Building roof extraction from ASTIL echo images applying OSA-YOLOv5s.

Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) is a type of essential tool for urban planning and geoinformation extraction. Airborne streak tube imaging LiDAR (ASTIL) is a new system with great advantages in the rapid collection of remote sensing data. To the best of our knowledge, a new method to extract a building roof from the echo images of ASTIL is proposed. We improve YOLOv5s with a one-shot aggregation (OSA) module to improve efficiency. The experimental results show that the mean average precision of the OSA-YOLOv5s algorithm can reach 95.2%, and the frames per second can reach 11.74 using a CPU and 39.39 using a GPU. The method proposed can extract building objects efficiently from the echo images of ASTIL and acquire the building roof point cloud.

Human Papillomavirus Prevalence and Integration Status in Tissue Samples of Bladder Cancer in the Chinese Population.

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is associated with multiple types of cancer, but the evidence has not yet been fully elucidated in bladder cancer. METHODS: Frozen tissue samples collected from 146 patients aged 32 to 89 years with bladder cancer pathological diagnosis between 2015 and 2019 were analyzed. HPV genotyping and integration status determination were performed by capture-based next generation sequencing. Statistical analysis of HPV type distributions was performed according to stage, grade, sex, and age group of patients. RESULTS: Mean (SD) age of the 146 patients was 66.64 ±â€…10.06 years and 83.56% were men. Overall HPV infection rate was 28.77% (37.50% in women and 27.05% in men), with 11.90% HPV integration events. Among them, 17.12% single and 11.65% coinfections were observed. HPV18 (24.66%) was the most prevalent genotype, followed by HPV33, 16, and 39. All HPV were European lineage (A). HPV16 was more prevalent in women (P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: HPV infection may contribute to the etiology both in men and women with bladder cancer. HPV18, followed by HPV33, 16, and 39 genotypes, potentially represent the predominant oncogenic risk types for bladder carcinogenesis.

Exosomes from miR-20b-3p-overexpressing stromal cells ameliorate calcium oxalate deposition in rat kidney.

Hyperoxaluria-induced calcium oxalate (CaOx) deposition is the key factor in kidney stone formation, for which adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) have been used as a therapeutic treatment. Studies revealed that miR-20b-3p is down-regulated in hypercalciuric stone-forming rat kidney. To investigate whether ADSC-derived miR-20b-3p-enriched exosomes protect against kidney stones, an ethylene glycol (EG)-induced hyperoxaluria rat model and an in vitro model of oxalate-induced NRK-52E cells were established to explore the protective mechanism of miR-20b-3p. The results showed that miR-20b-3p levels were decreased following hyperoxaluria in the urine of patients and in kidney tissues from animal models. Furthermore, treatment with miR-20b-3p-enriched exosomes from ADSCs protected EG-induced hyperoxaluria rats, and cell experiments confirmed that co-culture with miR-20b-3p-enriched exosomes alleviated oxalate-induced cell autophagy and the inflammatory response by inhibiting ATG7 and TLR4. In conclusion, ADSC-derived miR-20b-3p-enriched exosomes protected against kidney stones by suppressing autophagy and inflammatory responses.

New model for explaining the over-response phenomenon in percentage of depth dose curve measured using inorganic scintillating materials for optical fiber radiation sensors.

Inorganic scintillating material used in optical fibre sensors (OFS) when used as dosimeters for measuring percentage depth dose (PDD) characteristics have exhibited significant differences when compared to those measured using an ionization chamber (IC), which is the clinical gold standard for quality assurance (QA) assessments. The percentage difference between the two measurements is as high as 16.5% for a 10 × 10 cm2 field at 10 cm depth below the surface. Two reasons have been suggested for this: the presence of an energy effect and Cerenkov radiation. These two factors are analysed in detail and evaluated quantitatively. It is established that the influence of the energy effect is only a maximum of 2.5% difference for a beam size 10 × 10 cm2 compared with the measured ionization chamber values. And the influence of the Cerenkov radiation is less than 0.14% in an inorganic scintillating material in the case of OFS when using Gd2O2S:Tb as the luminescent material. Therefore, there must be other mechanisms leading to over-response. The luminescence mechanism of inorganic scintillating material is theoretically analysed and a new model is proposed and validated that helps explain the over-response phenomenon.

An Optical Fiber Sensor Based on La2O2S:Eu Scintillator for Detecting Ultraviolet Radiation in Real-Time.

A novel ultraviolet (UV) optical fiber sensor (UVOFS) based on the scintillating material La2O2S:Eu has been designed, tested, and its performance compared with other scintillating materials and other conventional UV detectors. The UVOFS is based on PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) optical fiber which includes a scintillating material. Scintillating materials provide a unique opportunity to measure UV light intensity even in the presence of strong electromagnetic interference. Five scintillating materials were compared in order to select the most appropriate one for the UVOFS. The characteristics of the sensor are reported, including a highly linear response to radiation intensity, reproducibility, temperature response, and response time (to pulsed light) based on emission from a UV source (UV fluorescence tube) centered on a wavelength of 308 nm. A direct comparison with the commercially available semiconductor-based UV sensor proves the UVOFS of this investigation shows superior performance in terms of accuracy, long-term reliability, response time and linearity.

[Determination of paraquat in serum by ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and toxicokinetics of paraquat in rat].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a simple and rapid ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry( UPLC-MS/MS) method for the determination of paraquat in serum, and to apply to the toxicokinetics of paraquat in rats. METHODS: The samples separated on ACQUITY UPLC BEH HILIC column( 2. 1 mm × 50 mm, 1. 7 µm)with acetonitrile-50 mmol/L ammonium formate( 0. 4% formic acid) as mobile phase. The analytes were analyzed using ESI operating in the positive multiple reaction monitoring( MRM) mode. The method was used in toxicokinetic study in poisoned rat. Toxicokinetic parameters were calculated by WinNonlin 7. 0 statistical software. RESULTS: Paraquat was linear in the range of 0. 3-1000. 0 µg/L, the recovery rate was 89. 0%-107. 7%, and the relative standard deviation( RSD) 1. 9%-13. 8%( n = 6). Toxicokinetic parameterswere as follows: C_(max), T_(max)and T_(1/2) were( 46. 50 ± 5. 11) mg/L, 0. 167 h, ( 63. 2 ±16. 2) h, respectively. CONCLUSION: This method is highly sensitive, high accuracy and is suitable for the analysis of paraquat in the toxicokinetic study in rats.

Laparoscopic Extravesical Submucosal Tunneling Ureteroneocystostomy Combined with Psoas Hitch for Medium-Length Distal Ureteral Defects in Adults.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to describe the technique and feasibility of laparoscopic submucosal tunneling ureteroneocystostomy in combination with psoas hitch to restore urinary tract continuity in patients showing medium-length distal ureteral defects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2012 to April 2016, a total of 13 patients (4 males and 9 females) with a mean age of 37 years were performed with the laparoscopic operation of ureteral submucosal tunneling reimplantation combined with psoas hitch. The mean defective length was 5.5 cm (range 4-8 cm). The etiologies included ureteral strictures secondary to endoscopic laser lithotripsy in 2 patients, previous gynecological surgeries in 4, infiltrative ureteral endometriosis in 3, as well as ureteral strictures without obvious causes in the remaining 4. RESULTS: The operations were successfully performed in all patients. The mean operating time was 179 min (range 150-230 min). The mean estimated blood loss was 32 mL (range 15-80 mL). The mean drainage time was 5.8 days (range 4-8 days). No major complications occurred during the perioperative period. The mean follow-up time was 25 months. All patients experienced symptomatic relief and showed good urine drainage. CONCLUSION: Extravesical submucosal tunneling ureteroneocystostomy combined with psoas hitch under laparoscopy is a feasible and effective option for medium-length distal ureteral defects in selected patients.

Gamma-glutamyl transferase and calculus of kidney incidence: a Mendelian randomization study.

Elevated Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels are often suggestive of cholelithiasis, and previous studies have indicated that GGT is highly expressed in the urinary system. Therefore, we hypothesized that there may be an association between GGT levels and calculus of kidney (CK) incidence. To investigate this potential causal relationship, we employed Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Additionally, we analyzed the levels of other liver enzymes, including alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The relationship between GGT levels and CK incidence was analyzed using two-sample Mendelian randomization. Summary Genome-Wide Association Studies data were utilized for this analysis. 33 single nucleotide polymorphisms known to be associated with GGT levels were employed as instrumental variables. We employed several MR methods including IVW (inverse variance weighting), MR-Egger, weighted median, weighted mode, and MR-PRESSO (Mendelian Randomization Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier). Furthermore, we conducted tests for horizontal multivariate validity, heterogeneity, and performed leave-one-out analysis to ensure the stability of the results. Overall, several MR methods yielded statistically significant results with a p-value < 0.05. The results from the IVW analysis yielded an odds ratio (OR) of 1.0062 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.0016-1.0109 (p = 0.0077). Additional MR methods provided supplementary results: MR-Egger (OR 1.0167, 95% CI 1.0070-1.0266, p = 0.0040); weighted median (OR 1.0058, 95% CI 1.0002-1.0115, p = 0.0423); and weighted mode (OR 1.0083, 95% CI 1.0020-1.0146, p- = 0.0188). Sensitivity analyses did not reveal heterogeneity or outliers. Although potential horizontal pleiotropy emerged, we speculate that this could be attributed to inadequate test efficacy. However, subsequent use of MR-PRESSO did not provide evidence of pleiotropy. Our analysis suggests a positive association between elevated GGT levels and CK incidence, indicating an increased risk of CK development. However, no causal relationship was observed between levels of ALP or ALT and CK incidence.

A cross-sectional study of human papillomavirus genotype distribution and integration status in penile cancer among Chinese population.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been recognized as an important risk factor in penile cancer. This study aimed to investigate the HPV subtypes and integration status in Chinese patients. Samples were collected from 103 penile cancer patients aged 24-90 years between 2013 and 2019. We found that HPV infection rate was 72.8%, with 28.0% integration. The aging patients were more susceptible to HPV (p = 0.009). HPV16 was the most frequent subtype observed (52/75) and exhibited the highest frequency of integration events, with 11 out of 30 single infection cases showing integration positive. The HPV integrations sites in the viral genome were not randomly distributed, the breakpoints were enriched in the E1 gene (p = 0.006) but relatively scarce in L1, E6 and E7. Our research might provide some clues how HPV leads to the progression of penile cancer.

Genomic alterations related to HPV infection status in a cohort of Chinese prostate cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been proposed as a potential pathogenetic organism involved in prostate cancer (PCa), but the association between HPV infection and relevant genomic changes in PCa is poorly understood. METHODS: To evaluate the relationship between HPV genotypes and genomic alterations in PCa, HPV capture sequencing of DNA isolated from 59 Han Chinese PCa patients was performed using an Illumina HiSeq2500. Additionally, whole-exome sequencing of DNA from these 59 PCa tissue samples and matched normal tissues was carried out using the BGI DNBSEQ platform. HPV infection status and genotyping were determined, and the genetic disparities between HPV-positive and HPV-negative PCa were evaluated. RESULTS: The presence of the high-risk HPV genome was identified in 16.9% of our cohort, and HPV16 was the most frequent genotype detected. The overall mutational burden in HPV-positive and HPV-negative PCa was similar, with an average of 2.68/Mb versus 2.58/Mb, respectively, in the targeted whole-exome region. HPV-negative tumors showed a mutational spectrum concordant with published PCa analyses with enrichment for mutations in SPOP, FOXA1, and MED12. HPV-positive tumors showed more mutations in KMT2C, KMT2D and ERCC2. Copy number alterations per sample were comparable between the two groups. However, the significantly amplified or deleted regions of the two groups only partially overlapped. We identified amplifications in oncogenes, including FCGR2B and CCND1, and deletions of tumor suppressors, such as CCNC and RB1, only in HPV-negative tumors. HPV-positive tumors showed unique deletions of tumor suppressors such as NTRK1 and JAK1. CONCLUSIONS: The genomic mutational landscape of PCa differs based on HPV infection status. This work adds evidence for the direct involvement of HPV in PCa etiology. Different genomic features render HPV-positive PCa a unique subpopulation that might benefit from virus-targeted therapy.

Association of polymorphisms in angiotensin II receptor genes with aldosterone-producing adenoma.

This study examined the association of polymorphisms in angiotensin II receptor genes (AT (1) R and AT (2) R) with the risk for aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) in a Chinese Han population. Four polymorphisms including rs5182 (573T/C) in exon 4, rs5186 (1166A/C) in 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) in AT (1) R gene and rs5194 (2274G/A) in 3'-UTR, rs1403543 (1675G/A) in intron 1 in AT (2) R gene were detected in 148 APA patients and 192 normal subjects (serving as control) by using a MGB-Taqman probe. The distribution of genotypes of each locus was in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) in the APA and control groups (P>0.05). The allele A frequency at rs5194 was significantly higher in the APA group (0.49) than in the control group (0.35) (χ (2)=12.08, P=0.001). Subjects with homozygotic genotype AA and heterozygotic genotype GA were at an increased risk for APA as compared to those with GG genotype (OR=2.66, 95% CI=1.45-4.87; OR=1.67, 95% CI=1.02-2.74). Furthermore, rs5194 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at AT (2) R gene was significantly associated with APA in additive (OR=1.64, 95% CI=1.21-2.20, P=0.001), dominant (OR=1.94, 95% CI=1.23-3.06, P=0.003), and recessive model (OR=2.01, 95% CI=1.17-3.45, P=0.01). It was concluded that rs5194 polymorphism at AT (2) R gene was associated with the risk for APA, which may constitute a genetic marker of APA.

Effect of fibulin-5 on aldosterone-induced apoptosis in human ascending aortic smooth muscle cells.

The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of aldosterone on apoptosis in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HA-VSMC) and to determine the role of fibulin-5 in the aldosterone-induced apoptosis of HA-VSMC cells. Through the construction of a fibulin-5 eukaryotic overexpression vector and a short hairpin RNA interference plasmid, fibulin-5 was overexpressed and silenced, respectively. The role of fibulin-5 in the aldosterone-induced apoptosis of HA-VSMC was subsequently determined. The overexpression of fibulin-5 inhibited the apoptosis of cells, particularly at low concentrations of aldosterone; a smaller effect on apoptosis was induced by high concentrations of aldosterone. fibulin-5 knockdown promoted the apoptosis of cells induced by high concentrations of aldosterone but had a smaller effect on the apoptosis of cells induced by low concentrations of aldosterone. Therefore, the results of the current study indicate that fibulin-5 inhibits the aldosterone-induced apoptosis of HA-VSMC cells and that this effect may be altered by changing the aldosterone concentration.

Expression of angiotensin II receptors in aldosterone-producing adenoma of the adrenal gland and their clinical significance.

The expression of angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) and angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) in aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) of the adrenal gland was detected, and their relationship with clinical indexes of APA was analyzed. The mRNA expression of AT1R and AT2R in 50 cases of APA and tissues adjacent to tumors and 12 cases of normal adrenal tissues was detected by using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The expression of AT1R and AT2R proteins in paraffin-embedded slices of tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry. The expression of AT1R in adenoma, tissues adjacent to tumor, and normal tissues of the adrenal gland showed no significant differences. The expression of AT2R in APA tissue was lower than that in normal adrenal gland tissues (P<0.05). Correlation analysis of the mRNA expression level of AT2R and clinical data from patients demonstrated that AT2R expression was negatively related to plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) (r=-0.467, P<0.05), but positively related with plasma renin activity (PRA) (r=0.604, P<0.05). It is concluded that down-regulation of the AT2R expression is possibly related with the tumorigenesis of APA.

Aortic cell apoptosis in rat primary aldosteronism model.

This study aimed to determine whether aldosterone could induce vascular cell apoptosis in vivo. Thirty-two male rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: vehicle (control), aldosterone, aldosterone plus eplerenone or hydralazine. They were then implanted with an osmotic mini-pump that infused either aldosterone or the vehicle. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured weekly by the tail-cuff method. After 8 weeks, plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and renin activity (PRA) were determined by radioimmunoassay. Aortic apoptosis was examined by TUNEL assay. The levels of cytochrome c and caspase-3 were determined by Western blotting and the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. The results showed that as compared with control group, aldosterone-infused rats exhibited: (1) an increase in SBP; (2) significantly elevated PAC with depressed PRA; (3) elevated aortic vascular cell apoptosis accompanied with higher levels of cytochrome c and activated caspase-3; and (4) significantly up-regulated Bax protein with down-regulated Bcl-2. These effects of aldosterone were significantly inhibited after co-administration with eplerenone but not with hydralazine. It was concluded that aldosterone induced vascular cell apoptosis by its direct effect on the aorta via mineralocorticoid receptors and independently of blood pressure, which may contribute to aldosterone-mediated vascular injury.

Esculetin inhibits proliferation, migration, and invasion of clear cell renal cell carcinoma cells.

BACKGROUND: Esculetin, the main active ingredient in the Chinese herbal medicineCortex Fraxini, has been shown to possess antitumor activity. However, the effect of esculetin on clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) has not been investigated. METHODS: MTS assays and colony formation assays were used to study the cytotoxicity of esculetin. The effects of esculetin on cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. Western blot was used to detect cell cycle-, apoptosis-, and EMT-related proteins. Wound-healing assays and transwell assays were performed to study the effect of esculetin on cell migration and invasion in the ccRCC cell lines 786-O and SN12-PM6. RESULTS: Esculetin exerted cytotoxic activities in 786-O and SN12-PM6 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The compound arrested the cell cycle in G0/G1 and G2/M phase with down-regulation of Cyclin D1, CDK4, CDK6, and c-Myc expression. Esculetin also induced apoptosis and the expression of cleaved caspase 3 increased. Additionally, esculetin significantly inhibited 786-O and SN12-PM6 cell migration and invasion, the expression of E-Cadherin increased, and the expression of N-cadherin and vimentin decreased. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these results suggest that esculetin inhibits proliferation, migration, and invasion of ccRCC and is a potential novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of ccRCC.

Upregulation of microRNA-191 can serve as an independent prognostic marker for poor survival in prostate cancer.

MicroRNA-191 (miR-191) has been identified as being upregulated in several types of cancers, and plays the role of oncogene. The expression of miR-191 has been found to be upregulated in prostate cancer tissues as well as cell lines. In this study, we analyzed the correlation of miR-191 expression with clinicopathologic factors and prognosis in prostate cancer.Prostate cancer tissue samples and adjacent normal prostate tissue samples were collected from 146 patients who underwent laparoscopic radical prostatectomy between April 2013 and March 2018. Student two-tailed t-test was used for comparisons of 2 independent groups. The relationships between miR-191 expression and different clinicopathological characteristics were evaluated using the Chi-squared test. Kaplan-Meier survival plots and log-rank tests were used to assess the differences in overall survival of the different subgroups of prostate cancer patients.miR-191 expression was significantly higher in prostate cancer tissues compared with normal adjacent prostate tissues (P < .001). miR-191 expression was observed to be significantly correlated with Gleason score (P < .001), pelvic lymph node metastasis (P = .006), bone metastases (P < .001), and T stage (P = .005). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with higher levels of miR-191 had significantly poorer survival than those with lower expression of this miRNA in prostate cancer patients (log rank test, P = .011). Multivariate analysis revealed that miR-191 expression (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.311, 95% confidence interval, [CI]: 1.666-9.006; P = .027) was independently associated with the overall survival of prostate cancer patients.Our results demonstrated that miR-191 might serve as an independent prognostic indicator for prostate cancer patients.

Long noncoding RNA LINC-PINT promotes proliferation through EZH2 and predicts poor prognosis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most common types of urological malignant tumors. Despite recent advances in diagnosis and management of RCC, its prognosis remains poor. Emerging evidence has shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play crucial regulatory roles in cancer biology. Materials and methods: The most abundant transcript of long intergenic non-protein coding RNA p53 induced transcript (LINC-PINT) in clear cell RCC (ccRCC) was determined by RT-PCR. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to examine LINC-PINT expression in paired ccRCC samples and cell lines. The relationship of LINC-PINT expression with clinicopathologic characteristics and clinical outcome was analyzed. The biological function of LINC-PINT was studied by MTS and colony formation. The flow cytometry was used to analyze cell cycle distribution and apoptosis. The subcelluar fractionation and RIP assay was performed to explore the molecular mechanism of LINC-PINT. Western blotting and immunofluorescence was carried out to examine EZH2 and p53. Results: We found that the LINC-PINT was frequently upregulated in ccRCC samples. Furthermore, we observed that the level of LINC-PINT depended on gender as well as on pT and TNM stage of patients with ccRCC. Moreover, patients with high LINC-PINT expression had poor disease-free survival and overall survival. Functionally, overexpression of LINC-PINT promoted ccRCC cell proliferation, induced cell cycle progression, and inhibited apoptosis. LINC-PINT was primarily located in cell nuclei and interacted with EZH2. When EZH2 was knocked down in 769P and OS-RC-2 cells overexpressing LINC-PINT, the effect of LINC-PINT on cell proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis was partially reversed. Additionally, inducing p53 by doxorubicin (Dox) promoted LINC-PINT expression. Conclusion: Collectively, our results provide novel insights into the important role of LINC-PINT in ccRCC development and indicate that LINC-PINT may serve as a valuable prognostic biomarker for ccRCC.

Association between increased small airway obstruction and asbestos exposure in patients with asbestosis.

BACKGROUND: Asbestos exposure may cause asbestos-related lung diseases including asbestosis, pleural abnormalities and malignancies. The role of asbestos exposure in the development of small airway obstruction remains controversial. Anatomic and physiologic small airway abnormalities may develop as part of the pathophysiologic process of asbestosis. We hypothesized that inhalation of asbestos may induce small airway defects in addition to asbestosis and pleural abnormalities. METHODS: In total, 281 patients with newly diagnosed asbestosis were evaluated. Clinical data were collected from the patients' medical charts. The patients were classified into various stages according to their chest X-ray findings using the International Labour Organization classification. Pulmonary function was evaluated by plethysmography and the forced oscillation technique. RESULTS: Expiratory flow, including the predicted values of the maximum expiratory flow between 25% and 50% of the forced vital capacity (MEF25-50 ), was significantly lower in the different stages of asbestosis. Accordingly, the predicted percentage of R5 -R20 was significantly higher with increasing stages of asbestosis. Furthermore, the duration of exposure to asbestos was significantly associated with the forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1 )/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio and the predicted percentage of MEF25 or MEF50 according to the regression analysis in non-smoking patients with asbestosis. The predicted percentage of FEV1 or the FEV1 /FVC ratio was significantly lower and the predicted percentage of R5 -R20 was significantly higher in smokers than non-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: The patients with asbestosis have small airway obstructive defects that are significantly associated with asbestos exposure.

Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonism protects the aorta from vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and collagen deposition in a rat model of adrenal aldosterone-producing adenoma.

The number of patients with adrenal aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs) has gradually increased. However, even after adenoma resection, some patients still suffer from high systolic blood pressure (SBP), which is possibly due to great arterial remodeling. Moreover, mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) were found to be expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). This study aims to determine whether MR antagonism protects the aorta from aldosterone-induced aortic remolding. Male rats were subcutaneously implanted with an osmotic minipumps and randomly divided into four groups: control; aldosterone (1 µg/h); aldosterone plus a specific MR antagonist, eplerenone (100 mg/kg/day); and aldosterone plus a vasodilator, hydralazine (25 mg/kg/day). After 8 weeks of infusion, aortic smooth muscle cell proliferation and collagen deposition, as well as the MDM2 and TGF-ß1 expression levels in the aorta, were examined. Model rats with APAs were successfully constructed. Compared with the control rats, the model rats exhibited (1) marked SBP elevation, (2) no significant alteration in aortic morphology, (3) increased VSMC proliferation and MDM2 expression in the aorta, and (4) enhanced total collagen and collagen III depositions in the aorta, accompanied with up-regulated expression of TGF-ß1. These effects were significantly inhibited by co-administration with eplerenone but not with hydralazine. These findings suggested that specific MR antagonism protects the aorta from aldosterone-induced VSMC proliferation and collagen deposition.