Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of hepatitis E in Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province from 2006 to 2024, so as to provide the evidence for the prevention and control of hepatitis E. Methods: Data on hepatitis E incidence in Shaoxing City from 2006 to 2024 were collected through the Surveillance System of China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention. The epidemiological characteristics were analyzed using descriptive epidemiological methods. The trend in hepatitis E incidence was analyzed using the average annual percent change (AAPC) and annual percent change (APC). The spatial-temporal clustering characteristics of hepatitis E incidence were identified using spatial-temporal scanning analysis. Results: A total of 2 408 hepatitis E cases were reported in Shaoxing City from 2006 to 2024, with an average annual reported incidence of 2.55/100 000. The overall trend was not statistically significant (AAPC=3.181%, P>0.05). Specifically, it showed an upward trend from 2006 to 2011 (APC=17.371%, P<0.05), a downward trend from 2011 to 2019 (APC=-12.497%, P<0.05), and an upward trend from 2019 to 2024 (APC=18.076%, P<0.05). The epidemic season of hepatitis E was from January to May, with seasonal indices of 122.09%, 118.60%, 145.02%, 129.57%, and 106.15%, respectively. The top three average annual reported incidences were identified in Zhuji City, Xinchang County, and Shengzhou City, with rates of 4.18/100 000, 2.85/100 000, and 2.74/100 000, respectively. The average annual reported incidence of hepatitis E was higher in males than in females (3.52/100 000 vs. 1.56/100 000, P<0.05). A relatively large number of hepatitis E cases were reported among individuals aged 40-<70 years, with 1 639 cases (68.06%). Among them, the group aged 60-<70 years had the highest average annual reported incidence of hepatitis E, at 4.92/100 000. Farmers constituted the predominant occupational group, accounting for 1 515 cases (62.92%). Spatial-temporal scanning analysis identified two clusters in Shaoxing City from 2006 to 2024. The class Ⅰ cluster was located in Shengzhou City, with aggregation time from January 1, 2011 to May 1, 2014. The class Ⅱ cluster was located in Xinchang County, with aggregation time from December 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013. Conclusions The reported incidence of hepatitis E in Shaoxing City from 2006 to 2024 exhibited a pattern of an initial increase, followed by a decrease, and then a subsequent rise. The disease demonstrated higher prevalence during the winter and spring seasons. Key populations for targeted control and prevention include males, individuals aged 40-<70 years, and farmers. Shengzhou City and Xinchang County were identified as high-risk areas.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of transcatheter aortic valve replacement(TAVR)in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis.Methods This study included 46 patients with severe aortic valve stenosis who underwent TAVR and completed a six-month follow-up at the Heart Center of the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University between May 2020 and May 2023.All patients underwent a preoperative examination,mini-mental state examination(MMSE),the Montreal cognitive assessment scale(MOCA),and the following safety indicators of surgery,including immediate success rate of valve implantation,valve displacement,death,heart conduction block,perivalve leakage,coronary occlusion,stroke,approach vessel rupture,cardiac tamponade,aortic dissection,and massive bleeding.Effec-tiveness indicators included clinical symptoms,BNP,sST2,and cardiac color Doppler ultrasound preoperatively and one day,seven days,three months,and six months postoperatively.Cognitive function indicators(MMSE and MOCA),were used preoperatively and three and six months postoperatively.The efficacy of transcatheter aortic was evaluated using these indicators.Results The immediate success rate of valve implantation was 100％,with one case of valve displacement,four cases of new bundle branch block,two cases of perivalve leakage,two cases of stroke,one case of inlet vessel rupture,one case of major bleeding,and no deaths,coronary artery occlusion,car-diac tamponade,or aortic dissection.Clinical symptoms improved significantly postoperatively,with 30 cases of NYHA grades Ⅰ to Ⅱbeing significantly higher than the 18 cases preoperatively.The indicators of cardiac function,BNP,and sST2 significantly decreased,and the maximum aortic valve cross-valve flow velocity,aortic valve systolic cross-valve pressure difference,average aortic valve cross-valve pressure difference,and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter significantly improved.The MMSE and MOCA showed significant improve-ments three and six months postoperatively.Conclusion TAVR is a safe and effective method to improve cognitive function in patients with severe aortic stenosis.

BACKGROUND: The cardiomyocyte apoptosis is considered as one of major contributions to cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI). Numerous studies find that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play pivotal roles in a variety of biological functions. However, the role of circ_0068655 in MI and human induced pluripotent stem-derived cardiomyocytes (HCMs) remains unknown. METHODS: The expression of circ_0068655, miR-498, and PRKC apoptosis WT1 regulator (PAWR) in human MI heart tissues and hypoxia subjected HCMs was evaluated with qRT-PCR and Western blot. The effects of circ_0068655 on hypoxia-induced apoptotic death and cell migration in HCMs were evaluated with qRT-PCR, cell viability, cell death ELISA (POD), and Caspase-3 activity assay, and Trans-well assay, respectively. Furthermore, luciferase assay, qRT-PCR, biotin-labeled miRNA pulldown assay, and Western blot were employed in the functional studies. RESULTS: We found that the expression of circ_0068655 and PAWR was enhanced in MI patients and hypoxia subjected HCMs; by contrast, the expression of miR-498 decreased. Inhibited expression of circ_0068655 in HMCs counteracted hypoxia-induced apoptotic death and impaired cell migration, in sharp contrast to circ_0068655 knockdown. We identified that circ_0068655 sponged an endogenous miR-498 to sequester and inhibit its activity, leading to the increased PAWR expression. CONCLUSIONS Our findings reveal that the expression of circ_0068655 can promote cardiomyocyte apoptosis through the modulation of miR-498-PAWR axis in vitro, which highlights the diagnostic and therapeutic value of circ_0068655 in patients with MI.

BACKGROUND: The cardiomyocyte apoptosis is considered as one of major contributions to cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI). Numerous studies find that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play pivotal roles in a variety of biological functions. However, the role of circ_0068655 in MI and human induced pluripotent stem-derived cardiomyocytes (HCMs) remains unknown. METHODS: The expression of circ_0068655, miR-498, and PRKC apoptosis WT1 regulator (PAWR) in human MI heart tissues and hypoxia subjected HCMs was evaluated with qRT-PCR and Western blot. The effects of circ_0068655 on hypoxia-induced apoptotic death and cell migration in HCMs were evaluated with qRT-PCR, cell viability, cell death ELISA (POD), and Caspase-3 activity assay, and Trans-well assay, respectively. Furthermore, luciferase assay, qRT-PCR, biotin-labeled miRNA pulldown assay, and Western blot were employed in the functional studies. RESULTS: We found that the expression of circ_0068655 and PAWR was enhanced in MI patients and hypoxia subjected HCMs; by contrast, the expression of miR-498 decreased. Inhibited expression of circ_0068655 in HMCs counteracted hypoxia-induced apoptotic death and impaired cell migration, in sharp contrast to circ_0068655 knockdown. We identified that circ_0068655 sponged an endogenous miR-498 to sequester and inhibit its activity, leading to the increased PAWR expression. CONCLUSIONS Our findings reveal that the expression of circ_0068655 can promote cardiomyocyte apoptosis through the modulation of miR-498-PAWR axis in vitro, which highlights the diagnostic and therapeutic value of circ_0068655 in patients with MI.

Objective To compare the effects of different right ventricular pacing sites on left ventricle systolic function in elderly patients with sick sinus syndrome (SSS).Methods A total of 78 elderly patients with SSS were selected in our hospital from 2014 to 2016,and were divided into the right ventricular apical group (RVA group,40 cases) and right ventricular outflow tract group (RVOT group,38 cases) according to sites of right ventrieular pacing.The QRS duration,accumulative total right ventricular pacing percentage and left ventricle function indicators were compared between the two groups before operation and 3,9 months after operation.Results There was no statistically significant difference in QRS duration and left ventricle function indicators before operation between the two groups (P＞0.05).The QRS durations in the RVA group at 3,9 months after operation were longer than those in the RVOT group,there were statistically significant differences (P＜0.05).No statistically significant difference was found in accumulative total right ventricular pacing percentage at 9 months after operation between the two groups (P＞ 0.05).At 9 months after operation,the left ventricular ejection fraction in the RVOT group was higher than that in the RVA group,and the left ventricular end diastolic diameter was lower than that in the RVA group,there were statistically significant differences (P＜0.05).Conclusion The effects of RVOT pacing on left ventricle systolic function in elderly patients with SSS is superior to the RVA pacing.

Objective To compare the curative effect and safety of non-X-ray fluoroscopic radiofrequency catheter ablation and conventional X-ray fluoroscopic radiofrequency catheter ablation in treating paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia by Ensite Velocity three-dimensional electroanatomical mapping system.Methods One hundred cases diagnosed as paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia in this hospital during 2014-2016 were selected and randomly divided into the control group (conventional X-ray exposure) and the experimental group(non-X-ray exposure by three-dimensional electroanatomical mapping system),50 cases in each group.The operation time,X-ray exposure time,complication rate,immediate and follow-up success rate were compared between two groups.Results There was no statistically significant difference in the operation time between the two groups (P＞0.05),but the X-ray exposure time in the experimental group [(0.46±0.14) min] was significantly lower than that of the control group [(13.87 ±4.03) min] and the complication rate (0 ％) was also significantly lower than that of the control group (8.00％);the immediate success rate (98.00 ％) was significantly was significantly decreased compared with the control group[(0.46± 0.14)min vs.(13.87 ±4.03)min],the complication rate was significantly lower than that in the control group(0 ％ vs.8 ％),the immediate success rate was significantly higher than that in the control group(98.00 ％ vs.84.00 ％),the follow up success rate was also significantly higher than that in the control group (94.00 ％ vs.74.00 ％),the differences were statistically significant (P＜0.05).Conclusion Using Ensite Velocity three-dimensional electroanatomical mapping system to conduct radiofrequency catheter ablation has an ideal clinical effect in the treatment of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia,which is safe and reliable.

BACKGROUND:Our prior experiments have confirmed that 10 μmol/L oxytocin can induce transformation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels into myocardial cels. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Ginsenoside Rh2 on oxytocin-induced transformation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels into myocardial cels. METHODS:Rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels were isolated by differential adherence method. These isolated cels were randomly divided into five groups. In the blank control group, cels were routinely cultured. In the oxytocin group, cels were cultured with 10 μmol/L oxytocin for 2 consecutive weeks. In the Ginsenoside Rh2 low-, middle-, and high-dose groups, cels were treated with 0.5, 1, 2 μmol/L Ginsenoside Rh2respectively for 24 hours and then with oxytocin for additional 2 consecutive weeks. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Optical microscopy showed that compared to the blank control group, some cels in the oxytocin group exhibited an increased soma and some cels grew in clusters and the cel clusters enlarged with the increase in Ginsenoside Rh2 dose. Immunocytochemical staining and western blot analysis showed that cardiac Troponin T and connexin 43 protein expression in the oxytocin, Ginsenoside Rh2 low-, middle-, and high-dose groups were significantly greater than in the blank control group (P < 0.05), and cardiac Troponin T and connexin 43 protein expression in the Ginsenoside Rh2 groups was increased with the increase in Ginsenoside Rh2 dose and was significantly higher than that in the oxytocin group (P < 0.05). Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that the relative fluorescence intensity of free calcium in the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels in the oxytocin group was significantly increased after induction by oxytocin for 2 weeks (P < 0.05), while the relative fluorescence intensity in the Ginsenoside Rh2 groups was significantly higher than that in the Ginsenoside Rh2 groups and was positively correlated with the dose of Ginsenoside Rh2. These findings suggest that Ginsenoside Rh2 can obviously promote oxytocin-induced transformation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels into myocardial celsin vitro.

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinaseⅡ (CaMKⅡ) has multiple functions, which made it play a central role in cardiovascular disease. Especially it activates numerous downstream targets in various signaling pathways that promotes vascular disease, heart failure, myocardial hypertrophy and arrhythmias. CaMKⅡcan impact calcium balance and increase calcium leak in myocardial cell via phosphorylating L type calcium channel, Ryanodine receptor (RyR 2) and phos?pholamban (PLN), and regulate ATP sensitive potassium current (IKATP) and late sodium current by affecting sodium channels and potassium channels. In addition, It can directly regulate transcription via activating the silk crack the original activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and acetylation enzyme (HDAC). These mechanisms have important roles in myocardial hypertro?phy, heart failure and arrhythmia. So we focus to demonstrating the structure and action mechanism of CaMKⅡto improve a new therapy of cardiovascular disease.

Objective Investigate the prognosis of patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT) for end-stage autoirnmune liver disease (ALD).Method The clinical data of 45 patients with endstage ALD undergoing LT from April 2001 to March 2015 in the first affiliated hospital of Zhejiang University were analyzed retrospectively.The postoperative cumulative survival rate of the recipients was calculated,and the causes of death were analyzed.The postoperative rejections,new onset viral hepatitis and ALD recurrence were also analyzed.Result In 45 ALD recipients,33 cases survived and the postoperative 5-year cumulative survival rate was 78.8％.Causes for 12 dead cases were mnultiple organ failure,liver graft failure,respiratory complications,hemorrhage and hepatic artery embolization.In 45 ALD recipients,6 cases suffered rejection after operation with the incidence bing 13.3％.One case suffered new onset hepatitis B infection 8 years after opcration.One recipient suffered primary disease (primary biliary cirrhosis) recurrence 2 years after operation,and 1 recipient with primary disease (primary sclerosing cholangitis) developed into overlap syndrome.They all survived for a long term after active treatments.Conclusion Most LT recipients with endstage ALD can obtain a long term survival.Attentions should be paid to the immunosuppressive regimens in early period after LT,prevention of infection,rejection and postoperative new onset viral hepatitis,and timely diagnosis of primary disease recurrence.

Cardiac contractile dysfunction and arrhythmic genesis are resulted from disturbed intracellular Na+and Ca2+ handling under condition of oxidation stress. Stress-induced intracellular signaling regulated mechanisms in which many activated stress kinases, such as cAMP-dependent protein kinase A, protein kinase C , Ca/calmodulin-dependent pro-tein kinaseⅡand classical pathways, are known to be involved. However, it is becoming increasingly evident that reactive oxygen species may directly oxidize these kinases, Na+and Ca2+channel protein and transporters, which lead to changing of intracellular Na+and Ca2+accumulation, and to trigger of arrhythmias.