Five population groups, including farmers living in Veining (a cold hilly southern county), farmers and labourers in Shijiazhuang (a northern district), coastal fishermen in Zhoushan and "Yi" nationality farmers in Veining (where the incidence of hypertension is very low in China) were selected randomly (467 male subjects, 40-59 years old) to explore nutritional parameters-BP relationships. The results showed; (1) Pulse rate, QI and BP were lowest in Veining "Han" and "Yi" nationality groups. (2) Values of blood and urine nutritional parameters were in close accord with the diet customs of the different population groups. (3) Urine Na, Ca, Ca/Mg, urea nitrogen and serum cholesterol, total protein, albumin, uric acid were higher, while urine K was lower in hypertensives. (4) Urine Na, Na/K, Ca/ Mg and serum albumin, total protein, cholesterol, triglyceride, uric acid levels correlated positively, while K inversely with BP on multivariate stepwise regression and/or discrimination analyses. These results suggested high Na (Ca)-intake might be hypertensive, while high K(Mg)-intake an-tihypertensive, the serum protein - BP relationship could not be ascribed as a secondary effect of hemoconcentration in hypertension; a high protein intake, regardless of nature, could be hypertensionogenic; hyperlipidemia seemed to be a risk factor of hypertension, not being the secondary consequence to high BP. In designing a strategic protocol for primary prevention of hypertension, the above should be given due consideration.

Eight populations including 4 Chinese districts and 4 nationalities 484 subjects (male, 40~59 years) were conducted for exploring amino acid (22 sorts)-BP relationship by multi-variate regression and discrimination analyses. Results showed:(1)The different amino acid levels found among "Ka-zak", "Han" and "Uygur" nationalities living in one of the same Xinjiang region might be a reflection of their diverse dietary patterns; while the difference seen between "Han" and "Yi" nationalities living in one of the same Quizhou area, taking similar diet, might be due to the inherited metabolic influence. (2) The levels of aspartic and (or) glutamic acids were the the highest in the Quizhou "Han" and "Yi" groups living in cold hilly area, while other amino acids were comparatively lower, in keeping with their BP, Quetelet's indices and serum urea levels to be the lowest, tentatively denoting that the tissue metabolic turnover rate might be also lower as well in these groups. (3) The serum levels of sulfur containing amino acids in those populations taking much animal foods, were all higher, therefor ethe lower incidences of cardio-cerebro-vascular diseases seen in fishmen can not be thus wholly ascribed to the high intake of fish meat rich in sulfur containing amino acids. (4) From BP regression equations, valine, cysteine, alanine, threonine were found to be the prohypertensives while glycine, leucine, methionine and phenylalanine,the antihypertensives.

Objective To study the expression of serum interleukin (IL )-6 and IL-10 in sepsis patients ,and their correlations with immune function .Methods A total of 56 patients with sepsis were divided into three groups ,including 18 patients in sepsis group ,21 patients in severe sepsis group ,17 patients in septic shock group .All the patients were also divided into survivor and death group according to whether they survived within 2 weeks .Other 30 healthy persons were selected in the control group .Serum IL-6 and IL-10 ,CD4+ /CD8+ were detected and compared .Results Serum IL-6 and IL-10 levels in the three sepsis groups were significantly higher than those in control group ,and with the severity aggravating ,these indicators increased .The level of serum IL-6 in sepsis patients was significantly reduced at the 3rd day ,while there was no difference on the serum IL-10 in severe sepsis group and septic shock group compared with that at admission(P>0 .05) .Compared with survivor group ,serum IL-6 and IL-10 levels on both admission and the 3rd in death groups increased significantly (P<0 .05) .CD4+ ,CD8+ ,CD4+ /CD8+ were negative related with serum IL-6 and IL-10 in both severe sepsis and septic shock group (P<0 .05) .Conclusion The expression of IL-6 and IL-10 in patients with sepsis are over-expressive ,and closely related with disease activity and immune function .

Men aged 40-59 years (325 subjects) from 4 districts, 6 populations, 3 nationalities were investigated to explore the relationship between element and blood pressure (BP) . Fe, Mo, Ni, Pb, Si, Sn, Sr, V, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Zn, Ca, and Mg -were measured by ion coupled plasma spectroscopy, Se by catalytic pulse polarography. Results showed; (1) The element levels were different among districts and nationalities. (2) The correlation coefficients among serum Pb, Ni, Si, Sn, V, Cd, Cr were rather high, while Sr behaved relatively independently. (3)Using multivariant stepwise regression and discrimination analysis, serum Sr was found to associate positively with BP in normotensive and hypertensive and total pooled groups without exce-piton. (4) Serum Ca (Ca/Mg), Fe, Co were positively associated, while Cr, Sn inversely associated with BP. (5) The harmful element Cd was unexpectedly found to be inversely associated with BP and it was lower in those populations with high BP levels, which might be ascribed to the non-parallel distribution of certain elements in body tissues and blood. Results also indicated; (1) The levels of essential element Ni, V, Co, Cr were lower in hypertensive group. (2) Serum Ca and urinary Ca were non-parallel, and the former could not accurately reflect Ca-intake. In short, the relationship between element and BP still remains to be elucidated.

Objective:To investigate the ultrasonographic features and prognosis of fetal vascular anomalies.Methods:Thirty-one fetuses with vascular anomalies diagnosed from June 2013 to August 2018 in Changsha Hospital for Maternal and Child Health Care were retrospectively analyzed. The location, size, shape, internal echo and blood flow distribution of the lesions were observed by ultrasound carefully, and the prognosis was followed up and analyzed.Results:Among the 31 cases of fetal vascular anomalies, 10 cases were comfirmed by autopsy after induced labor, and 21 cases were confirmed by postpartum local observation or surgery and pathology. Among them, there were 4 cases of Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome (including 1 case of Parkes-Weber syndrome), 3 cases of hemangioma, 1 case of primary congenital lymphedema and 23 cases of lymphangioma. Thirty-one cases showed lesions coincident with ultrasound localization and diagnosis, including 9 cases of head and neck lesions, 15 cases of trunk lesions, 1 case of upper limb lesion and 6 cases of lower limb lesions. The blood flow spectra of arteriovenous fistulas were found in 3 cases of fetal lesions and no obvious blood flow signals were found in 28 cases of fetal lesions.Conclusions:Prenatal ultrasound examination and follow-up play an important role in the diagnosis and prognostic prediction of fetal vascular diseases. The prognosis of fetal vascular diseases is closely related to the location, size, effect on the surrounding tissue and shunt volume of the lesion.

Cardiac fibrosis is a cause of morbidity and mortality in people with heart disease. Anti-fibrosis treatment is a significant therapy for heart disease, but there is still no thorough understanding of fibrotic mechanisms. This study was carried out to ascertain the functions of cytokine receptor-like factor 1 (CRLF1) in cardiac fibrosis and clarify its regulatory mechanisms. We found that CRLF1 was expressed predominantly in cardiac fibroblasts. Its expression was up-regulated not only in a mouse heart fibrotic model induced by myocardial infarction, but also in mouse and human cardiac fibroblasts provoked by transforming growth factor-‍β1 (TGF‍-‍β1). Gain- and loss-of-function experiments of CRLF1 were carried out in neonatal mice cardiac fibroblasts (NMCFs) with or without TGF-‍β1 stimulation. CRLF1 overexpression increased cell viability, collagen production, cell proliferation capacity, and myofibroblast transformation of NMCFs with or without TGF‍-‍β1 stimulation, while silencing of CRLF1 had the opposite effects. An inhibitor of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) signaling pathway and different inhibitors of TGF-‍β1 signaling cascades, comprising mothers against decapentaplegic homolog (SMAD)‍-dependent and SMAD-independent pathways, were applied to investigate the mechanisms involved. CRLF1 exerted its functions by activating the ERK1/2 signaling pathway. Furthermore, the SMAD-dependent pathway, not the SMAD-independent pathway, was responsible for CRLF1 up-regulation in NMCFs treated with TGF-‍β1. In summary, activation of the TGF-‍β1/SMAD signaling pathway in cardiac fibrosis increased CRLF1 expression. CRLF1 then aggravated cardiac fibrosis by activating the ERK1/2 signaling pathway. CRLF1 could become a novel potential target for intervention and remedy of cardiac fibrosis.
Animals ; Humans ; Mice ; Disease Models, Animal ; Fibroblasts/metabolism* ; Fibrosis ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3/metabolism* ; Myocardial Infarction/metabolism* ; Receptors, Cytokine/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/pharmacology*