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Background Respiratory and cardiovascular disease (CVD) frequently coexist; however, there is limited evidence on the relationship between chronic respiratory symptoms in young adulthood and late-onset CVD. Research Question Are chronic respiratory symptoms in young adulthood associated with CVD and all-cause mortality in later life? Study Design and Methods A total of 4,621 participants from CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) cohort study aged 18–30 were included. Chronic respiratory symptoms were identified through respiratory symptom questionnaires in two consecutive exams. Incident CVD and all-cause mortality were adjudicated over 30-year follow-up. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to explore association of chronic respiratory symptoms with incident CVD and all-cause mortality. Results During a median follow-up of 30.9 years, 284 CVD events (6.15%) and 378 deaths (8.18%) occurred. After multivariable adjustment for demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, smoking and lung function, the hazard ratios (95% CIs) for CVD events were 1.51 (1.18-1.93) for any respiratory symptom, 1.57 (1.18-2.09) for cough or phlegm, 1.31 (1.01-1.68) for wheeze, 1.73 (1.25-2.41) for shortness of breath, and 1.32 (1.01-1.71) for chest illnesses. Similar findings were also observed in all-cause mortality. Comparing 0 versus 3-4 respiratory symptoms, the hazard ratios (95% CIs) were 1.97 (1.34-2.91) for CVD and 1.75 (1.23-2.47) for all-cause mortality. Similar results were observed in various sensitivity analyses. Interpretation Chronic respiratory symptoms in young adulthood are associated with an increased risk of CVD and all-cause mortality in midlife independent of established cardiovascular risk factors, smoking and lung function. Identifying chronic respiratory symptoms in young adulthood may help provide prognostic information regarding future cardiovascular health.

Background The objective of this study was to compare three kinds of lymphadenectomy methods along the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) and assess the safety and effectiveness of the new method. Methods A total of 194 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) at our institution from May 2013 to May 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. According to the method of lymphadenectomy along the left RLN, the patients were divided into three groups: 75 cases underwent the conventional method (A group), 80 cases the skeletonized method (B group) and 39 cases the modified Bascule method (C group). The number of dissected lymph nodes and surgical outcomes were recorded and compared to identify differences among the three groups. Results The frequency of metastasis to the LRLN lymph node was 18.6% among all patients, and 12%, 20% and 28% in groups A, B and C, respectively. The number of harvested lymph nodes (total/chest/LRLN/LRLN+) in group B and group C were significantly greater than that of group A, but not significant between group B and group C. The hoarseness rate in group C was 15.4%, which was lower than the rate in group B (21.3%) and higher than the rate in group A (13.3%), but there was no statistical significance. Conclusions The new method for lymphadenectomy along the left RLN during MIE in the semi-prone position is safe and reliable. It provides sufficient lymph node dissection along the left RLN.

Respiratory and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) frequently coexist; however, there is limited evidence on the relationship between chronic respiratory symptoms in young adulthood and late-onset CVD.Are chronic respiratory symptoms in young adulthood associated with CVD and all-cause mortality in later life?A total of 4,621 participants from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study (CARDIA) cohort study aged 18 to 30 years were included. Chronic respiratory symptoms were identified through respiratory symptom questionnaires in two consecutive examinations. Incident CVD and all-cause mortality were adjudicated over 30-year follow-up. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to explore the association of chronic respiratory symptoms with incident CVD and all-cause mortality.During a median follow-up of 30.9 years, 284 CVD events (6.15%) and 378 deaths (8.18%) occurred. Following multivariable adjustment for demographic characteristics, cardiovascular risk factors, smoking, and lung function, the hazard ratios (95% CIs) for CVD events were 1.51 (1.18-1.93) for any respiratory symptom, 1.57 (1.18-2.09) for cough or phlegm, 1.31 (1.01-1.68) for wheeze, 1.73 (1.25-2.41) for shortness of breath, and 1.32 (1.01-1.71) for chest illnesses. Similar findings were also observed in all-cause mortality. Comparing zero vs three to four respiratory symptoms, the hazard ratios (95% CIs) were 1.97 (1.34-2.91) for CVD and 1.75 (1.23-2.47) for all-cause mortality. Similar results were observed in various sensitivity analyses.Chronic respiratory symptoms in young adulthood are associated with an increased risk of CVD and all-cause mortality in midlife independent of established cardiovascular risk factors, smoking, and lung function. Identifying chronic respiratory symptoms in young adulthood may help provide prognostic information regarding future cardiovascular health.ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT00005130; URL: https://www.gov.

It is important to evaluate the efficacy and safety of personal protective equipment (PPE) protecting healthcare workers in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. We conducted a survey on PPE usage among healthcare workers who completed their healthcare service for COVID-19 patients in Hubei province (the Chinese epicenter of the epidemic). Efficacy and safety information about PPE were collected from 960 participants and summarized in this study.

Introduction: Patients with incomplete revascularization (ICR) tend to develop refractory angina despite optimal medical therapy. Compound Danshen Dripping Pills (CDDP) is a widely used antianginal drug in China and is showed to significantly alleviate myocardial ischemia. Previous studies showed dose-efficacy tendency when increasing doses of CDDP. The study is aim to investigate the efficacy and safety of intensive doses of CDDP in patients with refractory angina with ICR.Methods and Analysis: The INCODER study is a multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled, superiority trial. We plan to recruit 250 patients aged 18 to 85 years with a diagnosis of refractory angina with ICR. Patients will be randomized (1:1) to intensive treatment group (CDDP 20 pills three times per day) or control group (10 pills CDDP and 10 pills placebo three times per day). Patients will have a 6-week medication period and be followed up every two weeks. The primary end point is the change of total exercise time from baseline to week 6 as assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). Secondary end points include changes in frequency of angina, Canadian Cardiovascular Society angina class, nitroglycerin use, Seattle Angina Questionnaire scores, O2 uptake kinetics and other parameters as measured by CPET, and levels of plasma C-reactive protein, homocysteine and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide. Safety events related to CDDP use will be monitored.Ethics and dissemination: The research had been approved by the Clinical research and laboratory animal ethics committee of the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University ([2019]65). The results will be reported through peer-reviewed journals, seminars and conference presentations.Trial registration number: www.chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR2000032384). Registered on 27 April 2020.

Aims MOG1 is a small protein that can bind to small GTPase RAN and regulate transport of RNA and proteins between the cytoplasm and nucleus. However, the in vivo physiological role of mog1 in the heart needs to be fully defined. Methods Mog1 knockout zebrafish was generated by TALEN. Echocardiography, histological analysis, and electrocardiograms were used to examine cardiac structure and function. RNA sequencing and real-time RT-PCR were used to elucidate the molecular mechanism and to analyse the gene expression. Isoproterenol was used to induce cardiac hypertrophy. Whole-mount in situ hybridization was used to observe cardiac morphogenesis. Results Mog1 knockout zebrafish developed cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure (enlarged pericardium, increased nppa and nppb expression and ventricular wall thickness, and reduced ejection fraction), which was aggravated by isoproterenol. RNAseq and KEGG pathway analyses revealed the effect of mog1 knockout on the pathways of cardiac hypertrophy, dilatation and contraction. Mechanistic studies revealed that mog1 knockout decreased expression of tbx5, which reduced expression of cryab and hspb2, resulting in cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. Overexpression of cryab, hspb2 and tbx5 rescued the cardiac oedema phenotype of mog1 KO zebrafish. Telemetry electrocardiogram monitoring showed QRS and QTc prolongation and a reduced heart rate in mog1 knockout zebrafish, which was associated with reduced scn1b expression. Moreover, mog1 knockout resulted in abnormal cardiac looping during embryogenesis because of the reduced expression of nkx2.5, gata4 and hand2. Conclusion Our data identified an important molecular determinant for cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure, and rhythm maintenance of the heart.

The sudden deterioration of patients with novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) into critical illness is of major concern. It is imperative to identify these patients early. We show that a deep learning-based survival model can predict the risk of COVID-19 patients developing critical illness based on clinical characteristics at admission. We develop this model using a cohort of 1590 patients from 575 medical centers, with internal validation performance of concordance index 0.894 We further validate the model on three separate cohorts from Wuhan, Hubei and Guangdong provinces consisting of 1393 patients with concordance indexes of 0.890, 0.852 and 0.967 respectively. This model is used to create an online calculation tool designed for patient triage at admission to identify patients at risk of severe illness, ensuring that patients at greatest risk of severe illness receive appropriate care as early as possible and allow for effective allocation of health resources., The sudden deterioration of patients with novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) into critical illness is of major concern and early assessment would be vital. Here, the authors show that a deep learning-based survival model can predict the risk of COVID-19 patients developing critical illness based on clinical characteristics at admission.

Aim: Heart failure patients are frequently given comedication of digoxin and diuretics like spironolactone and tolvaptan. A UHPLC–MS/MS assay for determining canrenone (main active metabolite of spironolactone), digoxin and tolvaptan simultaneously should be developed so as to support related drug–drug interaction studies. Results: A UHPLC–MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of these three drugs in human plasma was established and fully verified as per CFDA guidelines. Chromatographic separation was achieved using a 4-min isocratic elution. Mass analyses were performed under positive electrospray ionization mode. The calibration curves were established over 1.0–400.0 ng/ml for canrenone and tolvaptan while over 0.1–40.0 ng/ml for digoxin. Conclusion: The developed method was feasible in detecting concentration and related drug–drug interaction studies.

Background: As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread worldwide, there is still no accurate rapid diagnostic test for COVID-19, or monitoring tool for patient’s clinical course. An artificial-intelligence system (CoviDet) was therefore developed and applied on chest computed tomography (CT), to evaluate its application for rapid diagnosis and potential monitoring of COVID-19 patients. Methods: 1,201,074 CT slices from 2527 patients were grouped into 3 main groups: COVID-19 positive group, non-COVID-19 viral pneumonia group and control group. They were used to train and validate CoviDet novel stepwise diagnostic algorithm to diagnose COVID-19, with or without clinical data. A subset of COVID-19 patients with more than 3 consecutive CT images were selected for training and validation of the auto-segmentation and monitoring algorithm. Findings: CoviDet outperforms radiologists, and can diagnose COVID-19 based on CT alone with sensitivity of 0.93, specificity of 0.95 and AUC of 0.98 (95%CI 0.97-0.99; P

Background: Available evidence indicates that COVID-19 patients with preexisting cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are more likely to have poor outcomes. We investigated whether pre-admission treatments for CMD may have impact on clinical outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 1,525 COVID-19 patients admitted to two designated hospitals in Wuhan, China from January 21, 2020 to March 14, 2020 when majority of the initial COVID-19 patients were hospitalized. All medical records were reviewed by a panel of physicians to determine history of CMD and medications. The primary endpoint was critical illness comprised of admission to intensive care unit (ICU), mechanical ventilation, and use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Confirmed secondary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox regression were used for analyzing primary and secondary endpoint, respectively. Findings: Of the 1,525 patients with COVID-19, 623 (40.9%) had CMD history. Compared with patients without CMD, those with CMD but without treatment had a 3-fold increased risk of critical illness (OR, 3.13; 95% CI, 1.86-5.20), and a 3-fold greater risk of death (HR, 3.08; 95% CI, 1.91-4.99). Among those with CMD comorbidities, the pre-admission treatment for CMD was associated with significantly lower risk of developing critical illness (OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.16-0.47) and death (HR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.16-0.40). These findings were most salient in older patients (> 65 y). Moreover, in patients with hypertension, those treated with ACEI/ARB did not have higher risk of critical illness or death than those who were on other antihypertensive medications. Interpretation: This large retrospective cohort of COVID-19 patients support the notion that pre-admission management of CMD comorbidities significantly improve clinical outcomes and prognosis of COVID-19, especially among those aged > 65 years. Funding Statement: This work was supported by the Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou (No.201803040012), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No.2017YFC1307603, No.2016YFC1301305) and the Key Area R&D Program of Guangdong Province (No.2019B020227005). Declaration of Interests: None. Ethics Approval Statement: The study was approved by the institution ethics review board (IRB) of Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital and the two collaborating hospitals. This study used only deidentified retrospective data and written-informed consent was waived during the pandemic.

Background Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been used for severe illness caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but its treatment effects and safety are unclear. Purpose This study reviews the effect and safety of CHM granules in the treatment of patients with severe COVID-19. Methods We conducteda single-center, retrospective study on patients with severe COVID-19 in a designated hospital in Wuhan from January 15, 2020 to March 30, 2020. The propensity score matching (PSM) was used to assess the effect and safety of the treatment using CHM granules. The ratio of patients who received treatment with CHM granules combined with usual care and those who received usual care alone was 1:1. The primary outcome was the time to clinical improvement within 28 days, defined as the time taken for the patients’ health to show improvement by decline of two categories (from the baseline) on a modified six-category ordinal scale, or to be dischargedfrom the hospital before Day 28. Results Using PSM, 43 patients (45% male) aged 65.6 (57–70) yearsfrom each group were exactly matched. No significant difference was observed in clinical improvement of patients treated with CHM granules compared with those who received usual (p = 0.851). However, the use of CHM granules reduced the 28-day mortality (p = 0.049) and shortened the duration of fever (4 days vs. 7 days, p = 0.002). The differences in the duration of cough and dyspnea and the difference in lung lesion ratio on computerized tomography scans were not significant.Commonly,patients in the CHM group had an increased D -dimer level (p = 0.036). Conclusion Forpatients with severe COVID-19, CHM granules, combined with usual care, showed no improvement beyond usual care alone. However, the use of CHM granules reduced the 28-day mortality rate and the time to fever alleviation. Nevertheless, CHM granules may be associated with high risk of fibrinolysis.

INTRODUCTION This meta-analysis evaluated 14 studies which compared clinical and functional outcomes after different cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) modalities. MATERIAL AND METHODS Relevant studies were selected from the Medline, PubMed, Cochrane, and Google Scholar databases until June 27th, 2016. We analyzed and compared the clinical outcomes (peak O2 consumption and LVEF) and functional outcomes (6-min walk distance and quality of life (SF-36)) of HF patients who received different CRT modalities with outcomes in patients who received conventional univentricular therapy. RESULTS There was no significant difference in post-treatment 6-min walking distance between the biventricular (BiV) and left/right univentricular (LUV/RUV) groups (standardized difference in means = 0.049, 95% CI: -0.119 to 0.217, p = 0.566), or between the BiV and triventricular (TriV) groups (standardized difference in means = 0.035, 95% CI: -0.270 to 0.340, p = 0.822). Peak O2 consumption was comparable between BiV and LUV/RUV groups (standardized difference in means = 0.306, 95% CI: -0.002 to 0.614, p = 0.052). Patients in the TriV group had a significant improvement in LVEF compared to the BiV group (standardized difference in means = 0.647, 95% CI: 0.313 to 0.982, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS TriV CRT is an attractive alternative to univentricular or BiV pacing for heart failure patients. It is necessary to conduct further large randomized trials to validate our present data.

Increasing evidence suggests that intestinal microbiota have critical function in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. This present study investigated the effects of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)‑induced colitis. Furthermore, Toll‑like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nuclear factor‑κB (NF‑κB) gene expression was measured by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In total, two experiments were performed. In the first experiment, four groups were established in BALB/c mice: i) Group A, control (no treatments); ii) group B, DSS‑induced colitis; iii) group C, DSS‑induced colitis bacteria depleted (BD) mice; and iv) group D, E. coli‑treated DSS‑induced colitis BD mice. In the second experiment, there were three groups: i) Group A1, control C57BL/6 mice; ii) group B1, E. coli‑treated DSS‑induced colitis BD C57BL/6 mice; and iii) E. coli‑treated DSS‑induced colitis BD TLR4‑/‑ mice. Clinical outcomes, colon and immune histopathology and tissue myeloperoxidase activity were assessed. Mice with DSS‑induced colitis that were treated with E. coli exhibited enhanced recovery, with significantly improved clinical and histological scores compared with the DSS only group. The mRNA expression of TLR4 and NF‑κB in the E. coli‑treated group was also significantly higher. These effects were abolished in TLR4‑/‑ mice, suggesting that E. coli may have promoted recovery through the TLR4 pathway. The present study indicated that E. coli promoted recovery from DSS‑induced colitis in mice, potentially through activation of the TLR4/NF‑κB signaling pathway.

AIDS, a serious fatal disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is an epidemic disease for which no effective vaccine has been established. The current therapeutic interventions for AIDS have limited efficacy because they are unable to clear HIV infections and the continuous occurrence of resistant HIV strains. Therefore, the exploitation of new drugs to prevent the spread of AIDS remains a high priority. In this study, the effects of icariin and its metabolite anhydroicaritin on SIV/HIV replication were investigated. In CEM × 174 cells and PBMC cells, both icariin and anhydroicaritin can significantly inhibit HIV-1 or SIVmac251 replication. Furthermore, molecular docking studies revealed that icariin and anhydroicaritin can act on both HIV reverse transcriptase and protease but could not bind to integrase. Reverse transcriptase and protease inhibition biological assays showed that both icariin and anhydroicaritin could significantly inhibit only HIV reverse transcriptase. In summary, the two compounds can significantly inhibit HIV/SIV in vitro and their targets may be mainly involved with HIV reverse transcriptase.

IntroductionReduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) improves clinical outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease. However, rates of lipid-lowering medication adherence are far from ideal. Reducing dosage frequency from multiple dosing to once-daily dosing may improve patients’ medication adherence. Xuezhikang (XZK), an extract of Chinese red yeast rice, contains a family of naturally occurring statins and is traditionally prescribed as 600 mg two times per day. A comParative Efficacy study of XZK (APEX study) is designed to test the hypothesis that XZK prescribed 1200 mg once per day (OD group) is non-inferior to 600 mg two times per day (TD group) in patients with hypercholesterolaemia.Methods and analysisThe APEX study is a multicentre, prospective randomised controlled, open-label, non-inferiority study. We plan to recruit 316 patients aged ≥18 years with a diagnosis of mild to moderate hypercholesterolaemia for primary prevention. Patients will be randomised (1:1) to OD group and TD group. The OD group take XZK 1200 mg once per day after dinner while TD group take a traditional dose of 600 mg, two times per day after meals. Participants will have an 8-week medication period and be followed up at weeks 0, 4 and 8. The primary end point is the mean percentage change from baseline to week 8 in serum LDL-C. Secondary end points are safety and lipid-lowering effect on other lipoproteins and compliance. Data analyses will be on the intention-to-treat principle using non-inferiority analysis.Ethics and disseminationThe research had been approved by the Clinical Research and Laboratory Animal Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University ((2017)286). The results will be reported through peer-reviewed journals, seminars and conference presentations.Trial registration numberChiCTR-IIR-17013660.

Limited evidence exists concerning the impact of particulate pollution on acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We examined the effects of particulate pollution on emergency ambulance dispatches (EAD) for ARDS in Guangzhou, China. Daily air pollution concentrations for PM10, PM2.5, and PM1, as well as PM2.5 chemical compositions, were available from a central air monitoring station. The association between incident ARDS and air pollution on the concurrent and previous 5 days was estimated by an over-dispersed Poisson generalized additive model controlling for meteorological factors, temporal trends, public holidays and day of the week. We identified a total of 17,002 EADs for ARDS during the study period. There were significant associations between concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, PM1, and ARDS; corresponding excess risk (ER) for an interquartile range IQR increase in 1-day lagged concentration was 5.45% [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.70%, 9.33%] for PM10 (45.4 μg/m3), 4.71% (95% CI: 1.09%, 8.46%) for PM2.5 (31.5 μg/m3), and 4.45% (95% CI: 0.81%, 8.23%) for PM1 (28.8 μg/m3), respectively. For PM2.5 chemical compositions, we found that OC, EC, sulfate and ammonium were significantly associated with ARDS. The observed effects remained even after adjusting for potentially confounding factors. This study suggests that PM10, PM2.5, and PM1, as well as chemical constituents from combustion and secondary aerosols might be important triggers of ARDS in Guangzhou.

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is becoming a considerable public health burden worldwide. The seasonal variation of OHCA has been observed, but the potential effects of ambient temperature on OHCA were rarely investigated. We, therefore, aimed to evaluate the association between ambient temperature and OHCA in Guangzhou, China. We collected daily emergency ambulance dispatches for OHCA from the Guangzhou Emergency Center from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2012. We analyzed the associations using the time-series method. We applied the generalized linear model combined with the distributed lag non-linear model to estimate the potentially non-linear and lagged effects of temperature on OHCA. Time trends, day of the week, and air pollutants were controlled as covariates. We identified a total of 4369 cases of OHCD. The associations between daily mean temperature and OHCA were generally J-shaped. Both low and high temperatures could increase the risk of OHCA. The effects were strongest on the concurrent day (lag 0) and lasted for 6 or 7days. The cumulative risks of extreme cold (1st percentile of temperature) and extreme heat (99th percentile of temperature) over lags 0-21days were 3.75 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.63, 8.63) and 2.45 (95%CI: 1.15, 5.33), respectively, compared with the referent temperature (28°C)·This study suggested that both cold and hot temperatures could significantly increase the risk of OHCA in Guangzhou, China. Our results might have important public health implications for the prevention of OHCA.

BACKGROUND: Road-traffic injury (RTI) is a major public-health concern worldwide. However, the effectiveness of laws criminalizing drunk driving on the improvement of road safety in China is not known. METHODS: We collected daily aggregate data on RTIs from the Guangzhou First-Aid Service Command Center from 2009 to 2012. We performed an interrupted time-series analysis to evaluate the change in daily RTIs before (January 1, 2009, to April 30, 2011) and after (May 1, 2011, to December 31, 2012) the criminalization of drunk driving. We evaluated the impact of the intervention on RTIs using the overdispersed generalized additive model after adjusting for temporal trends, seasonality, day of the week, and holidays. Daytime/Nighttime RTIs, alcoholism, and non-traffic injuries were analyzed as comparison groups using the same model. RESULTS: From January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2012, we identified a total of 54 887 RTIs. The standardized daily number of RTIs was almost stable in the pre-intervention period but decreased gradually in the post-intervention period. After the intervention, the standardized daily RTIs decreased 9.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.5%-12.8%). There were similar decreases for the daily daytime and nighttime RTIs. In contrast, the standardized daily cases of alcoholism increased 38.8% (95% CI, 35.1%-42.4%), and daily non-traffic injuries increased 3.6% (95% CI, 1.4%-5.8%). CONCLUSIONS: This time-series study provides scientific evidence suggesting that the criminalization of drunk driving from May 1, 2011, may have led to moderate reductions in RTIs in Guangzhou, China. Language: en

This study was aimed to establish a stable animal model of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) to provide theoretical and experimental basis for understanding the development of LVH. The abdominal aorta of male Wistar rats (80-100 g) was constricted to a diameter of 0.55 mm between the branches of the celiac and anterior mesenteric arteries. Echocardiography using a linear phased array probe was performed as well as pathological examination and plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) measurement at 3, 4 and 6 weeks after abdominal aortic constriction (AAC). The results showed that the acute mortality rate (within 24 h) of this modified rat model was 8%. Animals who underwent AAC demonstrated significantly increased interventricular septal (IVS), LV posterior wall (LVPWd), LV mass index (LVMI), cross-sectional area (CSA) of myocytes, and perivascular fibrosis; the ejection fraction (EF), fractional shortening (FS), and cardiac output (CO) were consistently lower at each time point after AAC. Notably, differences in these parameters between AAC group and sham group were significant by 3 weeks and reached peaks at 4th week. Following AAC, the plasma BNP was gradually elevated compared with the sham group at 3rd and 6th week. It was concluded that this modified AAC model can develop LVH, both stably and safely, by week four post-surgery; echocardiography is able to assess changes in chamber dimensions and systolic properties accurately in rats with LVH.

Background Heart failure (HF) is a global public health problem of increasing importance. The association between acute exposure to air pollution and HF has been well established in developed countries, but little evidence was available in developing countries where air pollution levels were much higher. We conducted a time-series study to investigate the short-term association between air pollution and overall emergency ambulance dispatches (EAD) due to HF in Guangzhou, China. Methods Daily data of EAD due to HF from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2012 were obtained from Guangzhou Emergency Center. We applied the over-dispersed Poisson generalized addictive model to analyze the associations after controlling for the seasonality, day of the week and weather conditions. Results We identified a total of 3375 EAD for HF. A 10-μg/m 3 increase in the present-day concentrations of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10μm, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide corresponded to increases of 3.54% [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.35%, 5.74%], 5.29% (95% CI: 2.28%, 8.30%) and 4.34% (95% CI: 1.71%, 6.97%) in daily EAD for HF, respectively. The effects of air pollution on acute HF were restricted on the concurrent day and in the cool seasons. Conclusions Our results provided the first population-based evidence in Mainland China that outdoor air pollution could trigger the exacerbation of HF.

Angiotensin II (Ang II) plays an important role in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. The combined effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and Ang II on cardiomyocytes is unknown. The present study was designed to determine the effect of HGF on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and to explore the combined effect of HGF and Ang II on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Primary cardiomyocytes were isolated from neonatal rat hearts and cultured in vitro. Cells were treated with Ang II (1 µM) alone, HGF (10 ng/mL) alone, and Ang II (1 µM) plus HGF (10 ng/mL) for 24, 48, and 72 h. The amount of [³H]-leucine incorporation was then measured to evaluate protein synthesis. The mRNA levels of β-myosin heavy chain and atrial natriuretic factor were determined by real-time PCR to evaluate the presence of fetal phenotypes of gene expression. The cell size of cardiomyocytes was also studied. Ang II (1 µM) increased cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Similar to Ang II, treatment with 1 µM HGF promoted cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Moreover, the combination of 1 µM Ang II and 10 ng/mL HGF clearly induced a combined pro-hypertrophy effect on cardiomyocytes. The present study demonstrates for the first time a novel, combined effect of HGF and Ang II in promoting cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.

To establish the protein expression map of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and provide a basis for proteomic study of NPC.Laser capture microdissection (LCM) was used to isolate cancer cells from NPC tissues. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis(2-DE) was used to separate the total proteins of LCM purified NPC cells. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) was performed to identify the proteins, and bioinformatics was used to construct the 2-DE database of NPC proteome.A 2-DE reference map of NPC was established. On the 2-DE map, a total of (1 312+/-30) protein spots were detected, and 427 protein spots representing 241 non-redundant proteins were identified. The 2-DE database of NPC proteome was constructed. These data could be accessed at our website (http://www.xyproteomics.org).A protein expression profile of LCM purified NPC tissues has been established for the first time, which provides useful information and source for proteomic study of NPC.

Background Metabolism remodeling has been recognized as an early event following cardiac pressure overload. However, its temporal association with ventricular hypertrophy has not been confirmed. Moreover, whether trimetazidine could favorably affect this process also needs to be determined. The aim of the study was to explore the temporal changes of myocardial metabolism remodeling following pressure-overload induced ventricular hypertrophy and the potential favorable effect of trimetazidine on myocardial metabolism remodeling. Methods A rat model of abdominal aortic constriction (AAC)-induced cardiac pressure overload was induced. These rats were grouped as the AAC (no treatment) or TMZ group according to whether oral trimetazidine (TMZ, 40 mg/kg/d, for 5 days) was administered. Changes in cardiac structures were sequentially evaluated via echocardiography. The myocardial ADP/ATP ratio was determined to reflect the metabolic status, and changes in serum neuropeptide Y systems were evaluated. Results Myocardial metabolic disorder was acutely induced as evidenced by an increased ADP/ATP ratio within 7 days of AAC before the morphological changes in the myocardium, accompanied by up-regulation of serum oxidative stress markers and expression of fetal genes related to hypertrophy. Moreover, the serum NPY and myocardial NPY-1R, 2R, and 5R levels were increased within the acute phase of AAC-induced cardiac pressure overload. Pretreatment with TMZ could partly attenuate myocardial energy metabolic homeostasis, decrease serum levels of oxidative stress markers, attenuate the induction of hypertrophy-related myocardial fetal genes, inhibit the up-regulation of serum NPY levels, and further increase the myocardial expression of NPY receptors. Conclusions Cardiac metabolic remodeling is an early change in the myocardium before the presence of typical morphological ventricular remodeling following cardiac pressure overload, and pretreatment with TMZ may at least partly reverse the acute metabolic disturbance, perhaps via regulation of the NPY system.