.25-9.19), while men with comorbidities were more likely to have unfavorable treatment outcomes (6.58, 1.46-29.64) within two weeks. Conclusion Besides hypertension, diabetes, and CVD, fatty liver disease, hyperlipidemia, other lung diseases, and electrolyte imbalance were independent risk factors for COVID-19 severity and poor treatment outcome. Women with comorbidities were more likely to have severe disease, while men with comorbidities were more likely to have unfavorable treatment outcomes.
Adult ; Aged ; COVID-19/virology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Comorbidity ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Severity of Illness Index ; Treatment Outcome