This study investigated the role of the nuclear factor of activated T cells c3 (NFATc3) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) during aortic aneurysm and dissection (AAD) progression and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Cytoplasmic and nuclear NFATc3 levels were elevated in human and mouse AAD. VSMC-NFATc3 deletion reduced thoracic AAD (TAAD) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) progression in mice, contrary to VSMC-NFATc3 overexpression. VSMC-NFATc3 deletion reduced extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation and maintained the VSMC contractile phenotype. Nuclear NFATc3 targeted and transcriptionally upregulated matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and MMP2, promoting ECM degradation and AAD development. NFATc3 promoted VSMC phenotypic switching by binding to eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) and inhibiting its phosphorylation in the VSMC cytoplasm. Restoring eEF2 reversed the beneficial effects in VSMC-specific NFATc3-knockout mice. Cabamiquine-targets eEF2 and inhibits protein synthesis-inhibited AAD development and progression in VSMC-NFATc3-overexpressing mice. VSMC-NFATc3 promoted VSMC switch and ECM degradation while exacerbating AAD development, making it a novel potential therapeutic target for preventing and treating AAD.

Objective To explore the effects of glycemia and serum calcium on occurrence and development of aortic root dilation disease. Methods The clinical data of patients with aortic root dilation who underwent surgical treatment in the Department of Cardiac Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from January 2011 to October 2021 were retrospectively collected. They were divided into two groups according to whether they were accompanied by acute aortic dissection (Stanford type A), and were matched with the propensity scoring method. Logistic univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to analyze the glycemia and the serum calcium of the patients in 24 hours at admission, and their receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted. Results Finally 184 pairs of patients were matched, including 297 males with an average age of 48.76±9.62 years and 71 females with an average age of 49.97±10.97 years. There were statistical differences in ethnicity, history of hypertension, aortic root diameter, serum calcium and glycemia between the two groups (P<0.05). Logistic multivariate regression analyses results showed that age＜40 years (OR=4.106, P=0.010), Han nationality (OR=2.863, P<0.001), aortic root diameter＜45 mm (OR=5.063, P<0.001), hypertension (OR=2.736, P=0.001), hyperglycemia (OR=4.426, P<0.001) and hypocalcemia (OR=5.375, P<0.001) were independent risk factors for aortic root dilation disease with dissection. ROC curve analysis suggested that the area under the curve (AUC) of glycemia was 0.742 and the AUC of serum calcium was 0.737, all of which had some predictive value. Conclusion Hyperglycemia and hypocalcemia are risk factors for the development of aortic root dilation disease, and to some extent, they can be used as indicators for screening high-risk patients with aortic root dilation disease.

Objective: To establish comprehensive laboratory reference intervals for Chinese children. Methods: This was a cross-sectional multicenter study. From June 2013 to December 2014, eligible healthy children aged from 6-month to 17-year were enrolled from 20 medical centers with informed consent. They were assessed by physical examination, questionnaire survey and abdominal ultrasound for eligibility. Fasting blood samples were collected and delivered to central laboratory. Measurements of 15 clinical laboratory parameters were performed, including estradiol (E2), testosterone(T), luteinizing hormone(LH), follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH), alanine transaminase(ALT), serum creatinine(Scr), cystatin C, immunoglobulin A(IgA), immunoglobulin G(IgG), immunoglobulin M(IgM), complement (C3, C4), alkaline phosphatase(ALP), uric acid(UA) and creatine kinase(CK). Reference intervals were established according to central 95% confidence intervals for reference population, stratified by age and sex. Results: In total, 2 259 children were enrolled. Finally, 1 648 children were eligible for this study, including 830 boys and 818 girls, at a mean age of 7.4 years. Age- and sex- specific reference intervals have been established for the parameters. Reference intervals of sex hormones increased gradually with age. Concentrations of ALT, cystatin C, ALP and CK were higher in children under 2 years old. Serum levels of sex hormones, creatinine, immunoglobin, CK, ALP and urea increased rapidly in adolescence, with significant sex difference. In addition, reference intervals were variable depending on assay methods. Concentrations of ALT detected by reagents with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate(PLP) were higher than those detected by reagents without PLP. Compared with enzymatic method, Jaffe assay always got higher results of serum creatinine, especially in children younger than 9 years old. Conclusion This study established age- and sex- specific reference intervals, for 15 clinical laboratory parameters based on defined healthy children.

Objective To study the relationship between injury site (right or left) or pathological type (hemorrhage or infarct) and atten-tion impairment in post stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). Methods June, 2014 to June 2015, 49 patients with PSCI were assessed with Test of Attentional Performance (TAP) within 1 week of admission. The reaction time and the numbers of correct response were recorded. Results The reaction time of alertness (with or without alarm) was shorter in the patients with left infarction (Z=-2.32, t=-3.76, P<0.05), and the correct number of auditory was more (Z=2.42, P<0.05) than those with right infarction. The reaction time of incompatibility test and Go/Nogo test was shorter in patients with left hemorrhage than those with right hemorrhage (Z>2.32, t=-3.10, P<0.05). Conclusion A trend of lateralization was found in patients with PSCI, rather than in the pathology.

Objective To investigate the relationship between genetic polymorphism of N-acetyltransferase 2(NAT2) and susceptibility to bladder cancer.Methods Based on case-control study,NAT2 mutation alleles(NAT2*5,*6 and*7) were determined by ASPCR and PCR-RFLP in 78 patients with bladder cancer and 80 nontumorous patients.In addtion,the relationships between the genotypes and tobacco smoking,occupational exposure,high dose intake of meat or pathological characteristic of bladder cancer patients were analyzed.Results In the blood samples from 158 cases,the 4 alleles NAT2*4,NAT2*5,NAT2*6 and NAT2*7 were detected.The frequency of NAT2 slow genotypes was 29.5%(23/78) in patients with bladder cancer,which was significantly higher compared with 16.3%(13/80) in control patients(P