Objective: To investigate the mortality, probability of premature death and trends due to malignant tumors, cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases in Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou City from 2015 to 2021, so as to provide the basis for the formulation of chronic diseases prevention and control strategies. Methods: The deaths of the four diseases in Xiaoshan District from 2015 to 2021 were collected from Zhejiang Provincial Chronic Diseases Surveillance Information Management System. The crude mortality, standardized mortality and probability of premature death were calculated. The trends in mortality and probability of premature death were analyzed using average annual percent change (AAPC), and the attainment of probability of premature death due to the four diseases was evaluated using the targets of probability of premature death control in 2025 and 2030. Results: Totally 36 130 deaths due to the four diseases were reported in Xiaoshan District from 2015 to 2021. The crude mortality and standardized mortality were 445.20/105 and 237.81/105, which appeared a tendency towards a decline (AAPC=-1.427% and -4.051%, both P<0.05), and the probability of premature death decreased from 9.99% to 7.82%, (AAPC=-4.123%, P<0.05). The standardized mortality of malignant tumors, cardio-cerebrovascular diseases and chronic respiratory diseases appeared a tendency towards a decline (AAPC=-3.017%, -4.999%, and -6.024%, all P<0.05), while there was no significant trend in the standardized mortality of diabetes (AAPC=-0.847%, P>0.05). The probability of premature death due to malignant tumors appeared a tendency towards a decline (AAPC=-4.167%, P<0.05), while there was no significant trends seen in the probability of premature death due to diabetes, cardio-cerebrovascular diseases and chronic respiratory diseases (AAPC=0.638%, -5.250% and -2.022%, all P>0.05). The average probability of premature death due to the four diseases decreased by 4.00% each year, and decreased by 6.64% in 2025 and 5.42% in 2030 as predicted, which were both lower than the target values of 7.99% and 6.99%. Conclusions The mortality and probability of premature death due to the four diseases appeared a tendency towards a decline in Xiaoshan District from 2015 to 2021, with the probability of premature death of malignant tumors decreased significantly. It is predicted that the probability of premature death of the four diseases can reach the target in 2025 and 2030.

Background::Intrauterine valvuloplasty is an innovative therapy, which promotes ventricular growth and function in some congenital heart diseases (CHDs). The technique remains challenging and can only be performed in a few centers. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and mid-term outcomes of fetal cardiac intervention (FCI) in fetuses with critical CHD in an experienced tertiary center.Methods::Five fetal aortic valvuloplasty (FAV) or fetal pulmonary valvuloplasty (FPV) procedures were performed in our fetal heart center between August 2018 and May 2022. Technical success was defined as crossing the aortic or pulmonary valve and balloon inflation, followed by evidence of increased blood flow across the valve and/or new regurgitation. Follow-up clinical records and echocardiography were obtained during the prenatal and postnatal periods.Results::Five fetuses received FAV or FPV, including critical aortic stenosis ( n = 2) and pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum ( n = 3). The mean maternal age was 33.0 ± 2.6 years. The median gestational age (GA) at diagnosis was 24 weeks (range, 22-26 weeks). The median GA at intervention was 29 weeks (range, 28-32 weeks). All five cases underwent successful or partially successful procedures. One patient had pulmonary valve perforation without balloon dilation. No procedure-related deaths or significant complications occurred. However, one neonatal death occurred due to heart and renal failure. The median follow-up period was 29.5 months (range, 8.0-48.0 months). The four surviving patients had achieved biventricular circulation, exhibited improved valve, and ventricular development at the last follow-up visit. Conclusion::Intrauterine FCI could be performed safely with good prognosis in critical CHD.

Objective:To construct a predictive nomogram on postoperative overall survival (OS) in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) after R 0 radical pancreaticoduodenectomy, and to evaluate its performance. Methods:The clinicopathological data of patients who underwent radical pancreaticoduodenectomy at the Faculty of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2014 to December 2019 for pathologically diagnosed PDAC were retrospectively collected and analyzed. There were 119 patients, with 85 males and 34 females, aged (58±11) years. Using multivariate Cox regression analysis (stepwise regression), a prediction nomogram was constructed. Concordance index (C-index), calibration curve, and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were applied to evaluate the predictive performance.Results:The 1-, 2-, and 3-year cumulative survival rates of these 119 patients were 67.2%, 35.0%, and 24.8%, respectively. High-grade tumors (poorly differentiated and undifferentiated), vascular carcinoma embolus, systemic immune inflammatory index <279.4×10 9/L, prognostic nutritional index <40.5, alanine aminotransferase-to-aspartate aminotransferase ratio>1.1, total bilirubin>258.5 μmol/L and plasma fibrinogen>3.43 g/L were independent risk factors for poor OS for PDAC patients after radical pancreaticoduodenectomy (all P<0.05). These indicators, together with age >63 years, constituted the regression formula for prediction with a C-index=0.74. The areas under the curve of ROC for the nomogram on predicting survival were 0.795, 0.803, and 0.836 at 1, 2, and 3-year respectively, and only slight deviations were observed on the calibration curves from the standard 45° line, suggesting that the survival prediction of the model in this dataset fitted well with the actual survival status. Conclusion:The predictive nomogram on OS in patients after R 0 radical pancreaticoduodenectomy based on the clinicopathological characteristics of PDAC was internally validated to have a good predictive performance on OS. The nomogram can help to optimize prognostic risk stratification and treatment decisions for this subgroup of patients. This prediction model needs to be further verified and improved by using large-scale cohort studies.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of rat cardiac fibroblasts (RCF) on the expression of connexin43 (Cx43) in H9c2 cells during hypothermic hypoxia/reoxygenation.Methods:H9c2 cells cultured in vitro were divided into 4 groups ( n=12 each) using the random number table method: control group (group C), hypothermic hypoxia/reoxygenation group (group HHR), RCF co-culture group (group Co) and RCF co-culture plus hypothermic hypoxia/reoxygenation group (group Co+ HHR). Group C was incubated at 37℃ in 5% CO 2 + 95% air for 5 h. Group HHR was incubated at 4 ℃ in 5% CO 2 + 95% N 2 for 1 h and then at 37 ℃ in 5% CO 2 + 95% air for 4 h. In group Co and group Co+ HHR, H9c2 cells 0.3×10 5 cells/well were inoculated in the lower chamber and RCF 0.6×10 5 cells/well in the the upper chamber of a transwell ? culture dish.Group Co was incubated at 37 ℃ in 5% CO 2 + 95% air for 5 h. Group Co+ HHR was incubated at 4℃ in 95% N 2 + 5% CO 2 for 1 h, and then incubated at 37 ℃ in 5% CO 2 + 95% air for 4 h. The mortality rate of H9c2 cells was measured by trypan blue staining, the expression of Cx43 and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) by immunofluorescence, and the expression of Cx43, phosphorylated Cx43, ERK1/2 and phosphorylated ERK1/2 by Western blot. Results:Compared with group C, the mortality rate of H9c2 cells was significantly increased, the expression and phosphorylation of Cx43 were decreased, and the expression and phosphorylation of ERK1/2 were increased in group HHR ( P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the mortality rate of H9c2 cells or expression and phosphorylation of Cx43 and ERK1/2 in group Co ( P>0.05). Compared with group Co, the mortality rate of H9c2 cells was significantly increased, and the expression and phosphorylation of Cx43 and ERK1/2 were decreased in group Co+ HHR ( P<0.05). Compared with group HHR, the mortality rate of H9c2 cells was significantly increased, and the expression and phosphorylation of Cx43 and ERK1/2 were decreased in group Co+ HHR ( P<0.05). Conclusions:RCFs can decrease the expression and activity of Cx43 in H9c2 cells during hypothermic hypoxia/reoxygenation, and the mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of ERK1/2 expression and inhibition of ERK1/2 activity.

Objective:To evaluate the effects of different densities of rat cardiac fibroblasts (RCF) subjected to hypothermic hypoxia-reoxygenation on cardiomyocyte injury and intercellular coupling.Methods:RCF was cultured in vitro and divided into 3 groups ( n=12 each) using a random number table method: RCF density 0.5×10 5 cells/ml group (T 0.5 group), RCF density 1.0×10 5 cells/ml group (T 1.0 group), and RCF density 2.0×10 5 cells/ml group (T 2.0 group). The three groups were placed in an anoxic device, into which 95% N 2 + 5% CO 2 was continuously blown at the speed of 5 L/min for 15 min, and then placed in a 4 ℃ refrigerator for 1 h for low temperature treatment.After completion of culture, cells were placed in a incubator containing 95% air + 5% CO 2 at 37 ℃ for 4 h of reoxygenation.After the end of culture, RCF in three groups were indirectly co-cultured with cardiomyocytes of the same density (1.0×10 5 cells/ml) in a Transwell chamber for 16 h, cardiomyocytes were seeded in the lower chamber of Transwell, and RCF were seeded in the upper chamber of Transwell.After the end of co-culture, cardiomyocytes were collected for determination of the cell viability (by CCK8 method), apoptosis rate (by flow cytometry), expression of connexin 43 (Cx43) mRNA (by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction), and expression of Cx43 and phosphorylated Cx43 (p-Cx43) (by Western blot). Results:Compared with T 0.5 group, the cell viability, apoptosis rate and expression of Cx43, p-Cx43 and Cx43 mRNA were significantly decreased in T 1.0 and T 2.0 groups ( P<0.01). Compared with T 1.0 group, the cell viability, apoptosis rate and expression of Cx43 and p-Cx43 were significantly decreased ( P<0.01), and no significant change was found in expression of Cx43 mRNA in cardiomyocytes in T 2.0 group ( P>0.05). Conclusions:RCF subjected to hypothermic hypoxia-reoxygenation induces cardiomyocyte injury in a density-dependent manner in a certain range, and the mechanism may be related to down-regulation of the expression of Cx43 and reduction of the activity of Cx43.

Drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK) is an important branch of pharmaceutical sciences. The nature of ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) and PK (pharmacokinetics) inquiries during drug discovery and development has evolved in recent years from being largely descriptive to seeking a more quantitative and mechanistic understanding of the fate of drug candidates in biological systems. Tremendous progress has been made in the past decade, not only in the characterization of physiochemical properties of drugs that influence their ADME, target organ exposure, and toxicity, but also in the identification of design principles that can minimize drug-drug interaction (DDI) potentials and reduce the attritions. The importance of membrane transporters in drug disposition, efficacy, and safety, as well as the interplay with metabolic processes, has been increasingly recognized. Dramatic increases in investments on new modalities beyond traditional small and large molecule drugs, such as peptides, oligonucleotides, and antibody-drug conjugates, necessitated further innovations in bioanalytical and experimental tools for the characterization of their ADME properties. In this review, we highlight some of the most notable advances in the last decade, and provide future perspectives on potential major breakthroughs and innovations in the translation of DMPK science in various stages of drug discovery and development.

Objective:To evaluate the effects of different density rat fibroblasts on the expression of conjunctin 43 (Cx43) in cardiomyocytes and cell viability.Methods:Cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts were co-cultured using Transwell, cardiomyocytes were inoculated into the lower chamber of Transwell and fibroblasts into the upper chamber of Transwell.The cells were divided into 3 groups ( n=12 each) by a random number table method: fibroblast density 0.5×10 5 cells/ml group (group C 0.5), fibroblast density 1×10 5 cells/ml group (group C 1), and fibroblast density 2×10 5 cells/ml group (group C 2), with the density of cardiomyocytes 1×10 5 cells/ml in three groups.Cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts were co-cultured for 20 h in three groups.Cardiomyocytes were collected after co-culture for determination of cell viability (by CCK8 method), apoptosis rate (by flow cytometry), and expression of Cx43 mRNA (by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction) and expression of Cx43 and phosphorylated Cx43 (p-Cx43) (by Western blot). Results:There was no significant difference in the apoptosis rate of cardiomyocytes among the three groups ( P>0.05). Compared with group C 0.5, the expression of Cx43 protein and mRNA and p-Cx43 was significantly up-regulated in group C 1, the cardiomyocyte viability was significantly increased, and the expression of Cx43 protein and mRNA and p-Cx43 was up-regulated in group C 2 ( P<0.05). Compared with group C 1, the cardiomyocyte viability was significantly increased, and the expression of Cx43 protein and mRNA and p-Cx43 was up-regulated in group C 2 ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Rat fibroblasts up-regulate the expression of Cx43 and enhance the activity of Cx43 in cardiomyocytes and enhance cell viability in a density-dependent manner in a certain range.

Depression is a common emotional disorder, which has high incidence rate and mortality worldwide. Ascorbic acid (AA) is also known as vitamin C. As a kind of reducing vitamin, AA participates in anti-oxidation, enzyme assistance and neuro-modulation in the central nervous system. Clinical evidence and animal studies show that AA has anti-depressant effect. This article reviews the function of AA in the nervous system, the current researches on relation between AA and depression, and possible mechanism, and analyzes its therapeutic significance in this disease, hoping to provide new ideas for the clinical treatment of depression.

Objective:To observe the changes in the expression of microRNAs in ventricular myocardium in a rat model of hypothermic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R).Methods:Healthy clean-grade male Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 2-3 months, weighing 300-400 g, were anesthetized with intraperitoneal chloral hydrate.Their hearts were excised and perfused in a Langendorff apparatus with K-H solution saturated with 95%O 2-5%CO 2.Sixteen Langendorff-perfused hearts were prepared and divided into 2 groups ( n=8 each) by a random number table method: control group (group C) and hypothermic I/R group (group I/R). The hearts were made globally ischemic for 60 min followed by 30-min hypothermic (4 ℃) reperfusion to establish the model of hypothermic I/R injury.The type and duration of arrhythmia and time of recovery of spontaneous heartbeats were recorded during reperfusion.The rats in group I/R were further divided into low-risk group (I/R-L group) and high-risk group (I/R-H group). The left ventricular myocardium was collected after the end of perfusion for high throughput sequencing to screen the differentially expressed microRNAs, and the reliability of the sequencing results was verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.Gene Ontology and KEGG databases were used to analyze the biological regulatory pathways of differentially expressed target genes. Results:Compared with group C, there were 437 up-regulated microRNAs and 242 down-regulated microRNAs in group I/R-L and 419 up-regulated microRNAs and 260 down-regulated microRNAs in group I/R-H.Compared with group I/R-L, 392 microRNAs were up-regulated, and 287 microRNAs were down-regulated in group I/R-H.There were 84 microRNAs with absolute value of fold change ≥2 and significantly differential expression ( P<0.01) among the three groups.Subsequently, 4 microRNAs were randomly selected for validation using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, confirming that the sequencing results were reliable.These differentially expressed target genes were involved in 11 biological processes and 6 KEGG pathways which were related to reperfusion arrhythmia.Potassium ion transmembrane transport and the adrenergic receptor signaling pathway in cardiomyocytes were enriched by the largest number of target genes. Conclusion:The expression of microRNAs in ventricular myocardium changes significantly after heart hypothermic I/R.These differentially expressed microRNAs regulate potassium ion transmembrane transport probably and mainly through the adrenergic receptor signaling pathway in the cardiomyocytes and thus are involved in the occurrence and development of hypothermic I/R arrhythmias.

Objective:To evaluate the relationship between decreased atrial myoelectric conduction and gap junction protein 40 (Cx40) and Cx43 in rats with reperfusion atrial arrhythmia.Methods:Sixteen Langendorff-isolated heart perfusion models were randomly divided into control group (group C) and ischemia-reperfusion group (group IR), with 8 rats in each group.According to whether the atrial arrhythmia occurred after reperfusion, group IR was further divided into reperfusion non-atrial arrhythmia subgroup (group R-NAA) and reperfusion atrial arrhythmia subgroup (group R-AA). Group C was balanced perfusion with K-H solution (37 ℃) for 120 min.In group IR, hearts were perfused with K-H solution (37 ℃) for 30 min, perfusion was then stopped, Thomas solution (4 ℃, 20 ml/kg) was injected to induce cardiac arrest for 60 min, the surrounding of the heart was protected with 4 ℃Thomas solution, and hearts were perfused with Thomas solution (4 ℃, 10 ml/kg) again after 30 min of cardiac arrest and then with K-H solution 37 ℃ for 30 min.At 120 min of equilibration or 30 min of reperfusion, the effective refractory period (ERP) and conduction velocity (CV) of the right atrium were measured, the expression of Cx40 and Cx43 in the right atrial myocardium was detected by Western blot, and ratio of Cx40 to Cx40+ Cx43 and the ratio of Cx43 to Cx40+ Cx43 were calculated.Results:The incidence of reperfusion atrial arrhythmia was 38% in group IR.Compared with group C, ERP was significantly prolonged, CV was decreased, the expression of Cx40 and Cx43 was down-regulated, the ratio of Cx40 to Cx40+ Cx43 was increased, and the ratio of Cx43 to Cx40+ Cx43 was decreased in R-NAA and R-AA groups ( P<0.05). Compared with group R-NAA, ERP was significantly prolonged, CV was decreased, the expression of Cx40 and Cx43 was down-regulated, the ratio of Cx40 to Cx40+ Cx43 was increased, and the ratio of Cx43 to Cx40+ Cx43 was decreased in group R-AA ( P<0.05). Conclusion:The decreased atrial myoelectric conduction may be related to the down-regulation of Cx40 and Cx43 expression in rats with reperfusion atrial arrhythmia.