Alterations in cardiac structure and function in a modified rat model of myocardial hypertrophy.

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.

[Analysis on detection of enterovirus nucleotides in feces samples of hand-foot-mouth disease patients after recovery].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the duration of enterovirus (EV) nucleotides positive in feces samples of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) patients after recovery. METHODS: A consecutive 6-week follow up were carried out towards 49 cases of laboratory-diagnosed HFMD patients. A total of 5 - 8 g feces sample was collected from each patient once a week. The common EV nucleotides of HFMD were detected by RT-PCR method and analyzed by Kaplan-Meier Survival Analysis Method. RESULTS: The subtypes of the 49 HFMD patients included 16 enterovirus 71 (EV71), 15 coxsackievirus A16 (CoxA16) and 18 EV; a six-week follow up was carried out among all of them. In the first week, one EV71 patient and two EV patients were lost; in the fourth week, one CoxA16 were lost; and in the fifth week, one EV71 patient was lost. During the consecutive 6-week follow-up, the positive rates of EV nucleotides among EV71 patients were 81.3%, 60.9%, 47.4%, 33.9%, 27.1% and 18.1% separately; and the positive rates in CoxA16 group were 93.3%, 73.3%, 53.3%, 33.3%, 16.7% and 8.3% respectively. In EV group, the positive rates of EV nucleotides were 44.4% and 7.4% in the first two weeks and then turned to negative in the next 4 weeks. There was significant statistical difference in positive rates of EV nucleotides among different patients (χ(2) = 11.78, P = 0.001); however, each group of HFMD patients showed a declined trend with the extension of time. CONCLUSION: The duration of EV nucleotides positive in feces samples of HFMD patients lasted for a long period since their recovery; and the positive results in EV71 and CoxA16 patients might last for 6 weeks.

Effect of puerarin on action potential and sodium channel activation in human hypertrophic cardiomyocytes.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of puerarin on electrophysiology using a hypertrophic cardiomyocyte (HC) model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Human urine epithelial cells were used to generate the HC model (hiPSC-CM). Cardiomyocyte hypertrophy was induced by applying 10 nM endothelin-1 (ET-1). Effects of puerarin pre-treatment (PPr) and post-treatment (PPo) on action potential, sodium current (INa) activation and inactivation, and recovery following INa inactivation were tested using patch clamp electrophysiology. RESULTS: Depolarization to repolarization 50% time (APD50) and repolarization 30% time (APD30) were significantly prolonged in the PPo and PPr groups compared with the controls. However, there were no significant differences in the action potential depolarization amplitude (APA) or the maximum depolarization velocity (Vmax) in phase 0. The PPr group had a slightly shortened APD90, and an extended APD50 and APD30, but did not exhibit any significant changes in stage A of APA and Vmax. The PPo group did not exhibit any significant changes in INa, while 12 h of PPr improved INa. However, puerarin did not significantly affect the activation, inactivation, or recovery of the sodium channel. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiomyocyte hypertrophy significantly decreased the Vmax of the action potential and the peak density of INa. PPr inhibited the decrease in Vmax and increased the peak density of INa. Thus, puerarin could be used to stabilize the electrophysiological properties of hypertrophic cardiomyocytes and reduce arrhythmias.

Metabolites from endophytic fungus S20 of Cephalotaxus hainanensis.

Three new C-methylated acetogenins, (2E,6Z)-9,10-dihydroxy-4-hydroxymethyl-2,6-decadiene (1), (2E,6Z)-8,9,10-trihydroxy-4-hydroxymethyl-2,6-decadiene (2), and (2E,6Z)-9-hydroxy-4-hydroxymethyl-2,6-nonadiene (3), together with two known compounds, p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol (4) and indolyl-3-carboxylic acid (5), were isolated from endophytic fungus S20 of Cephalotaxus hainanensis Li. Their structures were determined based on HR-ESI-MS and spectroscopic techniques (IR, UV, 1D, and 2D NMR). Compound 5 showed inhibitory effects on Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus by the filter paper disc agar diffusion method.

Cardioprotective effects of anisodamine against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury through the inhibition of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the cardioprotective effects of anisodamine against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and the molecular mechanisms involved. The present results demonstrated that anisodamine attenuated myocardial infarct sizes, decreased the levels of creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase, whereas it increased the left ventricular (LV) systolic pressure, the LV end­diastolic pressure, and the LV pressure maximum rising and falling rates in a myocardial I/R rat model. In addition, anisodamine was revealed to suppress oxidative stress, inflammatory factor production and myocardial cell apoptosis, as demonstrated by the downregulation of caspase­3 and apoptosis regulator BAX protein expression. The production of reactive oxygen species was decreased and the protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was downregulated, whereas the expression of endothelial NOS was enhanced. In addition, the activity of nicotinamide­adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (Nox) was suppressed and the expression of Nox4 was downregulated in rats with myocardial I/R injury. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggested that anisodamine exerted a cardioprotective effect against myocardial I/R injury in rats, through the inhibition of oxidative stress, the suppression of inflammatory processes and the inhibition of myocardial cell apoptosis.

Economic burden and its associated factors of hospitalized patients infected with A (H7N9) virus: a retrospective study in Eastern China, 2013-2014.

BACKGROUND: H7N9 continues to cause human infections and remains a pandemic concern. Understanding the economic impacts of this novel disease is important for making decisions on health resource allocation, including infectious disease prevention and control investment. However, there are limited data on such impacts. METHODS: Hospitalized laboratory-confirmed H7N9 patients or their families in Jiangsu Province of China were interviewed. Patients' direct medical costs of hospitalization were derived from their hospital bills. A generalized linear model was employed to estimate the mean direct medical costs of patients with different characteristics. RESULTS: The mean direct cost of hospitalization for H7N9 was estimated to be ¥ 71 060 (95 % CI, 48 180-104 820), i.e., US$ 10 996 (95 % CI, 7 455-16 220), and was ¥12 060 (US$ 1 861), ¥136 120 (US$ 21 001) and ¥218 610 (US$ 33 728) for those who had mild or severe symptoms or who died, respectively. The principal components of the total fees differed among patients with different disease severity, although medication fees were always the largest contributors. Disease severity, proportion of reimbursement and family member monthly average income were identified as the key factors that contributed to a patient's direct medical cost of hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: The direct medical costs of hospitalized patients with H7N9 are significant, and far surpass the annual per capita income of Jiangsu Province, China. The influencing factors identified should be taken into account when developing related health insurance policies and making health resource allocation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable. This is a survey study with no health care intervention implemented on human participants.

A new 5-acyl-2-methylpyrrole from the endophytic fungus S20 of Cephalotaxus hainanensis.

A new 5-acyl-2-methylpyrrole, isolated from the endophytic fungus S20 of Cephalotaxus hainanensis, was elucidated as 1-(5-methyl-1H-pyrrol-2-yl)-2-((2S*,3R*)-3-((E)-prop-1-enyl)oxiran-2-yl)ethanone (1) on the basis of spectroscopic evidence, including 1D- and 2D-NMR (HMQC, 1H-1H COSY, HMBC and ROESY) and MS analysis. Compound 1 showed inhibitory effects on Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus by the filter paper disc agar diffusion method.

[Correlativity of the therapeutic effect of acupuncture on prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc with the area location of image].

OBJECTIVE: To probe into the correlativity of the therapeutic effect of acupuncture combined with traction on prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc with the three-dimensional location. METHODS: According to the three-dimensional location developed by HU You-gu, the position of the prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc in the spinal canal was located from the sagittal plain, frontal plain and horizontal plain. One hundred and thirty patients with prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc and completion of clinical data were treated with acupuncture, and the therapeutic effects were analyzed with three-dimensional location. RESULTS: Among 98 cases in the effective group, 73 cases had the prolapse at the I plane in sagittal location, accounting for 74.49%, 82 cases had the prolapse at the 1, 2 zone in horizontal location, accounting for 83.68%, 52 cases had the prolapse at the a area in frontal location, accounting for 53.06%; among the 32 cases in the ineffective group, 10 cases had the prolapse at the I plane, accounting for 31.25%, 12 cases in the 1, 2 zone, accounting for 37.50%, 3 cases in the a area, accounting for 9.38%. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in the location. CONCLUSION: The three-dimensional location can objectively show the size, direction, position, and the characteristics of the protruded discs, and correctly infer the pathological changes of the affected nerve root. Acupuncture combined with tract has a better effect on I plane, 1-2 zone, and a area.