6 months (n=12), control group, without AF (n=8). Atrial muscle samples of the left and right atrial appendage were cut off during heart valve replacement. Expressions of Cx40 and Cx43 were detected by immunoblotting and immunohistologic analyses. Results ①No obvious change of Cx43 and Cx40 in the left and right atrium of each patient in each group was measured. ②Compared with that in the control group, the level of Cx40 was decreased signficantly in GroupⅠ (P

6 months; Control group (n=8) without AF. Atrial muscle samples of the left and right atrial appendage were cut off during heart valve replacement. Morphological changes were observed by light microscopy and electron microscopy. Results ① The incidence rates of Aschoff body were 37.5% (3/8), 46% (5/11) , and 50% (6/12) in Group Ⅰ, Group Ⅱ, and the control group. There was no difference in Aschoff body between the left and right atrial myocytes. ② There was no difference in myocytic degeneration, interstitial hyperplasia, and lymphocytes infiltration between the left and right atrial myocytes in each group. ③ Myolysis, accumulation of glycogen, and fibrosis were detected by electron microscopy in the 3 groups. Changes of myolysis and fibrosis were more obvious in patients with AF than patients without AF. Conclusion There are similar pathological changes in the left and right atria in rheumatic heart disease patients with or without AF. Fibrosis of atrial myocytes may be involved in the occurrence and maintenance of AF.

Objective To study the effects of mimic ischemic preconditioning (IP) on i and I-LCa of sinoatrial node cells and explore the protective effects of IP. Methods Cells were randomized to three groups: control, ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), IP. After labeled with fura4, fluorescence intensity of i was studied with laser confocal microscopy and I-LCa was recorded by whole-cell patch clamp technology. Results IP significantly reduced the fluorescence intensity of i and enhanced the peak of I-LCa as compared with I/R, shifted the I-V curve to more negative value. Conclusion IP can reduce the overload of i caused by I/R and increase I-LCa weakened by I/R.

Objective To investigate the value of diffusion weighted magnetie resonance imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.MethodsThe clinical data of 36 patients with pancreatie cancer who were admitted to the Wuxi No.2 People's Hospital from March 2009 to June 2011 were retrospectively analyzed,and the clinical data of 30 healthy volunteers were collected.All candidates received diffusion weighted magnetie resonance imaging examination.The signal intensity ratios ( SIRs ) of the cancer and the pericancerous tissues in the T1 weighted-images (T1WI),T2 weighted-images (T2WI)and diffusion weighted-images (DWI) were compared by using one-way analysis of variance.The ADC values of the cancer and the paricancerous tissues were compared using the paired t test.The differences of the ADC values of the cancer and pericancerous tissues compared with those of healthy individuals were analyzed using an independent sample t test.ResultsThe accuracy rate of preoperative magnetic resonance imaging examination was 92％.The relative SIRs were 0.203 ± 0.190 in the T2 WI,0.399 ± 0.201 in the T1 WI and 0.579 ± 0.291 in the DWI,respectively,with no significant differences across the 3 kinds of images (F=5.92,6.15,6.83,P ＜ 0.05 ),while SIRs of the T1 WI and DWI were significantly higher than that of the T2 WI ( P ＜ 0.05 ).There was no significant difference in SIRs when comparing T1 WI and DWI ( P ＞ 0.05 ).The mean ADC values of the cancer and pericancerous tissues of the pancreatic cancer patients and the pancreatic tissues of healthy individuals were (1.40±0.24) ×10 3 mm2/s,(1.71 ±0.10) ×10-3 mm2/s and (1.73±0.30) ×10-3 mm2/s,respectively,with significant differences across the 3 modes of images (t =10.54,12.08,P ＜ 0.05).ConclusionDWI can show high quality images of the lesions,and ADC value is helpful in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Objective To compare the effects of stimulated ischemic preconditioning (IP) and ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) on the hyperpolarization-activated current (I_ f ) of sinoatrial node cells and explore the mechanisms of electrophysiological protection of IP. Methods The sinoatrial node cells cultured for 2 d were randomized to three groups: ① Control in which the cells were cultured at 37 ℃ in the mimic reperfusion solution, meanwhile the mixture of 95% O_ 2 and 5% N_ 2 was ventilated; ② I/R in which the cells were cultured in the mimic ischemic solution and simultaneously the mixture of 95% O_ 2 and 5% N_ 2 was ventilated for 3 h, then cultured in the mimic reperfusion solution and simultaneously the mixture of 95% O_ 2 and 5% N_ 2 was ventilated for 4 h; ③ IP in which the cells underwent ischemia for 10 min and reperfusion for 10 min, repeated once. Then the cells were treated as the same as the I/R group. After 4-hour reperfusion, I_ f was recorded by whole-cell patch clamp technology. Results I/R significantly enhanced the current density of I_ f , shifted the current activation curve to more positive value by changing the half-activation voltage from (-98.9?2.4) mV to (-85.2?2.5) mV (P

Objective To study the effect of ischemia reperfusion(IR) on electrophysiological function of sinoatrial node(SAN) in rabbits. Methods Ninety healthy adult rabbits were divided randomly into control group, ischemia groups (I) 10(I10 min), 30(I30 min), 60(I60 min) and 120 min(I120 min) and IR groups (10, 30, 60 and 120 min ischemia followed by 4 h reperfusion respectively)(I10 minR4 h, I30 minR4 h, I60 minR4 h and I120 minR4 h). There were 10 rabbits in the control group and each subgroup. IR injury model of SAN was established by occluding and loosening the start section of right coronary artery(RCA). The changes of AA interval and arrhythmia were recorded by electrocardiography and cardiac chamber electrography synchronously. Results ① There was no significant difference in AA interval between different time points in the control group. ② Sinus arrest(SA), sinus bradycardia with arrhythmia(SB), or atrial tachyarrhythmia(AT) were found in 51 rabbits (63.75%) out of 80 rabbits in I and IR groups in ischemic period. The incidence rate of arrhythmia increased in a time dependent manner. The AA intervals also increased by at least 40 ms in 54 rabbits (67.5%). ③ Sinus or atrial arrhythmia during ischemic period was found in 26 out of the 40 rabbits in IR group, but 15 returned normal after reperfusion. ④ Increased AA intervals were found in 27 out of the 40 rabbits in IR group during ischemic period. Most of them recovered to pre occlusion level within 10 min after reperfusion, but the AA intervals prolonged again in I60 minR4 h and I120 minR4 h groups as the reperfusion elongated. Conclusion ① These findings suggest that about 2/3 of the rabbit sinus node arteries may stem from right coronary artery. ② Electrophysiological changes due to ischemia of SAN resemble the electrocardiogram of sick sinoatrial node syndrome. ③ Reperfusion arrhythmia can be induced by reperfusion after a long time of ischemia.

Objective To explore the effects of atorvastatin on inflammatory factors(hs-CRP,TNF-αand IL-6 levels )of coronary heart disease. Methods 160 patients with coronary artery disease were selected which were treated in Nanyang Municipal Central Hospital from January 2010 to July 2014.The 160 CHD patients were divided into two groups using the random number table method.On the basis of conventional treatment,patients of the experimental group were given atorvastatin,but the patients of control group were given only the other conventional treatment.Patients of two groups were tested about inflammatory factors before treatment and after two months treatment,and then analyzed and compared.Results It had no statistically significant difference on hs-CRP,TNF-αand IL-6 levels in patients of the two groups before treatment;it had statistically significant difference on hs-CRP,TNF-αand IL-6 levels in patients of the two groups of two months after treatment(P<0.05 );differences on hs-CRP,TNF-αand IL-6 levels of patients between pre-treatment and after treatment of two months in the experimental group were statistically significant (P<0.05 );however,it was opposite in the control group.Conclusion Atorvastatin could significantly reduce the levels of inflammatory factors(hs-CRP、TNF-αand IL-6)of patients with coronary artery disease.It has important clinical value.

Objective:To observethe influence of electroacupuncture (EA) on histomorphologies of lacrimal glands, cornea and conjunctiva in experimental dry eye syndrome, and to explore the repair effects of EA on lacrimal glands and ocular surface damage. Methods:Twenty-four healthy male New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, an EA group and a medication group, 6 rabbits in each group. Experimental dry eye syndrome models were prepared in rabbits by using 0.1% benzalkonium chloride for eye drops. Tear secretion volume, break-up time of tear film (BUT) and corneal fluorescein staining score were observed before and after the treatment. Periodic acid Schiff (PAS) staining method was used to observe the changes of conjunctival goblet cells in rabbits. After hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining, morphological changes of rabbit cornea, conjunctiva and lacrimal gland tissues were observed under light microscope. Results: Compared with the normal group, tear secretion volume and BUT were significantly reduced (bothP<0.01), while the corneal fluorescein staining score was significantly increased (P<0.01) in the model group. Compared with the model group, tear secretion volume and BUT were significantly increased, while the corneal fluorescein staining score was significantly decreased in the EA group and the medication group (allP<0.01). Compared with the normal group, the number of conjunctival goblet cells in the model group was significantly reduced; compared with the model group, the numbers of conjunctival goblet cells were all relatively higher in the EA group and the medication group. Pathological lesions of cornea, conjunctiva and lacrimal glands all showed improvement by HE staining in the EA group and the medication group after the intervention. Conclusion:EA can improve tear secretion and tear film stability of rabbit dry eye syndrome, and repair the pathologic lesions of conjunctival goblet cells, corneal epithelia, cornea, conjunctiva and lacrimal glands.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical characteristics and genetic etiology of a consanguineous Chinese pedigree affected with Congenital coagulation factor XII (XII) deficiency. METHODS: Members of the pedigree who had visited Ruian People's Hospital on July 12, 2021 were selected as the study subjects. Clinical data of the pedigree were reviewed. Peripheral venous blood samples were taken from the subjects. Blood coagulation index and genetic testing were carried out. Candidate variant was verified by Sanger sequencing and bioinformatic analysis. RESULTS: This pedigree has comprised 6 individuals from 3 generations, including the proband, his father, mother, wife, sister and son. The proband was a 51-year-old male with kidney stones. Blood coagulation test showed that his activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) was significantly prolonged, whilst the FXII activity (FXII:C) and FXII antigen (FXII:Ag) were extremely reduced. The FXII:C and FXII:Ag of proband's father, mother, sister and son have all reduced to about half of the lower limit of reference range. Genetic testing revealed that the proband has harbored homozygous missense variant of c.1A>G (p.Arg2Tyr) of the start codon in exon 1 of the F12 gene. Sanger sequencing confirmed that his father, mother, sister and son were all heterozygous for the variant, whilst his wife was of the wild type. By bioinformatic analysis, the variant has not been included in the HGMD database. Prediction with SIFT online software suggested the variant is harmful. Simulation with Swiss-Pbd Viewer v4.0.1 software suggested that the variant has a great impact on the structure of FXII protein. Based on the Standards and Guidelines for the Interpretation of Sequence Variants: A Joint Consensus Recommendation of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), the variant was rated as likely pathogenic. CONCLUSION The c.1A>G (p.Arg2Tyr) variant of the F12 gene probably underlay the Congenital FXII deficiency in this pedigree. Above finding has further expanded the spectrum of F12 gene variants and provided a reference for clinical diagnosis and genetic counseling for this pedigree.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Factor XII/genetics* ; Pedigree ; Codon, Initiator ; East Asian People ; Mothers ; Factor XII Deficiency/genetics* ; Mutation

Objective: To explore the anti-inflammatory immune mechanism in moxibustion treatment of Crohn.s disease (CD) from the perspective of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway, through observing the regulatory effect ofmoxibustion on colonic JNK, c-Jun, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) in CDmodel rats. Method: Male Sprague-Dawley rats of clean grade were randomized into a normal group, a model group, amoxibustion group and a sham moxibustion group. CD model was developed by the mixture of 2, 4, 6 Trinitro-benzene-sulfonic acid (TNBS) and ethanol via enema. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the morphologicalchanges in rat.s colon tissues for pathological scoring; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detectthe contents of MCP-1, COX2, JNK, and c-Jun in colon tissues; real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was adopted toexamine the mRNA expressions of JNK and c-Jun in rat.s colon. Result: Compared with the normal group, the modelgroup showed more significant colonic damage and thus had a higher colonic damage score (P ＜ 0.01), manifested astopical inflammation which involved the submucosa, fissuring ulcers and granuloma; the model group also showedincreased contents of protein MCP-1 and COX2, and elevated contents of JNK protein and mRNA in colon (all P ＜ 0.05), while the change in the content of c-Jun was insignificant (all P＞ 0.05) . Compared with the model group and shammoxibustion group, the colonic damage score was lower in the moxibustion group (P ＜ 0.01, P ＜ 0.05), with improvementin colonic structure and inflammation; the contents of MCP-1 and COX2 in colon tissues declined, so did the proteincontent and mRNA expression of JNK (all P ＜ 0.05), while the change in the content of c-Jun was insignificant (all P＞0.05) . There were no significant differences between the model group and sham moxibustion group comparing all theindexes (all P＞ 0.05) . Conclusion: Moxibustion down-regulates the expressions of JNK protein and mRNA in CD rat.scolon, as well as the contents of MCP-1 and COX2 in colon tissues, which is possibly one significant mechanism formoxibustion to ease intestinal inflammation and promote the repair of colon tissues in CD.