BACKGROUND: The protective effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on cardiac ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury has been widely reported. Dental pulp-derived mesenchymal stem cells (DP-MSCs) have therapeutic effects on various diseases, including diabetes and cirrhosis. This study aimed to determine the therapeutic effects of DP-MSCs on I/R injury and elucidate the underlying mechanism. METHODS: Myocardial I/R injury model mice were treated with DP-MSCs or a miR-19a-3p mimic. The infarct volume, fibrotic area, pyroptosis, inflammation level, and cardiac function were measured. Cardiomyocytes exposed to hypoxia-reoxygenation were transfected with the miR-19a-3p mimic, miR-19a-3p inhibitor, or negative control. Pyroptosis and protein expression in the interferon regulatory factor 8/mitogen-activated protein kinase (IRF-8/MAPK) pathway were measured. RESULTS: DP-MSCs protected cardiac function in cardiac I/R-injured mice and inhibited cardiomyocyte pyroptosis. The upregulation of miR-19a-3p protected cardiac function, inhibited cardiomyocyte pyroptosis, and inhibited IRF-8/MAPK signaling in cardiac I/R-injured mice. DP-MSCs inhibited cardiomyocyte pyroptosis and the IRF-8/MAPK signaling by upregulating the miR-19a-3p levels in cardiomyocytes injured by I/R. CONCLUSION DP-MSCs protected cardiac function by inhibiting cardiomyocyte pyroptosis through miR-19a-3p under I/R conditions.
Animals ; MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; Pyroptosis/genetics* ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Myocytes, Cardiac/cytology* ; Mice ; Male ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Dental Pulp/cytology* ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury/therapy* ; MAP Kinase Signaling System/physiology*

BACKGROUND:At present,open reduction and internal fixation and minimally invasive needle aspiration are commonly used in patients with Sanders types Ⅱ and Ⅲ calcaneal fractures.However,there is little comparison between the clinical efficacy of the two methods and high-level clinical evidence is still available. OBJECTIVE:To compare the curative effect of Sanders types Ⅱ and Ⅲ calcaneal fractures treated by three-dimensional digital model-assisted minimally invasive needle penetration and tarsal sinus incision and manual reduction and internal fixation with steel plate. METHODS:From January 2021 to October 2022,80 patients with Sanders types Ⅱ and Ⅲ calcaneal fractures who were treated in the Department of Orthopedics,Cangzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in Hebei Province were randomly divided into control group(40 cases)and observation group(40 cases).The control group was treated with manual reduction and internal fixation with steel plate through the traditional tarsal sinus incision,while the observation group was treated with a three-dimensional digital model assisted with minimally invasive needle penetration fixation.The operation time,blood loss,hospitalization time and fracture healing time of the two groups were recorded.The changes in Maryland score,AO-FAS score,pain visual analog scale score,quality of life score(SF-36 score),and imaging parameters(B?hler angle,Gissane angle,calcaneal length,width and height)were observed before and 12 months after operation in the two groups.The complications during the follow-up were recorded. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Operation time,blood loss,hospitalization time and fracture healing time in the observation group were lower than those in the control group(all P<0.05).(2)The Maryland score,AO-FAS score,SF-36 score,B?hler angle,Gissane angle,calcaneal length and height of the two groups after treatment were significantly higher than those before treatment(all P<0.05).Visual analog scale score and calcaneal width were significantly lower than those before treatment(all P<0.05).(3)After 12 months of follow-up,the incidence of complications in the observation group was lower than that in the control group(all P<0.05).(4)In conclusion,the treatment of Sanders types Ⅱ and Ⅲ calcaneal fractures with three-dimensional digital model-assisted minimally invasive needle penetration fixation can significantly improve the operation time,bleeding volume and other perioperative indicators,and can reduce the occurrence of multiple complications.The recovery of ankle function,relief of pain symptoms,and improvement of quality of life are equivalent to traditional therapy.

Objective:To explore the feasibility of using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography for measuring right ventricular strain and function in healthy adults, and to analyze the impact of age and gender.Methods:This study is a cross-sectional study. Healthy adults who underwent physical examination in the Physical Examination Center of Beijing Hospital from January 1, 2020 to January 1, 2021 were included. Two researchers independently measured various right ventricular longitudinal strain indices using the Echopac software, including (global longitudinal strain (GLS), apical longitudinal strain (ALS), midventricle longitudinal strain (MLS), basal longitudinal strain (BLS), free wall GLS (FWGLS), free wall ALS (FWALS), free wall MLS (FWMLS) and free wall BLS (FWBLS)) as well as tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and right ventricle-fraction of area change (RVFAC). The above indicators were taken as the average of two physicians. The consistency of the measurements by two physicians was evaluated by the within-group correlation coefficient ( ICC). Results:A total of 233 subjects were included, including 137 males, aged (58.5±14.2) years. ICC values was all above 0.8 with excellent agreement. The values of FWGLS and GLS in healthy adults were -26.63% and -21.89%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in TAPSE ((2.06±0.41)cm vs. (2.10±0.39)cm, P=0.510) and RVFAC ((51.17±9.91)% vs. (50.89±8.65)%, P=0.826) between males and females. The values of various right ventricular long axis strain indicators (GLS, ALS, MLS, BLS, FWGLS, FWMLS, FWMLS, FWBLS) in females aged 18 to 40 and 41 to 65 years were higher than those in males of the same age (all P<0.05), while there was no statistically significant difference in the values of various right ventricular long axis strain indicators between the sexes in subjects aged 65 years and above (all P>0.05). In females, the right ventricular GLS, ALS, MLS, FWGLS, FWALS, FWMLS, and FWBLS values in the groups aged 18 to 40 and 41 to 65 years were significantly higher than those in the group aged 65 years and above (all P<0.05). In contrast, no significant differences were found in these indices among different age groups in males (all P>0.05). Conclusions:Using two-dimensional speckle tracking technology in echocardiography to measure right ventricular strain indicators is feasible and highly reproducible. Gender and age have an impact on right ventricular strain indicators.

Objective:To explore the risk factors for atrial fibrillation(AF)in elderly Chinese patients with severe valvular heart disease(VHD).Methods:This was a cross-sectional study and consecutively enrolled 978 elderly patients with severe VHD diagnosed in 18 Class A tertiary hospitals across the country from September 2021 to March 2022, including 322(32.9%)patients with concurrent AF.Clinical and echocardiographic data were collected to analyze the risk factors for AF.Results:Among VHD patients, compared with the non-AF group, the AF group was older, had a higher female ratio, higher diastolic blood pressure, higher proportions with cerebrovascular disease and chronic kidney disease, lower serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol and higher serum creatinine, amino-terminal A-type natriuretion peptide and glycosylated hemoglobin.As for echocardiographic parameters, the left atrial diameter was larger, the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, interventricular septum thickness, and left ventricular posterior wall thickness were smaller in the AF group than in the non-AF group.All of the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05). The results of multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the left atrial anteroposterior diameter increased( OR=1.166, P<0.01), the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter decreased( OR=0.929, P<0.01), and advanced age( OR=1.051, P<0.05)was an independent risk factor for elderly VHD patients with concurrent AF. Conclusions:In elderly patients with severe VHD, advanced age, an increased left atrial anteroposterior diameter, and a decreased left ventricular end-diastolic diameter were independently associated with AF.Therefore, evaluation of cardiac structure and regular follow-up should be performed in elderly patients with severe VHD for early intervention to reduce the incidence of AF.

OBJECTIVE:To investigate clinical efficacy and safety of Rosuvastatin calcium tablets combined with Qishen yiqi dripping pills in the treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF) and it effects on inflammatory level,oxidative stress injury and cardiac function of patients.METHODS:Ninety CHF patients in our hospital during Aug.2014-Apr.2016 were divided into observation group and control group according to random number table,with 45 cases in each group.Control group received routine anti-heart failure treatment as cardiac,diuretic,dilating vessel,and Qishen yiqi dripping pills orally 0.5 g,half an hour after meal,tid;observation group was additionally given Rosuvastatin calcium tablet orally 20 mg,at bedtime,qd,on the basis of control group.Cardiac function,serum inflammatory factor,BNP and oxidative stress levels were compared between 2 groups before and after treatment.Clinical efficacies and the occurrence of ADR were observed in 2 groups.RESULTS:Before treatment,there was no statistical significance in LVEF,LVESD,LVEDD,TNF-α,IL-6,BNP,SOD,MPO and MMP-9 levels between 2 groups (P＞0.05).After treatment,LVEF of 2 groups were increased significantly,while LVEDD,LVESD,TNF-α and IL-6,BNP levels were decreased significantly;the above indexes of observation group was significantly better than those of control group,with statistical significance (P＜0.05).MPO and MMP-9 of observation group were significantly decreased,while SOD level was significantly increased and better than that of control group,with statistical significance (P＜0.05),but there was no statistical significance in SOD and MPO,MMP-9 levels of control group before and after treatment (P＞0.05).The clinical response rate of observation group was 97.8％,which was significantly higher than 82.2％ of control group,with statistical significance (P＜0.05).There was no statistical significance in the incidence of ADR between 2 groups (P＞0.05).CONCLUSIONS:Rosuvastatin calcium tablets combined with Qishen yiqi dripping pills show significant therapeutic efficacy for CHF,can effectively reduce inflammatory level,relieve oxidant stress injury,delay the process of ventricular remodeling,and improve cardiac function with good safety.