[Self-reported quality of life in patients with coronary heart disease and analysis of the associated factors].

Objective: To investigate the quality of life and associated factors in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) in China. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 25 provinces and cities in China was performed from June to September 2020. A questionnaire was used to collect the socio-demographic and clinical information of patients with CHD, while the European Five-dimensional Quality of Life Scale (EQ-5D) was used to assess the quality of life. Multiple linear regression model was performed to analyze the associated factors. Results: The median age of the 1 075 responders was 60 (52, 67) years, and 797 (74.1%) were men. The EQ-5D and EQ-VAS indices were 0.7 (0.5, 0.8) and 60.0 (40.0, 80.0). Among the five dimensions in the quality of life scale, the frequency of anxiety/depression was the highest (59.8%), while problems in self-care was the lowest (35.8%). In the multiple linear regression model, female, increasing age, obesity, comorbidity(ies), anxiety/depression, social media channels, and receiving the CABG therapy were associated with the lower EQ-5D index (all P<0.05). In addition, increasing age, obesity, comorbidity (ies), depression, anxiety and depression, social media channels, and receiving the CABG therapy were associated with lower EQ-VAS index (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Over half of the patients with CHD in China have a low quality of life, which is related to gender, age, obesity, treatment pathway, the presence or absence of comorbidity (ies), and psychological state. In addition to managing the adverse effects of traditional socio-demographic factors on the quality of life, clinical practices should pay attention to the psychological state of patients. Moreover, establishing a WeChat group for doctor-patient communication could improve the quality of life of CHD patients.

EFFECT OF THE C-TERMINUS OF TSHR ON T4 AND TRAB EXPRESSION IN BALB/C MICE.

Context: The expression of TSHR-C on the serum tetraiodothyronine (T4) and TSH receptor antibody (TRAb) levels are rarely studied. Objective: The effect of TSHR-c on T4 and TRAb levels and concomitant thyroid histological changes in mice was investigated. Design: Animal experimental study. Subjects and methods: Female BALB/c mice at 6-8 weeks of age were immunized with the thyroid stimulating hormone receptor antigen C-terminus (TSHR-C), and randomly divided into control group (treated with the corresponding concentrations of normal saline) and four experimental subgroups: TSHR-c1 subgroup (4 µg), TSHR-c2 subgroup (6 µg), TSHR-c3 subgroup (8 µg) and TSHR-c4 subgroup (10 µg). Serum T4 and TRAb levels were determined. Results: The serum T4 level decreased significantly in the experimental mice as the concentration increased. All the experimental mice were positive for serum TRAb (experimental groups: 40 positive/40, 100% vs. control group: 3 positive/10, 30%) compared to the control group (P =0.000). HE staining showed that the follicles in the control mice were composed of small to medium-sized round follicles, whereas the follicles in the experimental mice were irregularly enlarged under light microscope. Conclusions: TSHR-c immunization resulted in thyroid hormone changes like those observed in hypothyroidism, probably due to the induction of TRAb generation.

Isolation of the high molecular form of bovine factor X and some of its physical properties.

A high molecular form of bovine factor X has been isolated from freshly collected bovine blood by BaSO4 absorption, exhaustive washing with 0.001 M BaCl2 and chromatographed on DEAE-cellulose column employing a linear salt gradient. This isolated factor X showed a single protein band on analytical polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoresis. Only one single protein peak was observed in the chromatogram of DEAE-Sephadex A-50 chromatography conducted at 3 degrees C. Sedimentation equilibrium analysis of this bovine factor X revealed no apparent heterogeneity or self association-dissociation phenomena. It yielded a weight-average molecular weight of 74 000 for the native factor X. In the absence of any reducing agent, factor X migrated in dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis as a single component with an estimated molecular weight of 74 300. Both dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol and agarose gel chromatography in 6 M guanidinium chloride revealed that this native factor X is composed of two polypeptide chains of molecular weights of 56 000 and 22 100. Factor X can be converted to the enzymatically active factor Xa by Russell's viper venom and in the presence of Ca2+. Factor Xa was purified by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. This Russell's viper venom activated factor Xa also showed a single protein band upon analytical polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoresis. Sedimentation equilibrium analysis of this factor Xa yields a weight-average molecular weight of 59 000 with no apparent heterogeneity or self-association phenomena. In the absence of any reducing agent, factor Xa migrated as a single component in dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis with an estimated molecular weight of 58 500. From the results of dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol as well as agarose gel chromatography in 6 M guanidinium chloride, factor Xa is also composed of two polypeptide chains of molecular weights of 36 700 and 22 800. Therefore, the heavy and light chains of both native factor X and factor Xa are linked together by disulfides. Great care was taken in washing the BaSO4 precipitate and it is this effective washing which enabled us to isolate the higher molecular from of bovine factor X.

The binding of calcium ions to bovine factor X by rate dialysis.

The binding of Ca+2 to bovine factor X (molecular weight of 74,000) (Yue und Gertler 1977) was studied by the technique of rate dialysis and with the use of 45Ca+2. The binding data are consistent with a model of sequential mechanism. One mole of Ca+2 binds to the glycoprotein with a dissociation constant of 5.2 X 10(-5) M and additional 39 +/- 4 moles of Ca+2 bind to this zymogen with a dissociation constant of 3.7 X 10(-3) M. The binding of the high affinity Ca+2 causes a functionally significant change in the zymogen, and (calcium) (factor X) complex is the real substrate in the activation process by the protease in Russell's viper venom.

Detection and partial purification of a natural heparin inhibitor from hog small intestine.

A natural occurring heparin inhibitor was detected and was partially purified from the mucosa of hog small intestine. The mucosa was homogenized and was extracted overnight in 0.15 M NaCl, 0.01 M imidazole, 0.001 M EDTA, pH 6.5. When the extract was made to 85% saturation in ammonium sulfate, a large quantity of heparin neutralizing activity was detected in the precipitate. Each small intestine contains approximately 35,000 units of heparin neutralizing activity. This heparin inhibitor was further purified by the procedures of zinc sulfate precipitation, ammonium sulfate fractionation, ethanol precipitaiton and heparin-sepharose chromatography. A 37 fold partial purification with 15% overall recovery was achieved to yield heparin inhibitor with specific activity of 50-65 units per mg of protein.

Separation of heparin into subfractions by DEAE-cellulose chromatography.

Commercial porcine heparin can be separated into three distinct subfractions by using DEAE-cellulose chromatography and a stepped salt gradient. Gram quantities of heparin can be fractionated by this technique. All three heparin subfractions can accelerate the inhibition of thrombin by antithrombin III with different efficiency. The specific activities of the high activity heparin, intermediate activity heparin and low activity heparin are 228 units/mg, 142 units/mg and 95 units/mg, respectively. Both the uronic acid content and the quantity of N-SO4 for all three heparin subfractions have been evaluated. The high activity heparin has the lowest uronic acid and N-SO4 content. The successful separation of commercial heparin into three distinct subfractions by means of ion-exchange chromatography suggests that the net charge on these three heparin components will serve as a model system in the elucidation of the structure and activity relationship to the biological function of heparin.

Alteration of plasma antithrombin III levels in ischemic heart disease.

The amount of antithrombin III in plasma was determined quantitatively in 218 males between 45-60 years of age. The mean antithrombin III value was found to be low in the group with low risk for ischemic heart disease, intermediate in the group with high risk for ischemic heart disease and highest in the group with acute myocardial infarction. Concomitant study of kaolin-activated partial thromboplastin time revealed a sharp decrease in its mean value in the group with acute myocardial infarction. The high correlation between antithrombin III and kaolin-activated partial thromboplastin time for the entire population suggests that the development of ischemic heart disease is a gradual process and that failure of the damping mechanism results as an acute event. These findings may be useful in the determination of the coagulation state of these patients.