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BACKGROUND Acute vasoreactivity testing (AVT) which reflects the compliance of the pulmonary vascular bed has been proven to be of prognostic value. The purpose of the present study is to explore the sex differences of hemodynamics during the AVT and their impact on event-free survival in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). METHODS Eighty-six patients underwent a right heart catheterization and AVT at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from February 2009 to February 2018. Univariate and multiple stepwise regression analysis were performed to determine the predictors of independent event-free survival, and receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted to determine the cut-off value of independent parameters in CTEPH. RESULTS There were no significant differences in both demographics and hemodynamics between male and female patients with CTEPH. Except ΔPVR/PVR showed a significantly higher difference in female than male patients (P = 0.034). Male patients had higher mRAP of pre- and post-AVT than female patients in the event-free subgroup, while, female patients showed higher PVR of pre-AVT than male patients in the event subgroup (P

OBJECTIVE This study intended to explore the relation between heart rate recovery at 1 minutes (HRR1) during the recovery phase of cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) and exercise capacity in female systemic lupus erythematosus associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (SLE-PAH) patients. METHODS Twenty-one female SLE-PAH patients underwent right heart catheterization (RHC), pulmonary function test (PFT) and CPET. Forty-two healthy subjects matched with SLE-PAH patients in age, sex and BMI were recruited as a control group. The correlations between HRR1 with clinical and CPET parameters were performed. RESULTS Peak HR, ΔHR, HRR1, Peak HR-warm HR1min , Peak HR-warm HR2min and CR were significantly lower in SLE-PAH than in controls (P

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is an important complication of interstitial lung disease (ILD). The aim of the present study was to investigate characteristics and prognosis of ILD associated PH in a predominantly Chinese patient cohort. Methods: Consecutive patients with ILD associated PH, confirmed by right heart catheterization at shanghai pulmonary hospital were included in the study. Characteristics at baseline and during follow-up, as well as survival, were analyzed. Results: This observational study was conducted in 26 patients with a mean age of 60.0 ± 12.2 years old. The six-minutes walking distance was 335.0 ± 190.9 meters. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) was 42.9 ± 10.9 mm Hg, cardiac output was 4.4 ± 1.0 L/min, and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) was 8.6 ± 4.1 Wood Units. Mean PAP was ≥35 mmHg in 69.2% of cases. There were no difference in lung function parameters between ILD with PH and ILD without PH. The overall survival rate was 92% at 1 year, 82% at 3 years, and 62% at 5 years. PVR was the only variable significantly associated with death. Conclusions: Severe hemodynamic impairment along with PH can occur in patients with ILD. These patients have more severely impaired exercise capacity and cardiac function than ILD patients without PH. PVR was the only prognostic factor identified in this group of patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Momordica charantia L., also known as bitter melon, has been shown to ameliorate obesity and insulin resistance. However, metabolic changes regulated by M. charantia in obesity are not clearly understood. In this study, serums obtained from obese and M. charantia-treated mice were analyzed by using gas and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and multivariate statistical analysis was performed by Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis. The results from this study indicated that body weight fat and insulin levels of obese mice are dramatically suppressed by 8 weeks of dietary supplementation of M. charantia. Metabolomic data revealed that overproductions of energy and nutrient metabolism in obese mice were restored by M. charantia treatment. The antiinflammatory and inhibition of insulin resistance effect of M. charantia in obesity was illustrated with the restoration of free fatty acids and eicosanoids. The findings achieved in this study further strengthen the therapeutic value of using M. charantia to treat obesity. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Background Doppler echocardiography is usually the first diagnostic investigation for patients suspected with pulmonary hypertension (PH), but it is often inaccurate when used alone, especially in mild PH. Hypothesis Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) may serve as a complementary tool to improve diagnostic accuracy in echocardiography-suspected “PH possible” patients. Methods Eighty-eight consecutive patients with suspected PH (referred to as “PH possible” hereafter) based on echocardiography were included in the study. CPET was assessed subsequently and PH was confirmed by right-heart catheterization in all subjects. We analyzed CPET data from patients and derived a CPET prediction rule to hemodynamically differentiate PH. Results Eighty-eight patients (27 patients with confirmed PH, and PH ruled out in 61 patients) were included in the study. Compared with non-PH patients, the PH subjects had lower peak oxygen uptake (VO2 ), aerobic capacity (AT), peak partial pressure of end-tidal CO2 (PETCO2 ), oxygen uptake efficiency plateau (OUEP), and oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES), along with higher minute ventilation (VE)/carbon dioxide output (VCO2 ) slope and lowest VE/VCO2 (P < 0.001). VE/VCO2 slope and AT were independent predictors of PH derived from multivariate logistic regression adjusted for age and body mass index. A score combining VE/VCO2 slope and AT reached a high area under the curve value of 0.98. A score ≥0.5 had 95% specificity and 92.6% sensitivity for diagnosis of PH. Conclusions A score combining VE/VCO2 slope and AT provides high specificity in screening out PH from a pool of echocardiography-suspected PH patients.

DJ-1/PARK7, the Parkinson's disease-related protein, plays an important role in mitochondrial function. However, the mechanisms by which DJ-1 affects mitochondrial function are not fully understood. Akt is a promoter of neuron survival and is partly involved in the neurodegenerative process. This research aimed at investigating a possible relationship between DJ-1 and Akt signalling in regulating mitochondrial function in the dopaminergic neuron-like cells SH-SY5Y and PC-12. Overexpression of DJ-1 was firstly validated at both the transcriptional and translational levels after transit transfection with plasmid pcDNA3-Flag-DJ-1. Confocal fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that overexpression of DJ-1 increased the mitochondrial mass, but did not disrupt the mitochondrial morphology. In addition, mitochondrial complex I activity was raised in DJ-1-overexpressing cells, and this rise occurred with an increase in cellular adenosine 5'-triphosphate content. Moreover, immunoblotting demonstrated that the levels of phosphoinositide 3-kinase and the total Akt were not altered in DJ-1-overexpressing cells, and nor was the Akt phosphorylation on serine 473 changed. By contrast, Akt phosphorylation on threonine 308 was significantly augmented by overexpression of DJ-1, and the expression of glycogen synthase kinase-3beta, a downstream effector of Akt, was suppressed. In summary, these results suggest that overexpression of DJ-1 improves the mitochondrial function, at least in part, through a mechanism involving Akt phosphorylation on threonine 308.

Background and objective The responses of oxygen uptake efficiency (OUE) during cardiopulmonary exercise training (CPET) have not been reported in patients with pulmonary hypertension. We aimed to investigate the differences in OUE between patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Methods Forty-four patients with IPAH and 29 patients with CTEPH were retrospectively enrolled into our study. All patients underwent right-heart catheterization, pulmonary function test and performed the 6-min walk test and CPET. Results We found that oxygen uptake efficiency plateau (OUEP) and oxygen uptake efficiency at anaerobic threshold (OUE@AT) was significantly higher in IPAH than that in CTEPH (both P = 0.002). However, patients with CTEPH had lower mean pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance and transpulmonary gradient (all P 0.05) in patients with IPAH. In patients with CTEPH, both anaerobic threshold (r = 0.307, P > 0.05) and VE_AT (r = −0.709, P

Out-of-class learning constitutes an important context for human development, and active engagement in out-of-class activities is associated with successful language development. However, not all out-of-class experiences are equally beneficial to learning, and it is of paramount importance to understand what quality out-of-class English language learning entails. This study surveyed 82 middle school EFL students on their out-of-class English language learning in order to identify the characteristics of the experiences that are associated with good learning outcomes. The study found that out-of-class learning composed of diversified constituents that met the varied needs in language learning and complemented in-class learning by striking a balance between focus on meaning and focus on form were positively associated with good English grades, English language learning efficacy, and enjoyment. It also found that parents and teachers were significant sources of influence on the quality of students' out-of-class learning.

Magnetotelluric (MT) sounding is an important geophysical method to probe crust and upper mantle structure. The long-period MT instrument is essential during the project “Deep Exploration Technology and Experimentation (SinoProbe)” in China. However, China cannot produce the long-period MT instrument by itself now and only relies on LEMI-417 imported from Ukraine. When using this instrument, we find the resolution of telluric field meter is 0.01 mV/km and the resolution of magnetometer is 0.01 nT through its data file Final.asc, which shows its accuracy is low compared with other MT instruments. And the LEMI-417 did not work normally without GPS signal when data acquisition using LEMI-417 was conducted by our group team. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a set of long-period MT instrument which meets the need of our project. As MT signals, include telluric field signal and magneto signal, are weak and easy to be embedded in noise, they need to be amplified. Thus, the amplifier CS3301 with low noise and least distortion of harmonic waves is selected. The CS3301 provides four input choices and seven gain selections, which are made through using the MUX and GAIN pins. After analysis and testing, CS3301 is set under Gainx64 and input mode 2 in the telluric field signal acquisition circuit. In this case, if the polar distance exceeds 100 meter, the resolution of telluric field meter is 0.001 mV/km. It is set under Gain×64 and input mode 3 in the magneto signal acquisition circuit, which uses the feedback method to deduct the constant signal and makes the amplifier only amplify variable signals. And in this case, the resolution of magneto meter is 0.006 nT. As comparison tests, the instrument with CS3301 and LEMI-417 were used to collect MT data at several measuring points in the same time, such as measuring point 9005 in south China and measuring point 1600 in northeast China. The results show that their time series curves are consistent and the MT sounding curves after data processing are also consistent, indicative of success of the instrument design.

The current status and future prospects for geo-spatial technologies (GST) including geographic information systems (GIS), digital remotely sensed imagery (RS) and global positioning systems (GPS) in the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong and Taiwan will be discussed. In particular, the use of these technologies and policy issues in such leading application areas as vehicle navigation systems, tourism, real estate/urban planning and cellular communications will be emphasized. Resumen. Se discute el estado actual y las perspectivas futuras de las tecnologias geoespaciales (GST) incluyendo sistemas de informacion geografica (SIG), imagenes adquiridas por teledeteccion (RS) y sistemas de posicionamiento global (GPS) en la Republica Popular China, Hong Kong y Taiwan. En particular, se hace enfasis en el uso de estas tecnologias y politicas relacionadas con las areas a la cabeza de su aplicacion tales como los sistemas de navegacion de vehiculos, turismo, ordenacion territorial y planificacion urbana y comunicaciones por telefonia movil.

A non-linear macrodynamic model is presented here to study possible stabilization policies in a financially unstable economy. Three policy rules will be considered, namely the interest rate rule (also called Taylor rule), the money supply rule and the fiscal policy rule. It will be shown that the interest rate rule can be used to stabilize a financially unstable economy on a ‘desired’ growth path. However, when the economy falls into a ‘liquidity trap’, the interest rate rule is ineffective, and therefore the fiscal policy rule should be employed. We also find a rule of money supply that can deal with the problem of government debt while the rest of the economy can still be stabilized on the ‘desired’ growth path.

A non-linear growth model is presented that provides a solution to Harrod's knife-edge problem within the Keynesian multiplier–accelerator framework. The model introduces product innovation into a conventional investment function. Statistical analysis demonstrates that such an investment function matches the data better than the conventional one. Dynamic analysis shows that irregular growth cycles could occur with excess capacity.