OBJECTIVE:To study the effects of spirulina kinase(SPK)on the vascular endothelial function of model rats with atherosclerosis. METHODS:60 rats were randomly divided into normal control group(distilled water),model group(distilled wa-ter),positive control group(simvastatin,0.005 g/kg)and SPK low-dose,medium-dose,high-dose groups(80,160,320 U/kg). Except for normal control group,rats in other groups were induced for model of atherosclerosis. All groups were intragastrically ad-ministrated relevant medicines at the same time,once a day for consecutive 12 weeks. Total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),interleukin-6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) contents in serum of rats were measured. And the changes of thoracic aortic endothelium morphology were ob-served by HE staining. RESULTS:Compared with normal control group,TC,TG,LDL-C,IL-6,TNF-α contents in serum of rats in model group were increased(P<0.01),HDL-C content in serum was decreased(P<0.01);vascular endothelial cells fell off, intimal proliferation projected into the lumen,smooth muscle cell proliferated and disordered,medium film elastic fiber disintegrat-ed and fractured. Compared with model group,TC,TG,LDL-C,IL-6,TNF-α contents in serum of rats in administration groups were decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01),HDL-C content in positive control group and SPK medium-dose,high-dose groups was in-creased (P<0.05). Vascular endothelial cell morphology was improved significantly in administration groups,in which,vascular endothelial cells were structurally intact in SPK medium-dose,high-dose groups,inner membrane was basically smooth;medium smooth muscle cells arranged slightly disordered in SPK medium-dose group. Compared with normal control group,there were no obvious changes. CONCLUSIONS:SPK shows obvious lipid-lowering and anti-inflammatory effects,it can protect vascular endo-thelial function. The mechanism may be related to reducing TC,TG,LDL-C,HDL-C,IL-6,TNF-αcontents and increasing HDL-C content in serum.

OBJECTlVE To investigate the mechanism of verapamiI in the treatment of type 2 Iong QT syndrome(LQT2)using a rabbit Ieft ventricuIar myocardiaI wedge preparation. METHODS E-4031 (0.5 μmoI·L-1 )was used to induce the LQT2 modeI after rabbit Ieft ventricuIar wedge preparations were equiIibrated for 1 h,and verapamiI(0.5,1.0 and 2.5 μmoI·L-1 ,respectiveIy)was perfused in different groups. Data were coIIected for a period of 30 min starting 30 min after adding the respective drug. Transmembrane action potentiaIs of endocardiaI and epicardiaI myocardium were recorded simuItaneous-Iy at a basic cycIe Iength of 2000 ms(S1S1)together with a transmuraI ECG. The effect of verapamiI (0.5,1.0 and 2.5 μmoI·L-1 )on action potentiaI duration at 90% repoIarization(APD90 ),QT intervaI, transmuraI dispersion of repoIarization(TDR)and the deveIopment of earIy afterdepoIarization(EAD) and torsades de pointes(TdP)were evaIuated in the LQT2 myocardiaI wedge modeI. RESULTS E-4031 (0.5 μmoI·L-1 )markedIy proIonged endocardiaI and epicardiaI APD90 and QT intervaI( P﹤0.01),and dramaticaIIy increased TDR(P﹤0.01). Spontaneous or programmed eIectricaI stimuIation-induced EAD and TdP were aIso observed in the modeI. VerapamiI(0.5,1.0 and 2.5 μmoI·L-1 )dose-dependentIy abbreviated endocardiaI and epicardiaI APD90 and QT intervaI(P﹤0.01),significantIy decreased TDR(P﹤0.01),and suppressed EAD and TdP in the LQT2 modeI. Concordant but stronger effects on the eIectro-physioIogicaI properties of the LQT2 modeI were noticed when nifedipine was perfused. CONCLUSlON VerapamiI inhibits TdP in the LQT2 modeI by reducing TDR and suppressing EAD.

Objective:To estimate the burden of hip fractures and related factors among the Chinese middle-aged and elderly population.Methods:Based on the data of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in 2015, the burden of hip fractures among Chinese middle-aged and elderly population was evaluated as the years lived with disability (YLD) rate. The relationship between gender, age (45-49, 50-59, 60-69 and ≥70 years old), educational level (no education, elementary school, junior high school, high school and above), region (urban, rural), gross domestic production (GDP) per capita (low, medium and high) and geographic area (northern, eastern, south-central, northwest and southwest regions) and the YLD rate of hip fractures were analyzed, respectively.Results:Excluding items with missing basic information and hip fracture data, a total of 17,830 subjects (8,405 males and 9,425 females) were included in the study with average age 61.6±9.8 years (range 45 to 105 years). The average age in male was 61.9±9.6 years, and that in female was 61.2±10.1 years. The prevalence of hip fractures was 2.3% (410/17,830). The total YLD rate was [694/100,000 (95% Uncertainty Interval ( UI): 462/100,000, 989/100,000)]. The YLD rates were similar between male [693/100,000 (95% UI: 461/100,000, 988/100,000)] and female [696/100,000 (95% UI: 463/100,000, 992/100,000)] subgroups. The YLD rate of hip fractures was increasing with age, which reached at maximum of 1,155/100,000 (95% UI: 769/100,000, 1,646/100,000) for participants aged 70 years or above. The rate was gradually decreased with the upgrade of the educational level. The participants with high school education and above reached the lowest of 434/100,000 (95% UI: 289/100,000, 619/100,000). In addition, the YLD rate of hip fractures in rural areas [721/100,000 (95% UI: 480/100,000, 1,027/100,000)] was higher than that in urban areas [650/100,000 (95% UI: 433/100,000, 926/100,000)]. The YLD rate in areas with higher GDP per capita [545/100,000 (95% UI: 363/100,000, 777/100,000)] was lower than that in areas with lower GDP per capita [761/100,000 (95% UI: 506/100,000, 1,084/100,000)]. Moreover, the participants living in the Northwest region were with the highest YLD rate of hip fractures [1,056/100,000 (95% UI: 703/100,000, 1,506/100,000)], followed by the Southwest region [887/100,000 (95% UI: 590/ 100,000, 1,264/100,000)] and the Northeast region [317/100,000 (95% UI: 211/100,000, 452/100,000)]. Conclusion:Hip fractures exerted heavy burdens on the Chinese middle-aged and elderly population. The YLD rate of hip fractures varied according to geographical regions, greater age, rural areas, low educational levels and low GDP per capita. These related factors could affect the disease burden of hip fractures in China.