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Objective: To evaluate the effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) on left ventricular myocardial work by pressure‐strain loop (PSL). Methods: Forty‐three immunotherapy patients were enrolled in the case group, and another 43 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the control group. They were examined by echocardiography before immunotherapy (T0 phase), after three cycles of treatment (T3 phase) and after six cycles of treatment (T6 phase). Conventional echocardiographic parameters, left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS), and myocardial work indices, including global work index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW), global work waste (GWW), and global work efficiency (GWE), were collected for analysis to compare the results of the different immunotherapy cycles. Results: There were no statistically significant differences of baseline characteristics, conventional echocardiographic parameters, left ventricular strain, and myocardial work indices between T0 phase and control group (all p >.05). There were no statistically significant differences in LVEF between T0, T3, and T6 phase (all p >.05). GLS, GWI, GCW, and GWE were decreased and GWW was increased in T3 and T6 phase. There were no statistically significant difference between GLS in T3 and T0 phase (q =.9057, p >.05). The difference was statistically significant between GLS in T6 and T0 phase (q = 5.5651, p <.01). The difference was statistically significant between GLS in T3 and T6phase(q = 4.6594, p <.01). There were statistically significant difference in GWI, GCW, GWE, and GWW in the T3 and T6 phase compared with the T0 phase (p <.01). Conclusion: PSL can effectively evaluate the effect of ICIs on left ventricular myocardial work, to provide a new method for the early clinical detection of ICIs‐related cardiotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although reference ranges of T1 and T2 mapping are well established for cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) at 1.5T, data for 3T are still lacking. The objective of this study is to establish reference ranges of myocardial T1 and T2 based on a large multicenter cohort of healthy Chinese adults at 3T CMR. Methods: A total of 1015 healthy Chinese adults (515 men, age range: 19–87 years) from 11 medical centers who underwent CMR using 3T Siemens scanners were prospectively enrolled. T1 mapping was performed with a motion-corrected modified Look–Locker inversion recovery sequence using a 5(3)3 scheme. T2 mapping images were acquired using T2-prepared fast low-angle shot sequence. T1 and T2 relaxation times were quantified for each slice and each myocardial segment. The T1 mapping and extracellular volume standardization (T1MES) phantom was used for quality assurance at each center prior to subject scanning. Results: The phantom analysis showed strong consistency of spin echo, T1 mapping, and T2 mapping among centers. In the entire cohort, global T1 and T2 reference values were 1193 ± 34 ms and 36 ± 2.5 ms. Global T1 and T2 values were higher in females than in males (T1: 1211 ± 29 ms vs. 1176 ± 30 ms, p < 0.001; T2: 37 ± 2.3 ms vs. 35 ± 2.5 ms, p < 0.001). There were statistical differences in global T2 across age groups (p < 0.001), but not in global T1. Linear regression showed no correlation between age and global T1 or T2 values. In males, positive correlation was found between heart rate and global T1 (r = 0.479, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Using phantom-validated imaging sequences, we provide reference ranges for myocardial T1 and T2 values on 3T scanners in healthy Chinese adults, which can be applied across participating sites. Trial registration URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx. Unique identifier: ChiCTR1900025518. Registration name: 3T magnetic resonance myocardial quantitative imaging standardization and reference value study: a multi-center clinical study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemorrhagic shock (HS) is the leading cause of death in trauma patients. Inflammation following HS can lead to cardiac damage. Pachymic acid (PA), a triterpenoid extracted from Poria cocos, has been found to possess various biological activities, including anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic properties. Our research aims to investigate the protective effects of PA against HS-induced heart damage and the underlying mechanisms involved. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were intraperitoneally injected with PA (7.5 or 15 mg/kg) daily for three days. Subsequently, we created a rat model of HS by drawing blood through a catheter inserted into the femoral artery followed by resuscitation. The results revealed that HS led to abnormalities in hemodynamics, serum cardiac enzyme levels, and cardiac structure, as well as induced cardiac apoptosis. However, pretreatment with PA effectively alleviated these effects. PA-pretreatment also suppressed mRNA and protein levels of interleukin (IL)-1 β , IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF- α) in the heart tissues of HS rats. Additionally, PA-pretreatment reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and M1 macrophage polarization while exaggerating M2 polarization in HS rat hearts. The study observed a decreased proportion of the expression of of M1 macrophages (CD86 + ) and their marker (iNOS), along with an increased proportion of the expression of M2 macrophages (CD206 + ) and their marker (Arg-1). Notably, PA-pretreatment suppressed NF- κ B pathway activation via inhibiting NF- κ B p65 phosphorylation and its nuclear translocation. In conclusion, PA-pretreatment ameliorates HS-induced cardiac injury, potentially through its inhibition of the NF- κ B pathway. Therefore, PA treatment holds promise as a strategy for mitigating cardiac damage in HS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dilated cardiomyopathy type-2D (CMD2D) is a rare heart disease causing a severe cardiomyopathy with neonatal onset and rapid progression to cardiac decompensation and death in untreated patients. CMD2D is an autosomal recessive disease resulting from variants in the RPL3L gene, which encodes the 60 S ribosomal protein exclusively expressed in skeletal and cardiac muscle and plays an essential role in myoblast growth and fusion. Previous reports have only associated CMD2D with a small duplication and seven nucleotide substitution in the RPL3L gene. Case presentation: In this study, we report the case of a 31 days old Chinese infant patient with severe dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and rapid decompensation along with other cardiac malformations. In addition to previously reported clinical features, the patient showed the previously unreported complication of occasional premature atrial contractions and a first-degree atrioventricular block. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) revealed compound heterozygous variants (c.80G > A (p.Gly27Asp) and c.1074dupA (p.Ala359fs*6)) in RPL3L (NM_005061.3). The latter novel variant may result in the absence of protein production with a significant decrease in mRNA level, suggesting it is a loss-of-function mutation. Conclusions: This is the first case report of RPL3L-associated neonatal dilated cardiomyopathy in China. The molecular confirmation of the patient expands the genetic spectrum of CMD2D, and the clinical manifestation of CMD2D in the patient provides additional clinical information regarding this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: With the spread of the coronavirus and considering the importance of sports activities in the physiological and psychological conditions of people, staying active during this period is of particular importance in preventing the spread of the coronavirus. Therefore, regular exercise has many benefits for health, including improving the performance of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. In this study, the effect of sports activities on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems function during the coronavirus pandemic has been reviewed. Methods: This study was review research. It was done by searching Persian and English articles available in SID, Magiran, CIVILICA, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and PubMed databases by using keywords Sports activities, Respiratory, Cardiovascular, Coronavirus, COVID-19, and their Persian equivalent without a time limit. Out of a total of 83 review articles, 57 articles that met the inclusion criteria were selected and investigated. Results: In December 2019, a virus called the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) was first identified in Wuhan, China, and quickly turned into a global pandemic. Respiratory and cardiovascular viral infections account for the highest mortality rate. Many patients with COVID-19 have severe respiratory failure. Also, COVID-19 causes extensive tissue damage in the heart and the infection caused in the heart muscle leads to acute heart attack, cardiovascular failure, and arrhythmia. Therefore, regular sports activity taking into account preventive health measures is considered one of the most important factors in dealing with coronavirus infections. Conclusion: Based on the studies, it seems that doing regular sports activity of moderate intensity can strengthen the body's immune system and reduce the risk of viral infections in the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. However, sports activity of high intensity or for a long time causes harmful effects and weakens the body's immune system, and increases the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular infections during the coronavirus pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Myocardial Infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. This investigation is a pioneering effort to depict the scientific output of myocardial infarction research especially in China using the data downloaded from Scopus database for a period from 2001 to 2020. The study proved that Chinese scholars are interested in collaborative research rather than solo research. The study deviates Bradford's law of scattering. The highest productive journal in this field, as chosen by Chinese scholars is Chinese Medical Journal followed by International Journal of Cardiology (United States) and Medicine (United States). Wang, Y ranks first with 922 publications followed by Zang, Y and Li, Y having 849 and 739 publications respectively. More than one third of the references are of less than 5 years old. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitophagy is one of the important targets for the prevention and treatment of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MIRI). Moderate mitophagy can remove damaged mitochondria, inhibit excessive reactive oxygen species accumulation, and protect mitochondria from damage. However, excessive enhancement of mitophagy greatly reduces adenosine triphosphate production and energy supply for cell survival, and aggravates cell death. How dysfunctional mitochondria are selectively recognized and engulfed is related to the interaction of adaptors on the mitochondrial membrane, which mainly include phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN)-induced kinase 1/Parkin, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 α/Bcl-2 and adenovirus e1b19k Da interacting protein 3, FUN-14 domain containing protein 1 receptor-mediated mitophagy pathway and so on. In this review, the authors briefly summarize the main pathways currently studied on mitophagy and the relationship between mitophagy and MIRI, and incorporate and analyze research data on prevention and treatment of MIRI with Chinese medicine, thereby provide relevant theoretical basis and treatment ideas for clinical prevention of MIRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) is used to protect against myocardial injury. However, there is no adequate evidence for comprehensive RIC in elderly patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This study aimed to test whether comprehensive RIC, started pre-primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) and repeated daily on 1-30 days post-PPCI, can improve myocardial salvage index (SI), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire Clinical Summary Score (KCCQ-CSS) and 6-min walk test distance (6MWD) in elderly patients with acute STEMI during 12 months follow-up. METHODS: 328 consenting elderly patients were randomized to receive standard PPCI plus comprehensive RIC (the treatment group) or standard PPCI (the control group). SI at 5-7 days after PPCI, LVEF, left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVI), left ventricular end-systolic volume index (LVESVI), KCCQ-CSS, 6MWD and adverse events rates were measured and assessed. RESULTS: SI was significantly higher in the treatment group [interquartile range (IQR): 0.38-0.66, P = 0.037]. There were no significant differences in major adverse events at 12 months. Although the differences of LVEDVI, LVESVI and LVEF between the treatment group and the control group did not reach statistical significance at 6 months and 12 months, LVEF tended to be higher, LVEDVI tended to be lower in the treatment group. The KCCQ-CSS was significantly higher in the treatment group at 1 month (IQR: 46.5-87, P = 0.001) and 12 months (IQR: 55-93, P = 0.008). There was significant difference in 6MWD between the treatment group and the control group (IQR: 258-360 vs. IQR: 250-345, P = 0.002) at 1 month and (IQR: 360-445 vs. IQR: 345-432, P = 0.035) at 12 months. A modest correlation was found between SI and LVEF (r = 0.452, P < 0.01), KCCQ-CSS ( r = 0.440, P < 0.01) and 6MWD ( r = 0.384, P < 0.01) respectively at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: The comprehensive RIC can improve SI, KCCQ-CSS and 6MWD. It may be an adjunctive therapy to PPCI in elderly patients with STEMI. © 2022 JGC All rights reserved; www.jgc301.com. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Toxoplasma gondii can infect almost all warm-blooded animals, including humans and dogs. Humans can become infected with T. gondii by petting dogs that have eaten or contacted infected cat feces. The aim of this study was to evaluate T. gondii infections in dogs from central China. From 2015 to 2021, a total of 536 dog samples (195 fecal, 81 hearts, and 260 serum samples) from Henan Province were collected. Heart juice or serum samples (n = 341) were tested for T. gondii antibodies using the modified agglutination test (MAT). Fresh myocardium (n = 6) and blood (n = 2) samples were bioassayed in mice. Results: The present study showed that 4.40% (15/341) of the dogs were seropositive for T. gondii by MAT (cut-off, 1:25) and 4.10% (8/195) of dog feces contained T. gondii DNA. No T. gondii DNA was found in any myocardium (n = 81) or blood (n = 2) samples. The viable T. gondii strain was not isolated from any myocardium or blood samples (n = 8). Compared to the prevalence of T. gondii antibodies in dogs sampled from 2015 to 2018, the prevalence significantly declined from 2020 to 2021 (P < 0.05). Gender and age were not risk factors for dogs infected with T. gondii in this study. However, compared to other sources, dogs from Zhoukou City (close to the Yellow River) or from pet shops showed significantly higher prevalence for T. gondii (P < 0.05). Conclusion: A total of 4.29% dogs were infected by T. gondii (23/536, 8 of 195 fecal samples, 2 of 260 serum, and 13 of 81 heart juice samples). This is the first survey of T. gondii infection in dog feces from China. Dogs were exposed to T. gondii , and they could act as mechanical transmitters of T. gondii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial infarction (MI) is the myocardial necrosis caused by persistent ischemia and hypoxia of coronary arteries. People do not realize that they are suffering from MI until they have a heart attack. Early MI detection plays a vital role in symptom relief and improvement in the performance of daily activities. However, conventional MI detection methods require expensive and inconvenient medical tests, e.g., intrusive blood tests or wear electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors, which can only be performed in medical institutions. In this paper, we introduce a contactless and non-intrusive MI detection method based on wireless sensing that monitors abnormalities in heartbeats. Specifically, we present Health-Radio, a radar-based system towards early MI detection. Health-Radio extracts heart rate variability (HRV) from the RF signals reflected from users. In particular, with our carefully designed signal processing algorithms, Health-Radio is able to not only obtain heartbeat signals when the user is stationary, but also tolerate interference when the user is performing certain activities, e.g., eating, reading and browsing the Internet. We have recruited 30 MI patients from the Central Hospital of Wuhan, China, and 30 healthy university students to conduct comprehensive evaluations of the performance of Health-Radio. The experiment results show that Health-Radio can achieve a median MI detection accuracy of 81.2 percent when the users are stationary, which is comparable to ECG-based MI detection. Even when the users are not stationary, Health-Radio can still achieve a median detection accuracy of 66.5 percent. Health-Radio is promising in providing a new paradigm for smart-home healthcare in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate effects of Shengmai injection (SMI) postconditioning on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) in isolated rat hearts. Materials and methods: A total of thirty isolated hearts were randomly divided into three groups: Sham group, I/R group and SMI group. Sham group was continuously perfused with K-H solution for 120 minutes. I/R group and SMI group were given balanced perfusion for 30 min followed by reperfusion for 60 min, with an interval of 30 min, and those in the SMI group were given postconditioning with 1% SMI during the first 10 min of reperfusion. The left ventricular function, markers of myocardial injury, endothelial cell injury and oxidative stress injury were measured at 30 minutes after equilibration (t0), 30 minutes after ischemia (t2) and 60 minutes after reperfusion (t3). Results: The results showed that there was no significant difference for all observation indexes at t0. Compared with the Sham group, real portfolio project and coronary arterial flow rate and the activity of superoxide dismutase were significantly decreased in the I/R group, whereas those in the SMI group were significantly higher. Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, the concentrate of malondialdehyde, lactate dehydrogenase, cTn-I, hyaluronic acid, heparin sulphate, syndecan-1 in the I/R group were markedly higher than those in the Sham group, whereas those in the SMI group were significantly lower. Conclusion: In summary, the present study indicated that 1% SMI postconditioning can alleviate the detachment of endothelial cell glycoprotein envelope induced by myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, and its mechanism is probably related to the inhibition of the oxidative stress injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MIRI) is the major cause of myocardial cell damage in acute myocardial infarction, and its treatment remains a clinical challenge. Ginsenoside Rb1 showed protective effects on the cardiovascular system; however, the underlying mechanism remains largely unclear. Effects of Ginsenoside Rb1 on rat MIRI-induced myocardial infarct size were evaluated through TTC staining. TUNEL assay and flow cytometry analysis were employed to estimate cell apoptosis. Apoptosis, autophagy and PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway-related proteins were estimated via western blot. Expression of Beclin1 in myocardial tissues were examined by immunohistochemical analysis. Expression levels of IL-1 β , TNF- α and IL-6 were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Here, we found that Ginsenoside Rb1 treatment not only alleviated MIRI in rats but also protected H9C2 cells against hypoxia/reoxygenation induced damage. Ginsenoside Rb1 abolished the MIRI-induced activation of autophagy. Meanwhile, we found that treatment of 3-MA (autophagy inhibitor) could enhance the protective effects of Ginsenoside Rb1 on H9C2 cells during H/R. Moreover, Ginsenoside Rb1 treatment resulted in the activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, and treatment of LY294002 (PI3K/Akt pathway repressor) abolished the protective effects of Ginsenoside Rb1 on myocardial in vitro and in vivo. Our results suggest that Ginsenoside Rb1 functions as a protector against MIRI by repressing cardiomyocyte autophagy through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) has become a common cause of hospital-acquired acute kidney injury in elderly patients. Trimetazidine (TMZ) is a type of anti-ischemic drug developed in recent years, which can reduce the incidence of CIN. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of TMZ in the prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy in elderly patients with renal insufficiency undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and to explore the mechanism of action. Methods: A total of 310 elderly patients with renal insufficiency undergoing elective PCI were enrolled and randomly assigned to a control group (n = 155, hydration only) and a TMZ group (n = 155, 20 mg thrice daily orally 24 hours before and 72 hours after PCI). The primary endpoint of the study was the incidence of CIN, which was defined as an increase of 25% or more, or an absolute increase of 0.5 mg/dL or more in serum creatinine from baseline value, at 48 to 72 hours following the exposure to contrast media (CM). Results: The incidence of CIN was significantly lower in the TMZ group than that in the control group (3.2% vs. 9.7%, p = 0.021). There was no difference regarding the incidence of major adverse events during hospitalization between the TMZ group and control group (1.9% vs. 2.6%, p = 1.000). Binary logistic regression results showed that TMZ was protective factors of CIN (OR = 0.274; 95% CI: 0.089–0.847; p = 0.025). Conclusion: Therefore, we came to the conclusion that prophylactic administration of TMZ can prevent the occurrence of CIN in elderly patients with renal insufficiency undergoing PCI and has a certain protective effect on the renal function of patients. According to the experimental results and the mechanism of TMZ on cardiomyocytes, we speculate that TMZ increases kidney glucose metabolism, reduces fatty acid oxidation, and also has a protective effect on kidney free radical damage and ischemia-reperfusion injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This systematic review and meta-analysis was designed to evaluate the effects of acupuncture intervention on alleviating delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) after intense exercise. Method: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were searched from online databases including Medline (PubMed), Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, PsycINFO, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database (CNKI), and Wanfang (Chinese) up to April 2019. Data points were extracted from the eligible RCTs at the time points of 24, 48, and 72 h post strenuous exercise-induced DOMS. The outcomes of muscle soreness rating (MSR), creatine kinase (CK), and maximal isometric force (MIF) were pooled into the meta-analysis to assess the acupuncture intervention on DOMS. Results: Six eligible RCTs were included in the meta-analysis, and the results showed that acupuncture intervention significantly decreased MSR [standardized mean difference (SMD) −0.49, 95%CI −0.73 to −0.24, P < 0.001, I 2 = 34%] and the serum level of CK (SMD −0.91, 95%CI −1.27 to −0.56, P < 0.001, I 2 = 30%), accompanied with the improvement of the muscle strength (MIF) (SMD 0.54, 95%CI 0.16 to 0.93, P = 0.006, I 2 = 51%) after intense exercise. At the same time, the findings also revealed that acupuncture intervention had a long-lasting effect and tended to accumulate the effect size and that it had the most efficacy on alleviating DOMS at the time point of 72 h post exercise. Conclusion: The current evidence indicates that acupuncture intervention after intense exercise could be effective for alleviating DOMS and improving muscle recovery. The long-lasting effect of acupuncture intervention on DOMS started from 24 h and would reach a peak on the time point of 72 h post exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anthracycline‐related cardiotoxicity has a poor prognosis; therefore, early detection of any change in LV function is critical. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the two‐dimensional speckle tracking technique for the early detection of cardiac toxicity after low‐dose anthracycline chemotherapy in the Chinese population. Methods: Forty breast cancer patients were treated by chemotherapy using anthracycline for 4–6 cycles. Patients were examined by echocardiography before chemotherapy (T0) and after the second (T2), fourth (T4), and sixth (T6) cycle. LV ejection fraction (LVEF), LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) and endocardium, mid‐myocardium, and epicardium global longitudinal strain (GLS‐Endo, GLS‐Mid, and GLS‐Epi). Additionally, global circumferential strain (GCS), RV global longitudinal strain (RVGLS), and LA global longitudinal strain (LAGLS) were evaluated. Results: Left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly reduced at T4 (P < 0.05). Compared with T0, GLS, GLS‐Endo, GLS‐Mid, and GLS‐Epi were significantly reduced at T2, T4, and T6 (P < 0.05 for all), the apical septum wall (AS) was also reduced significantly at T2 (P < 0.05), and the apical anterior wall (AA) and the basal anterior wall (BA) longitudinal strains were significantly reduced at T4 (P < 0.05). GCS, RVGLS, and LAGLS were not significantly changed after treatment (P > 0.05). Conclusions: LV stratified strains and strain of the segments supplied by the left anterior descending coronary artery are more sensitive to the cardiac toxicity of anthracycline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The yellow-feather broiler is a popular poultry breed in Asia, particularly in China. In this study, we performed RNA-seq analysis to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the heart of yellow-feather broilers that had been subjected to heat stress treatment (38 ± 1 °C for 8 h, over 7 d) and determine the response of the heart to high temperature and its effects on yellow-feather broiler physiology. We found that body weight (BW) of the heat stress treatment group (BW28 = 354.8 ± 34.8 g) was significantly decreased (p =.033) compared with that of the control group (BW28 = 384.8 ± 58.9 g). However, there was no significant reduction in the heart relative weight (HRW) (p =.538). A total of 37 DEGs related to energy metabolism responded to heat stress in the heart of yellow-feather broiler. The results of KEGG pathways analysis indicated that these genes are involved in oxidative phosphorylation (KO: 00190), cardiac muscle contraction (KO: 04260) and carbon metabolism (KO: 01200). Analysis of the cardiac transcriptome of yellow-feather broilers subjected to heat stress indicated that the heart of these birds has specific physiological mechanisms for regulating body growth in response to high-temperature environments. Yellow-feather broilers, a popular poultry breed in Asia, were used to determine how the heart responds to heat stress. A total of 37 genes in the heart of yellow-feather broilers showed differential expression in response to heat stress. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) are associated with oxidative phosphorylation, cardiac muscle contraction and carbon metabolism pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effects of salvianolic acid A (SAA) on cardiomyocyte apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction in response to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury and to determine whether the Akt signaling pathway might play a role.Methods: An in vitro model of H/R injury was used to study outcomes on primary cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. The cardiomyocytes were treated with 12.5, 25, 50 μg/mL SAA at the beginning of hypoxia and reoxygenation, respectively. Adenosine triphospate (ATP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were assayed. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry and the expression of cleaved-caspase 3, Bax and Bcl-2 were detected by Western blotting. The effects of SAA on mitochondrial dysfunction were examined by determining the mitochondrial membrane potential (△Ψm) and mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), followed by the phosphorylation of Akt (p-Akt) and GSK-3β (p-GSK-3β), which were measured by Western blotting.Results: SAA significantly preserved ATP levels and reduced ROS production. Importantly, SAA markedly reduced the number of apoptotic cells and decreased cleaved-caspase 3 expression levels, while also reducing the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2. Furthermore, SAA prevented the loss of △Ψm and inhibited the activation of mPTP. Western blotting experiments further revealed that SAA significantly increased the expression of p-Akt and p-GSK-3β, and the increase in p-GSK-3β expression was attenuated after inhibition of the Akt signaling pathway with LY294002.Conclusion: SAA has a protective effect on cardiomyocyte H/R injury; the underlying mechanism may be related to the preservation of mitochondrial function and the activation of the Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Familial hypercholesterolemia ( FH) is the most common and serious monogenic disorder of lipid metabolism, causing premature coronary heart disease ( CHD) due to accelerated atherosclerosis from birth, and the study of left ventricular ( LV) function of this disease is seldom. The purpose of this study was to explore the value of layer-specific strain on assessing the early damage of LV function in asymptomatic and left ventricular ejection fraction ( LVEF) well-preserved patients with heterozygous FH (He FH). Methods A total of 49 patients aged 38.7±8.7 diagnosed with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and who had undergone transthoracic echocardiography from 2010 to 2016 were included in this study. A total 32 healthy volunteers aged 35.6±10.3 were included as control group. Longitudinal and circumferential strains of the endocardium, myocardium, and epicardium ( LSendo, LSmyo, and LSepi and CSendo, CSmyo, and CSepi) were obtained by a software enabling the analysis of strains in three myocardial layers. Results In longitudinal strain ( LS), the LS of endocardium ( LSendo) and the LS of myocardium ( LSmyo) are significantly reduced in patients with He FH ( P<.001 in both). In circumferential strain ( CS), only the CS of endocardium ( CSendo) is significantly reduced ( P<.001). The degree of reduction in strain is positively correlated with the TC and LDLC. Conclusions Layer-specific evaluation of the left ventricle has great value in evaluating early impairment of LV in patients with FH. And this relatively novel technique may made it possible to help us understand the process of LV impairment in patients with FH better, thus preventing further damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the change in myocardial strain in swimming athletes before and after high-intensity exercise using two-dimensional strain echocardiography (2DSE) technology. Methods To assess whether the local and overall myocardial function and myocardial injury are accurately measured using 2DSE technology, 15 swimming athletes were selected as research objects. We applied 2DSE technology to track the 2D ultrasound images of the apical four chambers, the apical two chambers, and the apical long axis before and after high-intensity, increasing-load exercise. We recorded indices such as the left ventricular global strain (GS) and the left ventricular segmental wall longitudinal peak systolic strain (PS) in 18 systoles and analyzed the myocardial strain change before and after exercise. Results After high-intensity exercise, the overall myocardial strain decreased, especially the strain of the posterior wall, posterior divider, lateral wall, lower wall, and the basal and middle segments of the anterior wall. The influence of exercise on myocardial strain was greater on the basal and middle segments than on the apical segment. One-time intensive exercise negatively affected the myocardial muscle. Conclusion Myocardial muscles in the apical segment and the myocardial wall were more sensitive to intensive exercise. The 2DSE technology can precisely position the motion-sensitive areas and help locate myocardial injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary cardiac lymphoma (PCL) is a rare extranodal lymphoma that involves only the heart and/or pericardium. It is fatal in the absence of a prompt diagnosis and adequate therapy. Here, we report an immunocompetent 55‐year‐old Chinese man with palpitations and occasional chest distress for 1 month. Multimodal imaging work‐up showed a tumor infiltrated into the myocardium, which greatly contribute to a timely pathology diagnosis of PCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are two major classes of cardiac tissue models: the ionic model and the FitzHugh-Nagumo model. During computer simulation, each model entails solving a system of complex ordinary differential equations and a partial differential equation with non-flux boundary conditions. The reproducing kernel method possesses significant applications in solving partial differential equations. The derivative of the reproducing kernel function is a wavelet function, which has local properties and sensitivities to singularity. Therefore, study on the application of reproducing kernel would be advantageous.Objective: Applying new mathematical theory to the numerical solution of the ventricular muscle model so as to improve its precision in comparison with other methods at present.Methods: A two-dimensional reproducing kernel function inspace is constructed and applied in computing the solution of two-dimensional cardiac tissue model by means of the difference method through time and the reproducing kernel method through space.Results: Compared with other methods, this method holds several advantages such as high accuracy in computing solutions, insensitivity to different time steps and a slow propagation speed of error. It is suitable for disorderly scattered node systems without meshing, and can arbitrarily change the location and density of the solution on different time layers.Conclusions: The reproducing kernel method has higher solution accuracy and stability in the solutions of the two-dimensional cardiac tissue model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance As folk medicines used in China since 1950s, Dioscorea nipponica Makino (DN), D. panthaica Prain et Burkill (DP), and D. zingiberensis C.H. Wright (DZ) are regarded as having more or less the same traditional therapeutic actions, such as activating blood, relieving pain, and dispersing swelling. It is noteworthy that, of the 49 species of the genus Dioscorea distributed in China, based on such traditional efficacies, only these three have been further developed as effective single-herb medicines for treating cardiovascular diseases by the modern pharmaceutical industry. In our previous study, it was found that the chemical compositions of DN and DP were similar, and both were distinct from that of DZ. Hence, whether their different chemical profiles support their anti-IHD (ischemic heart disease) activity in common still needs to be answered. So far it is still unknown whether the efficacies of these three herbs act via similar mechanism and whether they possess comparable therapeutic efficacy for experimental myocardial ischemia (MI). Aim of the study The present study aimed to further investigate the underlying mechanisms with respect to antioxidative stress activity by which these Dioscorea spp. attenuate MI, and to compare the therapeutic effect of total saponins from these three species on myocardial antioxidant levels and myocardial histology. Material and methods The serum levels of creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total superoxide dismutases (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as myocardial histology, were compared among rat groups administered with total saponins (TS) of DN, DP or DZ (abbreviated as DNTS, DPTS and DZTS, respectively). The rats experienced myocardial ischemia induced by isoprenaline (ISO) injection; the test solutions (DNTS, DPTS, DZTS) were administered either after the ISO injection, or both before and after. Results Compared with the model group (ISO injection only), TS groups exhibited significantly reduced activities of CK, LDH and AST, lowered level of MDA, and increased activities of SOD, CAT, GPx and T-AOC; heart tissues from TS groups revealed less severe histological damage. The cardioprotective efficacy of these three Dioscorea TS for rat MI was closely comparable based on the above observations. Conclusion The findings of the present study provide evidence that the anti-MI effect of DNTS, DPTS and DZTS can be attributed to the increase of myocardial antioxidant levels and decrease of lipid peroxidation formation, and the closely comparable results observed from these three Dioscorea saponins thereby explains the similarity in their clinical efficacy as anti-MI drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgrounds: Previous studies have shown that diffusion-weighted cardiovascular magnetic resonance (DW-CMR) is highly sensitive to replacement fibrosis of chronic myocardial infarction. Despite this sensitivity to myocardial infarction, DW-CMR has not been established as a method to detect diffuse myocardial fibrosis. We propose the application of a recently developed DW-CMR technique to detect diffuse myocardial fibrosis in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients and compare its performance with established CMR techniques. Methods: HCM patients (N=23) were recruited and scanned with the following protocol: standard morphological localizers, DW-CMR, extracellular volume (ECV) CMR, and late gadolinium enhanced (LGE) imaging for reference. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and ECV maps were segmented into 6 American Heart Association (AHA) segments. Positive regions for myocardial fibrosis were defined as: ADC > 2.0 µm²/ms and ECV> 30 %. Fibrotic and non-fibrotic mean ADC and ECV values were compared as well as ADC-derived and ECV-derived fibrosis burden. In addition, fibrosis regional detection was compared between ADC and ECV calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) using ECV as the gold-standard reference. Results: ADC (2.4 ±0.2 µm²/ms) of fibrotic regions (ADC > 2.0 μm²/ms) was significantly (p<0.01) higher than ADC (1.5 ±0.2 µm²/ms) of non-fibrotic regions. Similarly, ECV (35 ±4%) of fibrotic regions (ECV > 30 %) was significantly (p<0.01) higher than ECV (26 ± 2 %) of non-fibrotic regions. In fibrotic regions defined by ECV, ADC (2.2 ± 0.3 µm²/ms) was again significantly (p < 0.05) higher than ADC (1.6 ± 0.3 µm²/ms) of non-fibrotic regions. In fibrotic regions defined by ADC criterion, ECV (34 ± 5 %) was significantly (p < 0.01) higher than ECV (28 ± 3 %) in non-fibrotic regions. ADC-derived and ECV-derived fibrosis burdens were in substantial agreement (intra-class correlation = 0.83). Regional detection between ADC and ECV of diffuse fibrosis yielded substantial agreement (K = 0.66) with high sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy (0.80, 0.85, 0.81, 0.85, and 0.83, respectively). Conclusion: DW-CMR is sensitive to diffuse myocardial fibrosis and is capable of characterizing the extent of fibrosis in HCM patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate whether ginsenoside-Rb1 (Gs-Rb1) inhibits the apoptosis of hypoxia cardiomyocytes by up-regulating apelin-APJ system and whether the system is affected by hypoxia-induced factor 1α (Hif-1α). Methods: Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were randomly divided into 6 groups: a control group, a simple CoCl group, a simple Gs-Rb1 group, a CoCl and Gs-Rb1 hypoxia group, a CoCl and 3-(5′-hydroxymethyl-2′-furyl)-1-benzylindazole (YC-1) group, a CoCl and YC-1 group and a Gs-Rb1 group, in which YC-1 inhibits the synthesis and accelerates the degradation of Hif-1a. The concentration of CoCl, Gs-Rb1 and YC-1 was 500 μmol/L, 200 μmol/L and 5 μmol/L, respectively; the apoptosis ratio was analyzed with a flow cytometer; and apelin, APJ and Hif-1α were assayed with immunocytochemistry, Western blot assays and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: (1) The anti-apoptosis effect of Gs-Rb1 on hypoxia cardiomyocytes was significantly inhibited by YC-1; (2) Hypoxia significantly up-graded the expression of mRNA and protein of apelin; this effect was further reinforced by Gs-Rb1 and significantly inhibited by YC-1; (3) Gs-Rb1 further strengthened the expression of APJ mRNA and APJ proteins once hypoxia occurred, which was significantly inhibited by YC-1; (4) Gs-Rb1 significantly increased the expression of Hif-1α, which was completely abolished by YC-1; (5) There was a negative relationship between AR and apelin (or APJ, including mRNA and protein), a positive correlation between apelin (or APJ) protein and Hif-1a protein, in hypoxia cardiomyocytes. Conclusion: The apelin-APJ system plays an important role in the anti-apoptosis effect of Gs-Rb1 on hypoxia neonatal cardiomyocytes, which was partly adjusted by Hif-1α. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The total flavonoids from ethanol extract of the aerial part of Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam. (Lamlaceae) (Xintahua) showed protective activities against rat acute myocardial ischemia in rats. This study aims to isolate acacetin, a flavonoid, from the aerial part of Z. clinopodioides, to develop an HPLC method for its detection, and to evaluate its protective effects on neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. Methods Sephadex LH-20 silicagel and pillar layer chromatography silica gel were applied for the isolation and purification of acacetin and its structure was elucidated on the basis of ¹H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The content of acacetin in Z.clinopodioides collected from three different origins was determined by HPLC. The neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were isolated and cultured in vitro to establish a hypoxia/reoxygenation injury model. The viability of cardiomyocytes was measured by the MTT method. Changes of malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the medium were also determined. Results The acacetin content in various batches of Z. clinopodioides ranged from 45.50 to 47.41 µg/g. Acacetin of 25, 10, 5 µg/mL significantly decreased the MDA content in a model of hypoxia/reoxygenation injury (P < 0.001, P < 0.001 and P = 0.033, respectively). Conclusions Acacetin protects neonatal cardiomyocytes from the damage induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation stress through reduction of lipid peroxidation and enhancement of the antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The volume of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD); however, only a few studies have examined its effect on the myocardial function of endurance in athletes. The association between the EAT and the variation of myocardial function is still unclear in amateur marathoners. Consequently, by using some sedentary individuals as the control, this study aims to evaluate the correlation between the EAT volume and the myocardial strain in the left and right ventricles of Chinese amateur marathoners by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)., Methods: A total of 30 amateur marathoners were included as the exercise group and 20 sedentary people as a control group. All participants received the cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) to measure the left and right ventricular end-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume and volume index, stroke volume and index, cardiac output index, ejection fraction and myocardial mass, the EAT volume, global radial, circumferential, and longi-tudinal strains, and the strain rates of left and right ventricular myocardium., Results: There was a significant difference in the EAT volume (EATV) index between the exercise group and the control group (26.82±11.76ml/m2 vs 37.82±17.15ml/m2, P = 0.01). Results from the multivariate linear regression analysis showed that BMI (standardized β = 0.458; P < 0.001) had an independent positive correlation with the EATV index. The EATV index was negatively correlated with the left ventricular global radial strain (GRS) (r = -0.505; P = 0.004) in the exercise group, while it is negatively correlated with right ventricular GRS (r = -0.492; P = 0.027) and positively correlated with global longitudinal strain (GLS) (r = 0.601; P = 0.005) in the control group. In the exercise group, the multivariate linear regression analysis showed that the EATV index (standardized β = -0.429; P = 0.021) was an independent determinant of the left ventricular GRS, and being a male (standardized β = 0.396; P = 0.029) was an independent determinant of the right ventricular GLS., Conclusion: The EATV index is independently correlated with the left ventricular GRS in the amateur Chinese marathoners, also, the amateur marathon reduces the EATV index and increases the left ventricular myocardial mass, which consequently reduces the adverse effects on myocardial function., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Except for as a well-known tonic Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of splenic asthenia, anorexia, lassitude and weakness, the roots of Pseudostellaria heterophylla was also used in Chinese medicines for the treatment of palpitation. Aim of the study: The study was designed to determine whether fractions from Pseudostellaria heterophylla could provide cardioprotection on hypoxic cardiomyocytes, what structural types of compounds were responsible for the observed effects, and which is the possible mechanism of action. Materials and Methods: The roots of Pseudostellaria heterophylla were extracted successively with 70% aqueous ethanol and water to give a 70% ethanol extract and a water extract. The latter was first precipitated by 80% ethanol and then protein-removed by the Sevag method to give a fraction enriched in polysaccarides (PHP). The former was separated by column chromatography into a fraction enriched in small-molecule sugars and amino acids (PHSSAC), saponins (PHS), cyclopeptides (PHCP), and sapogenins (PHSG). UV spectral or chemical methods were used to confirm the five fractions. The cardioprotective effects of the fractions were evaluated by measuring the viability and the leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) of the fraction-pretreated cardiomyocyte H9c2 after exposure to CoCl2-induced hypoxia. The mechanism of action was studied by investigating the nature of cell death inhibition (by Annexin V/PI flow cytometric analysis) and their effects on the levels of malonaldehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Results: Fractions PHS and PHP could attenuate CoCl2-induced hypoxic damage to an extent higher than or comparable to the effect of the positive control N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC). Pretreatment of the cells with 800μg/mL of PHS or 10mg/mL of PHP markedly decreased the level of MDA, reduced intracellular ROS, increased the activity of SOD, and reduced leakage of LDH to the levels close to or better than that with 326μg/mL of NAC. Reduction of apoptosis was also observed for both fractions. Conclusions: The overall results suggested that the traditional use of this plant for the treatment of palpitation may be attributed to the presence of cardioprotective agents in Pseudostellaria heterophylla. PHP and PHS were the two active fractions responsible for its cardioprotective effect. The mechanism might involve protections of the cell membrane from hypoxic damage and of the cells from oxidative injury via preventing increased oxidative stress. Protection of the cells via inhibition of cellular apoptosis may also be involved. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: The lateral root of Aconitum has been popularly used in traditional Chinese medicine (TMC) known as Fuzi which is beneficial for the treatment of various diseases, such as rheumatism, painful joints, syncope and bronchial asthma. However, it has a potential carditoxicity with a relatively narrow margin of safety. Aim of the study: This paper was designed to explore the mechanisms of Fuzi's toxicity and find out potential tissue-specific biomarkers of toxic effects. Material and methods: A myocardial lipidomics based on ultraperformance lipid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC/Q-TOF MS) was developed to compare three cardiac lipid extraction methods and investigate the changes of lipids in mice heart of three different dosage groups. In addition, we concurrently inspected the biochemical parameters in plasma, observed the histology of the heart and recorded the electrocardiogram (ECG). Results: The cardiotoxicity of Fuzi was dose-dependent, and the high-dose group obviously manifested the heart damage in histology and a certain degree of arrhythmia. Significant changes of 14 lipid metabolites which primarily involved in phospholipid metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, saturated fatty acid oxidation and unsaturated fatty acid peroxidation were identified and considered as the potential biomarkers of Fuzi toxicity. Conclusion: The lipidomics approach is helpful to search potential tissue-specific biomarkers and understand the underlying mechanisms of Fuzi toxicity on the heart. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Four new hemiterpenoid derivatives, taxilluside A–D (1–4), were isolated from the branches and leaves of Taxillus chinensis (DC.) Danser. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Of these compounds, compounds 3 and 4 showed inhibition activity on Calcium concentration in myocardial cells evaluated by measuring the changes of fluorescence signal using Laser scanning confocal microscope. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We aim to investigate the therapeutic effects of QSYQ, a drug of heart failure (HF) in clinical practice in China, on a rat heart failure (HF) model. 3 groups were divided: HF model group (LAD ligation), QSYQ group (LAD ligation and treated with QSYQ), and sham-operated group. After 4 weeks, rats were sacrificed for cardiac injury measurements. Rats with HF showed obvious histological changes including necrosis and inflammation foci, elevated ventricular remodeling markers levels(matrix metallo proteinases-2, MMP-2), deregulated ejection fraction (EF) value, increased formation of oxidative stress (Malondialdehyde, MDA), and upregulated levels of apoptotic cells (caspase-3,p53 and tunnel) in my ocardial tissue. Treatment of QSYQ improved cardiac remodeling through counter-acting those events. The improvement of QSYQ was accompanied with a restoration of NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) and NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) pathways in different patterns. Administration of QSYQ could attenuate LAD-induced HF, and AngII-NOX2-ROS-MMPs pathway seemed to be the critical potential targets for QSYQ to reduce the remodeling. Moreover, NOX4 was another key targets to inhibit the p53 and Caspase 3, thus to reduce the hypertrophy and apoptosis, and eventually provide a synergetic cardiac protective effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intravoxel incoherent motion imaging (IVIM) can non-invasively evaluate diffusion and microvascular perfusion., Purpose: To explore the myocardium microcirculation of a healthy Chinese population by using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) IVIM., Material and Methods: A total of 80 healthy volunteers (44 men, 36 women) who underwent 3.0-T CMR examination were enrolled. All participants had cardiac cine imaging and short-axis CMR-IVIM of the left ventricle (LV) using multiple b-values. The consistency of the IVIM parameters was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the Bland-Altman test. Spearman correlation analysis was performed between IVIM parameters and age, and body mass index (BMI). The differences of IVIM parameters were analyzed between gender and different ages., Results: LV end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), LVmass, cardiac output (CO), and BMI in the male group were higher than those in the female group ( P <0.05). IVIM parameters had good intra-observer and inter-observer consistency (≥0.75). Bland-Altman analysis also showed good intra-observer and inter-observer consistency. ADC fast decreased with increasing female age (rs = -0.37; P  = 0.01), while IVIM parameters had no correlation with BMI regardless of sex. ADC fast in the female group had a statistical difference between different age groups. The ADC slow and f in the male group were lower than those in the female group ( P <0.05); however, there was no statistical difference in ADC fast between genders., Conclusion: IVIM parameters in healthy Chinese volunteers provided good consistency. There was a negative correlation between ADC fast and age in the female group.

The myocardial protective effects of water extracts from Hsian-tsao (Mesona procumbens Hemsl.) on diabetic rats were investigated. Thirty Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into three groups, "control group" (n=10) with intraperitoneal saline injection, "diabetic group" (n=10) with 60 mg of intraperitoneal streptozotocin injection per kg of body weight and "Hsian-tsao group" (n=10) with intragastric administration of Hsian-tsao extracts every day for 4 weeks after intraperitoneal streptozotocin injection. Body weight and blood sugar concentrations were measured before and after model induction in the three groups. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) expressions in the myocardium were monitored by immunohistochemistry and rt-RT-qPCR analysis. Myocardial ultrastructural changes were also analyzed by using transmission electron microscopy. Our results demonstrated that diabetic myocardial ultrastructural changes included myofibrillar disarrangements, mitochondria disruption, and an increase in nuclear membrane invaginations. These damages were significantly less severe in the Hsian-tsao group compared with the diabetic group. A significant increase of the TSP-1 expression was also observed in the hearts of the diabetic rats (p <0.01), but it was relatively lower in the Hsian-tsao group than in the diabetic group (p <0.01). It suggested that Hsian-tsao treatment in the diabetic rats effectively prevented the pathological alterations in the myocardium and decreased TSP-1 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sarcocystosis is a parasitic disease caused by intracellular coccidian protozoans that belong to the genus Sarcocystis. These parasites can cause diseases of the nervous system, abortion and economically significant losses in host animals. Previous studies have reported that Sarcocystis is found in mammals, birds and reptiles, while molecular and morphological studies of infected Tibetan sheep have not been performed in the Qinghai region. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. in Tibetan sheep in Qinghai, northwestern China. The results showed that in 1155 samples, sarcocysts from unspecified species were found in 50% (577/1155) of the sheep tissues by microscopy detection. The positive rates of sarcocysts in the diaphragmatic, esophageal and cardiac muscles were 78.4% (175/223), 29.1% (207/711), and 88.2% (195/221), respectively. Ultrastructural features were exclusively observed in Sarcocystis gigantea in the esophageal tissues. The specific architecture was characterized as a space between the two layers of the original capsule wall, which was filled with fiber bundles and tissue fluid. Cauliflower-like protrusions of the original capsule wall were observed toward the outer surface of the capsule. Prominent protrusions contained fibers and matrix. In addition, the Sarcocystis 18S rRNA genes from 6 esophageal tissue samples were cloned, sequenced, and aligned to related sequences from GenBank. All 5 S. gigantea sequences examined in this study were grouped into the same cluster and belonged to the same genotype. The other 5 Sarcocystis tenella sequences were obtained from cardiac muscle and diaphragm muscle and belonged to the same clade. Overall, this study revealed a high infection rate of Sarcocystis in Tibetan sheep in the region. The results of this study may provide a reference for further research investigating the sarcocystosis epidemic in Qinghai, China. • First description of Sarcocystis spp. in naturally infected Tibetan sheep from Qinghai in northwestern China. • First description of ultrastructural features observed in Sarcocystis gigantea isolated from Tibetan sheep. • This study revealed the high infection rate of Sarcocystis in Tibetan sheep in Qinghai, northwestern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydropericardium-hepatitis syndrome (HHS) is an important emerging disease responsible for huge economic losses to the poultry industry in China. HHS primarily affects 20 to 60-day-old broilers and rarely occurs in laying flock. In this study, the highly pathogenic fowl adenovirus (FAdV) strain, AH-F19, was isolated from the liver samples of 120-day-old laying flock with HHS and its phylogenetic information, genetic mutations, and pathogenicity was evaluated. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that AH-F19 belonged to the FAdV serotype 4 (FAdV-4) cluster, however, 100K differs from the other FAdV-4 strains and is divided into different branches. Amino acid variations in fiber-2 for pathogenic isolates and non-pathogenic isolates indicated that D219, T300, and T380 may not be responsible for virulence. Animal experiments revealed AH-F19 to be a highly pathogenic isolate that can cause 100% mortality in three-week-old specific pathogen-free (SPF) chickens, which exhibited typical hydropericardium and hepatitis. Microscopically, the presence of basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies in hepatocytes, fractured heart muscle fibers, as well as kidney degeneration and necrosis was observed. Collectively, these findings enriched our understanding of FAdV-4 pathogenicity and provided a reference for further exploration into its pathogenicity. • The FAdV-4 strain isolated from 120-day-old hens. • D219, T300, and T380 of fiber-2 protein may not be responsible for virulence, inconsistent with previous findings. • The 100K of AH-F19 is different from the other FAdV-4 strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shengmai injection (SMI) is a classical traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) officially recorded in Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China (version 2015) and has long been used to treat heart failure in China. However scientific evidence for the anti-oxidative stress potential of SMI used in traditional medicine is lacking. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of SMI in alleviating H 2 O 2 ‑induced Oxidative Stress the underlying mechanisms H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress model of cardiomyocytes was established with primary cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. CCK8 cell viability assay and lacatate dehydrogenase cytotoxicity assay were performed to ensure the safety dose and lowest effective dose for the mode employing CCK-8 cell viability assay kit and lactate dehydrogenase cytotoxicity assay kit. ROS levels were determined using CM-H2DCFDA fluorescent probe in cardiomyocytes with H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress. The change of NAD(P)H level in cardiomyocytes was evaluated during the process of oxidative stress. The content of myocardial cytosolic Ca2+ and Ca2+ was determined using Fura-2/AM and Rhod 2-AM fluorescent probe in mitochondrial in the process of oxidative stress. Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining was applied to examine the apoptotic cells in cardiomyocytes with oxidative stress. To identify the apoptosis after oxidative stress myocardial cells with the application of Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining apoptosis detection kit. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was applied to measure the expression of antioxidant enzymes: catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GSR). Western blot was performed to observe the phosphorylation of AKT and ERK1/2. SMI was shown to significantly attenuate oxidative stress-induced cell proliferation arrest and apoptosis in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. In addition, SMI treatment could decrease the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and reduce the overloads of cytoplasmic Ca2+ and mitochondrial Ca2+ induced by H 2 O 2. SMI could also restore the mRNA expression and activities of SOD, GSR, and CAT suppressed by H 2 O 2. Mechanistically, SMI upregulated intracellular AKT phosphorylation and downregulate ERK1/2 phosphorylation in H 2 O 2 -treated cardiomyocytes. Pretreatment with LY294002, an AKT phosphorylation inhibitor, suppressed the protective role of SMI in cardiomyocytes, while pretreatment with PD98059, an ERK1/2 phosphorylation inhibitor, enhanced the effect of SMI. In conclusion, SMI may attenuate oxidative stress-induced damage in cardiomyocytes potentially through the AKT and ERK1/2 pathway and can function as a promising injectable traditional Chinese medicine to treat oxidative stress-induced injury. fx1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND This study investigated the cardioprotective effect of isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) postconditioning against rat myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in vivo and provided a theoretical basis for clinical application. MATERIAL AND METHODS We randomly divided 32 Wistar rats into 4 groups: sham group, I/R (ischemia/reperfusion) group, I-PostC group (with 3 cycles of 30 s reperfusion and 30 s reocclusion applied at the onset of reperfusion), and P-PostC group (nitrate postconditioning: isosorbide dinitrate (5mg/kg) was given 1 min before reperfusion). The left anterior descending artery (LAD) was occluded for 40 min, followed by a 180-min reperfusion. Relevant indicators were tested. The LAD was occluded again, then we determined the myocardial infarct size. Paraffinized sections were prepared and TUNEL detection was performed. RESULTS There were no significant differences in ischemic sizes between different groups. Compared with the I/R group, the levels of cTnI and myocardial infarct size in the I-PostC group and P-PostC group were significantly decreased (p<0.05). However, there were no significant difference between the I-PostC group and P-PostC group. Compared with the sham-operated group, the levels of cTnI and MDA in the I/R group, I-PostC group, and P-PostC group were significantly increased (p<0.05) and the levels of SOD were significantly decreased (p<0.05). Compared with the I/R group, I-PostC and P-PostC decreased the level of MDA and increased the level of SOD (both P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS ISDN postconditioning induces a similar cardioprotective effect as I-PostC. The potential mechanisms of cardioprotection of ISDN postconditioning might be via improvement of myocardial antioxidant capacity and reduced generation of reactive oxygen species.

An improved, reliable and comprehensive method for assessing the quality of the ethyl acetate extract from persimmon leaves (EAPL) and its commercial preparation, Naoxinqing (Brain and Heart Clear capsules), has been developed and validated. Based on HPLC-DAD-ESI-Q-TOF-MS analysis, myricetin-3-O-β-D-galactoside (1), myricetin-3-O-glucoside (2), quercetin-3-O-β-D-galactoside (3), quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucoside (4), quercetin-3-O-(2″-O-galloyl-β-D-galactoside) (5), quercetin-3-O-(2″-O-galloyl-β-D-glucoside) (6), kaempferol-3-O-β-D-galactoside (7), kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucoside (8), kaempferol-3-O-(2″-O-galloyl-β-D-galactoside) (9), kaempferol-3-O-(2″-O-galloyl-β-D-glucoside) (10), quercetin (11) and kaempferol (12) were identified from 15 batch samples. A HPLC fingerprint analytical method was established. All compounds, with the exception of compound 2, were simultaneously quantified by the single standard to determine multi-components (SSDMC) method, using kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucoside as the internal standard. The rate of analysis was found to be faster with the SSDMC method than with current acid hydrolysis method (Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China 2015 edition) and the results were more intuitive and reliable. Three-dimensional principal component analysis revealed that there were similar characteristics in persimmon leaf from same district. Analysis of the myocardial cell protection activity of 11 monomeric compounds showed that compounds 12, 11 and 10 were the main active ingredients that produce pharmacologic functions in EAPL. Among these compounds, the bioactive constituent of myricetin-3-O-β-D-galactoside was determined for the first time in Diospyros khaki. Thus, we have established an effective assessment method that can be applied to the comprehensive quality evaluation of EAPL extract and Naoxinqing capsule.

Objectives: To establish reference values for left ventricular (LV) myocardial strains in a cohort of healthy Chinese volunteers with feature tracking cardiac magnetic resonance imaging., Methods: A total of 60 healthy volunteers were recruited, receiving a cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) examination at 3.0T scanner (Tim Trio, Magnetum, Siemens, Germany). A new feature tracking CMR software (Trufisp-strain, Siemens) was used to analyze left ventricular myocardial strain parameters, including radial, circumferential, longitudinal strain, systolic strain rate, and early diastolic strain rate., Results: The image quality was sufficient to perform strain analysis.The reference values of global strain, global strain rate and segmental strains were obtained. A good inter- and intra-observer agreement was achieved in global strain analysis (except circumferential straininter-observer in apical level), with (37.7±9.6)% for LV global mean radial strain, (-18.4±3.3)% for circumferential strain and (-15.2±2.3%) for longitudinal strain, respectively.Age was positively correlated with global mean radial strain ( r =0.416, P <0.001) and negatively correlated with early diastolic strain rate (circumferential or longitudinal) and circumferential strain( r =-0.436, P <0.001; r =-0.326, P =0.011; r =-0.273, P =0.035, respectively). Women showed higher circumferential and longituinal strain values and lower systolic circumferential strain rate than men. The strain parameters were correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ( P <0.05)., Conclusions: FT-CMR (Trufisp-strain software) is a fast, convenient and highly reproducible method for analyzing left ventricular myocardial strains, which can sensitively detect gender and age differences. The reference values of LV myocardial strains can support further studies in the future.