Objective To explore the characteristics of the flow velocity waveform of superior vena cana (SVC) in a rat model with chronic monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension by echocardiography.Methods The chronic pulmonary hypertension model was developed by monocrotaline solution (60 mg/kg) injection into the abdominal cavity in 32 SD rats.Eight rats with the placebo injected served as controls.An examination of the flow velocity waveform of SVC was performed by Doppler echocardiography via supraclavicular fossa before and 28-day after the injection.The pulmonary arterial systolic pressure was measured by pressure-guided micro-catheter 28-day after the injection both in the control and the pulmonary hypertension model group.Results Chronic monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension was successfully developed in 29 rats.The flow velocity waveform of SVC showed that the ratio of the maximum reverse peak flow velocity due to atrial contraction (VAR) to the maximum systolic peak flow velocity (Vs) and VAR increased dramatically 28-day after the monocrotaline solution injection in both sides of SVC (P ＜0.01), while only the Vs of the right SVC significantly decreased (P ＜0.05).Conclusions The changes of VAR/Vs ratio and VAR in rat model with chronic monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension suggested that the changes of flow velocity waveform of SVC have indicating features in reflecting pulmonary hypertension.

Objective To explore the value of superior vena cava (SVC) Doppler spectrum in evaluation of the therapeutic effects of intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (HBHO)-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH) in rats and establish a new method for assessing pulmonary hypertension.Methods Fifty male SD rats were included.Forty of them were developed HBHO-PH and randomly divided into four groups with different manipulations:beraprost treatment group,sildenafil treatment group,placebo group and model group,with 10 rats in each group.The rest of 10 rats served as controls.Cardiac structure,pulmonary peak velocity (PAVmax),tricuspid peak velocity (TVEmax) and SVC Doppler ultrasound were performed in all rats before and after treatment for 2 weeks.Pulmonary arterial pressure was determined by the right heart catheterization.The relationship of the parameters with the pulmonary arterial pressure was analyzed.HE staining was done in lung tissues.Results Right heart catheterization showed that pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) of the treatment groups were lower than that of the model group,the difference was significant(P ＜0.01).Pulmonary artery pressure decreased in varying degrees both after placed in a normal environment and after 2 weeks of treatment.PASP of the beraprost treatment group and the sildenafil treatment group decreased significantly and showed no statistical significant difference with the control group.In contrast,PASP of the placebo group was significant higher than that of control group(P ＜ 0.05).No statistically significant difference was found between the non-placebo treatment groups in PASP.Compared with the control group,the right ventricle/body weight ratio of the model group was statistically significant increased in all other groups(P ＜0.01).Right SVC AR/S ratio was well correlated with PASP (r =0.603,P =0.001).Right SVC AR/S ratio was statistically significant lower in treatment groups compared with the model group (P ＜0.01).All groups except the control group demonstrated various degrees of pulmonary arterial wall thickening.Conclusions The right SVC spectrum of AR/S correlates well with PASP and can be used to evaluate the pharmacological therapeutic effect of rats with HBHO-PH,in particular with moderate to severe PH.

Objective To design and develop new types of health education materials which are suitable for fishermen and boatmen in endemic areas of marshland and lake regions,and to observe their application effects. Methods A total of 292 adult fishmen and boatmen who lived in Houshan Village,Yugan County,the schistosomiasis endemic area of Poyang Lake Re?gion,were selected randomly and investigated by questionnaires to understand the status of their knowledge,attitudes,practic?es on schistosomiasis control as well as the channels for getting information on schistosomiasis control and the materials that they were willing to accept. Then the information and materials suitable for the target population were developed together by the re?searchers and the volunteers of the villagers through focus group discussions,personal interviews and the Delphi method. Re?sults A series of participatory health education materials of schistosomiasis control targeted to the fishmen and boatmen were developed,including 2 live posters,2 picture puzzles,2 short opusculums and one song about schistosomiasis control. The field application showed that 98.97%,84.38%,78.35% and 80.93% of the participants considered those materials had scientificity, intelligibility,interestingness and practicability,respectively. Conclusion The participatory health education materials of schistosomiasis control is suitable for fishmen and boatmen,which can be used for reference by other endemic areas in marsh?land and lake regions.

Objective To explore the cut?off value of the indirect haemagglutination test(IHA)method for schistosomiasis japonica diagnosis in different endemic areas. Methods Totally 55 nature villages of the lake?type endemic counties,Yugan and Xinzi,in Poyang Lake Region of Jiangxi Province were chosen as the study fields,and all the villagers over 5 years old were parallelly examined by Kato?Katz method+miracidial hatching test and IHA method. The detection data were analyzed by the correlation analysis,and the threshold values of the IHA method in different endemic areas were decided by the receiver operat?ing characteristic(ROC)curve. Results The positive rate of stool examinations of the villagers was correlated with the distribu?tion trend of the antibody level of whole population(r=0.588,P<0.05),but no correlation with the antibody level of the posi?tive population(r=0.221,P>0.05). The antibody level of stool?negative population during the period of 2008 to 2011 detect?ed by IHA method dropped year by year,and the annual difference was statistically significant(F=3.650,P<0.05). While the antibody level of stool?positive population found during the period of 2008 to 2011 maintained a certain high level in the 4 years,and there was no statistically significant difference among them(F=2.461,P>0.05). When the positive rates were<1%,1%-5%or>5%,the specificity of diagnosis could be improved when 1∶80,1∶20 and 1∶10 were used as the cut?off val? ues of IHA correspondingly. Conclusion The different threshold values for diagnosis of schistosomiasis japonica should be con?sidered while using IHA method to screen out patients in different endemic areas.

Objective To explore the immune mechanism of negative results of immune tests of schistosomiasis japonica pa?tients. Methods Totally 142 schistosomiasis patients(positive stool examinations)of Poyang Lake region were tested by ELI?SA method,and the ROC curve was applied to determine the high and low response of the patients. The levels of cellular immu?nity and cytokines of high and low responders were compared. Results Totally eight schistosomiasis patients were found as low responders. Besides SWAP?IgA(t= -1.588,P > 0.1),the levels of isotype antibodies were significantly lower in the low re?sponders compared with those in the high responders(t = -14.517 to -2.866,all P < 0.05). In the low responders,the propor?tion of CD3+T was increased;and the proportions of CD4+T,CD8+T,CD4+CD25+Treg,and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ were all de?creased,but all of them were not significant(t = -1.72 to 0.974,all P > 0.05)compared with those in the high responders. The differences of IFN?γ and IL?10 between the high and low responders were both not significant(t= -2.426 to 0.216,all P >0.05). Conclusions There is a significant difference between the high and low responders only in the levels of isotype antibod?ies. One of the reasons of low response in the immune tests is the much lower antibody level after the antigen?antibody compound is completely formulated.

Objective: To explore the clinical value of plasma heme oxygenase 1(HO-1) in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD). Methods: Patients with NAFLD were selected from the Physical examination center and the Department of Traditional and Western Medical Hepatology of Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University. A combination of ultrasound and liver elastography was used to screen NAFLD patients and healthy persons. General clinical characteristics, peripheral blood cell count and liver biochemical test results were collected synchronously, plasma samples were retained, and plasma HO-1 level was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. SPSS21.0 statistical software was used for statistical analysis, multivariate logistic regression analyses was used to analyse the independent risk factors affecting the incidence and progression of NAFLD. The diagnostic efficacy of indicators related to development of NAFLD was assessed by the receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC). Results: A total of 328 patients with NAFLD and 113 healthy controls were included. According to the liver biochemical results, the NAFLD group was divided into 148 patients with normal liver enzymes and 180 patients with abnormal liver enzymes. The level of HO-1 in the three groups was 9.09 ± 2.19, 14.38 ± 2.63, 17.00 ± 3.30 ng/ml, and was increased respectively of healthy controls, patients with normal liver enzymes and patients with abnormal liver enzymes. Analyzing plasma HO-1 levels of components associated with metabolic disorders suggests that components without metabolic syndrome(9.83 ± 3.21) < components with 1 metabolic syndrome(13.59 ± 3.72) < components with 2 or more metabolic syndrome(16.09 ± 3.41), P < 0.001. The results of HO-1 level stratification analysis showed that WBC, ALT, AST, GGT, TG increased as HO-1 level increased, and the pairwise difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). The WBC count of NAFLD is significantly higher than healthy group(6.79 ± 1.62 vs 5.68 ± 1.36, P < 0.001). The univariate and multivariate regression analyses of all the subjects showed that HO-1, TG and BMI were prognostic factors for the occurrence of NAFLD and HO-1, TC, GLU were prognostic factors for the progression of NAFLD, P < 0.05. The ROC analysis showed that HO-1 was reliable markers for predicting the occurrence and progression of NALFD, the sensitivity and specificity were respectively 85.10%, 92.90% and 38.33%, 95.27%. Conclusion Plasma HO-1 can predict the occurrence and progression of NAFLD and is expected to be a novel molecular diagnostic marker for NAFLD and NASH.

The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) updated and published the Practice Guidance for the Diagnosis and Management of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in July 2017, which provides recommendations for the accurate diagnosis, treatment, and effective prevention of NAFLD. Related metabolic diseases should be considered during the initial evaluation of patients suspected of NAFLD. Noninvasive diagnostic techniques including transient elastography, magnetic resonance elastography, and serum biochemical models should be used to evaluate the development and progression of liver fibrosis in patients with NAFLD. Clinical liver pathology report should clearly differentiate between nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL), NAFL with inflammation, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and identify the presence or absence of liver fibrosis and its degree. Early medication for NAFLD can only be used in patients with pathologically confirmed NASH and liver fibrosis, and it is not recommended to use pioglitazone and vitamin E as the first-line drugs for patients with NASH which has not been proven by biopsy or non-diabetic NASH patients. Foregut bariatric surgery can be considered for obese patients with NAFLD/NASH who meet related indications. It is emphasized that the risk factors for cardiovascular disease should be eliminated for NAFLD patients. Statins can be used for the treatment of dyslipidemia in patients with NAFLD/NASH, but they cannot be used in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis. Routine screening or hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance is not recommended for NASH patients without liver cirrhosis. Cardiovascular disease should be taken seriously during liver transplantation evaluation. There is still no adequate clinical evidence for the treatment of NAFLD in children and adolescents, and intensive lifestyle intervention is recommended as the first-line therapy for such patients.

Objective:To determine the prevalence and risk factors of constipation in Hangzhou urban areas by analyzing data from a recent epidemiological survey.Methods:From August 2022 to June 2023, a cross-sectional survey was conducted on 43 communities on eight streets in suburbs of Hangzhou, including Wangjiang, Sijiqing, Puyan, Changhe, Ziyang, Xiaoshanchengxiang, Zhuantang, and Banshan. Written questionnaires were filled out face to face by community doctors. The prevalence of constipation was investigated using a combination of the Bristol stool typing method and the Rome IV criteria. The risk factors for constipation were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis.Results:The study cohort comprised 10,479 participants, 5551 of whom were male (53.0%) and 4928 female (47.0%). The overall prevalence of constipation was 10.6% (1107/10,479). The prevalence was 11.0% (613/5551) for male and 10.0% (494/4928) for female participants; this difference is not statistically significant ( P>0.05).There were no significant differences in the prevalence of constipation between different categories of body mass index ( P>0.05). The prevalence of constipation was highest in individuals aged 70 years and above, accounting for 15.4% (264/1717) of all cases. There were significant differences in the prevalence of constipation between different occupations, marital statuses, and educational levels ( P<0.001). Patients with hypertension or diabetes mellitus had a higher prevalence of constipation than those without these conditions, those who had been taking long-term medication had a higher prevalence of constipation than those who did not, parents of children with constipation had a higher prevalence of constipation than those with children who did not have constipation, and there were other significant differences in various variables ( P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis of modifiable factors revealed that eating less fruit (OR=1.284, 95%CI: 1.061–1.553, P=0.010), liking spicy and salty food (OR=1.234, 95%CI: 1.039–1.466, P=0.016), sleeping for too long (OR=1.644, 95%CI: 1.260–2.144, P<0.001), irregular sleep patterns (OR=1.370, 95%CI: 1.127–1.665, P=0.002) and minimal exercise (OR=1.388, 95% CI: 1.168–1.649, P<0.001) were all risk factors for constipation; whereas mix diets (OR=0.709,95%CI:0.608–0.826, P<0.001), meat diets (OR=0.604,95%CI: 0.495–0.736, P<0.001), moderate alcohol consumption (OR=0.659, 95% CI: 0.534–0.812, P<0.001), less or no drinking (OR=0.523, 95% CI: 0.428–0.638, P<0.001), and non-smoking (OR=0.819, 95%CI:0.674–0.995, P<0.001) protected against constipation. We found no association between dietary preferences and the risk of constipation (refined grains: OR=1.147, 95%CI:0.944–1.393, P=0.167; no specific preference: OR=0.935, 95%CI:0.783–1.117, P=0.459). The rate of agreement between self-evaluation of constipation by the respondents and objective criteria was higher for negatives (95.8%) than for positives (38.0%). Conclusion:The prevalence of constipation is relatively high in the urban population of Hangzhou. A good lifestyle and diet can significantly reduce its incidence. There should be more emphasis on preventive education, promotion of prevention of constipation, and advocacy for a healthy lifestyle.

Objective:To determine the prevalence and risk factors of constipation in Hangzhou urban areas by analyzing data from a recent epidemiological survey.Methods:From August 2022 to June 2023, a cross-sectional survey was conducted on 43 communities on eight streets in suburbs of Hangzhou, including Wangjiang, Sijiqing, Puyan, Changhe, Ziyang, Xiaoshanchengxiang, Zhuantang, and Banshan. Written questionnaires were filled out face to face by community doctors. The prevalence of constipation was investigated using a combination of the Bristol stool typing method and the Rome IV criteria. The risk factors for constipation were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis.Results:The study cohort comprised 10,479 participants, 5551 of whom were male (53.0%) and 4928 female (47.0%). The overall prevalence of constipation was 10.6% (1107/10,479). The prevalence was 11.0% (613/5551) for male and 10.0% (494/4928) for female participants; this difference is not statistically significant ( P>0.05).There were no significant differences in the prevalence of constipation between different categories of body mass index ( P>0.05). The prevalence of constipation was highest in individuals aged 70 years and above, accounting for 15.4% (264/1717) of all cases. There were significant differences in the prevalence of constipation between different occupations, marital statuses, and educational levels ( P<0.001). Patients with hypertension or diabetes mellitus had a higher prevalence of constipation than those without these conditions, those who had been taking long-term medication had a higher prevalence of constipation than those who did not, parents of children with constipation had a higher prevalence of constipation than those with children who did not have constipation, and there were other significant differences in various variables ( P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis of modifiable factors revealed that eating less fruit (OR=1.284, 95%CI: 1.061–1.553, P=0.010), liking spicy and salty food (OR=1.234, 95%CI: 1.039–1.466, P=0.016), sleeping for too long (OR=1.644, 95%CI: 1.260–2.144, P<0.001), irregular sleep patterns (OR=1.370, 95%CI: 1.127–1.665, P=0.002) and minimal exercise (OR=1.388, 95% CI: 1.168–1.649, P<0.001) were all risk factors for constipation; whereas mix diets (OR=0.709,95%CI:0.608–0.826, P<0.001), meat diets (OR=0.604,95%CI: 0.495–0.736, P<0.001), moderate alcohol consumption (OR=0.659, 95% CI: 0.534–0.812, P<0.001), less or no drinking (OR=0.523, 95% CI: 0.428–0.638, P<0.001), and non-smoking (OR=0.819, 95%CI:0.674–0.995, P<0.001) protected against constipation. We found no association between dietary preferences and the risk of constipation (refined grains: OR=1.147, 95%CI:0.944–1.393, P=0.167; no specific preference: OR=0.935, 95%CI:0.783–1.117, P=0.459). The rate of agreement between self-evaluation of constipation by the respondents and objective criteria was higher for negatives (95.8%) than for positives (38.0%). Conclusion:The prevalence of constipation is relatively high in the urban population of Hangzhou. A good lifestyle and diet can significantly reduce its incidence. There should be more emphasis on preventive education, promotion of prevention of constipation, and advocacy for a healthy lifestyle.