Objective To investigate the effect of puerarin(Pue)on ferroptosis in myocardial cells of rats with diabetic cardiomyopathy(DCM)and to analyze its potential mechanisms.Methods A DCM rat model was established by high-fat,high-sugar diet combined with streptozotocin injection.The successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into DCM group,low-dose Pue group(125 mg/kg,gavage),high-dose Pue group(250 mg/kg,gavage)and valsartan group(30 mg/kg,gavage),with 10 rats in each group.Another 10 healthy SD rats were selected as blank control group.At the end of treatment,fasting blood glucose,tail artery blood pressure(BP)total cholesterol(TC),triglycerides(TG)and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)levels were measured in all groups.The cardiac function related indicators[left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF),left ventricular fractional shorten-ing(LVFS),left ventricular end-systolic diameter(LVDs)and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVDd)]of rats in each group were recorded by ultrasonic apparatus.Histopathological changes in myocardial tissues were observed using hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining and TUNEL staining.Levels of glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px),superoxide dismutase(SOD),reactive oxygen species(ROS),malondialdehyde(MDA)and Fe2+were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent as-say(ELISA)kits.Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of glutathione peroxi-dase 4(GPX4),long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase 4(ACSL4)and proteins involved in the protein kinase B/glycogen synthase kinase-3β(AKT/GSK-3β)signaling pathway.Results Compared with the blank control group,the DCM group exhibited disordered or fractured myocardial fibers and significant inflammatory cell infiltration.The apoptosis rate,LVDs,LVDd,blood glucose,BP,TC,TG,LDL-C,ROS,MDA,Fe2+and ACSL4 protein expression levels in the DCM group were signifi-cantly higher,and LVEF,LVFS,GSH-Px as well as SOD and the protein expression levels of GPX4,phosphorylated(p)-AKT,p-GSK-3β and p-PI3K were lower than those in the blank group(P＜0.05).Compared with the DCM group,the low-dose Pue group,high-dose Pue group and valsartan group showed reduced fractured myocardial fiber or disarray,more regular arrangement of myocardial fibers,and decreased inflammatory cell infiltration.The apoptosis rate,LVDs,LVDd,blood glucose,BP,TC,TG,LDL-C,ROS,MDA,Fe2+and ACSL4 protein expression levels in the low-dose Pue group,high-dose Pue group and valsartan group were significantly lower,and LVEF,LVFS,GSH-Px as well as SOD and the protein expression levels of GPX4,p-Akt,p-GSK-3 βand p-PI3K were significantly higher than those in the DCM group(P＜0.05),and the effect was more significant in the high-dose Pue group.Conclusion Pue treatment can effectively improve the metabolic level of DCM rats,inhibit the pathological damage and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes,alle-viate oxidative stress,and thereby improving the cardiac function of DCM rats.Its mechanism of ac-tion may be related to the inhibition of cardiomyocyte ferroptosis mediated by the AKT/GSK-3βpathway.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of urine abnormalities for school children in Chengdu city and to evaluate the significance of urinary screening.Methods During January to December 2013,morning urine of 6 615 students were collected and screened by urine reagent paper.Two weeks later,the repeated screening was conducted in the children whose urine samples were positive for the first screening.Urine samples with positive testing results for twice were submitted to urine routine tests at local hospital,and the children with the urine positive results were defined as urine abnormalities.The children with urine abnormalities were transferred to a tertiary hospital and given treatment and follow-up.Results There were 6 615 cases receiving urine screening,including 2 624 cases (39.67 ％) of the grade I,and 3 991 cases(60.33％) at junior middle school.During the first screening,323 cases (4.83％) children had urinary occult blood positive,43 cases (0.65％) had urinary protein,20 cases (0.30％) had occult blood positive and proteinuria,and 103 cases (1.56％) had white cells in urine.During the second urine screening,62 cases (0.94％) had occult blood positive,6 cases (0.09％) had urinary protein,2 cases (0.03％) had proteinuria and occult blood positive,46 cases (0.70％) had white cells in urine.The incidence of urine abnormalities with occult blood positive,proteinuria,occult blood positive and proteinuria,and white cells in urine of children at junior middle school [1.38％ (55/3 991 cases),0.13％ (5/3 991 cases),0.05％ (2/3 991 cases),0.70％ (28/3 991 cases)] were significantly higher than those of children at primary school [0.27％ (7/2 624 cases),0.04％ (1/2 624 cases),0 (0/ 2 624 cases),0.69％ (18/2 624 cases)],and all the differences were statisticallysignificant (x2 =64.16,168.53,178.09,98.16,all P ＜ 0.05).In children transferred to a tertiary hospital for treatment,there were 4 cases with IgA nephropathy,1 case with minor glomerular abnormalities,and 12 cases with urinary tract infection.Conclusion Urinary screening is an effective way to find out kidney disease and urinary tract infection in children.Follow-ups should be strengthened.