Guanxin Danshen Dripping Pills Improve Quality of Life and Cardiovascular Prognoses of CHD Patients after PCI with Anxiety or Depression (GLAD Study): A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of Guanxin Danshen Dripping Pills (GXDS) in the treatment of depression or anxiety in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: From September 2017 to June 2019, 200 CHD patients after PCI with depression and anxiety were included and randomly divided into GXDS (100 cases) and placebo control groups (100 cases) by block randomization and a random number table. Patients in the GXDS and control groups were given GXDS and placebo, respectively, 0.4 g each time, 3 times daily for 12 weeks. The primary outcomes were scores of Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Scale (GAD-7) and the Seattle Angina Pectoris Scale (SAQ). The secondary outcomes included 12 Health Survey Summary Form (SF-12) scores and the first onset time and incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). Other indices including blood pressure, blood lipids, microcirculation and inflammatory-related indices, etc. were monitored at baseline, week 4, and week 12. RESULTS: In the full analysis set (200 cases), after treatment, the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores in the GXDS group were considerably lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). Compared with the baseline, the total PHQ-9 scores of the experimental and control groups decreased by 3.97 and 1.18, respectively. The corrected mean difference between the two groups was -2.78 (95% CI: -3.47, -2.10; P<0.001). The total GAD-7 score in the GXDS group decreased by 3.48% compared with the baseline level, while that of the placebo group decreased by 1.13%. The corrected mean difference between the two groups was -2.35 (95% CI: -2.95, -1.76; P<0.001). The degree of improvement in SAQ score, SF-12 score, endothelin and high-sensitive C-reactive protein levels in the GXDS group were substantially superior than those in the placebo group, and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). Similar results were obtained in the per protocol population analysis of 177 patients. Three cases of MACES were reported in this study (1 in the GXDS group and 2 in the placebo group), and no serious adverse events occurred. CONCLUSIONS: GXDS can significantly alleviate depression and anxiety, relieve symptoms of angina, and improve quality of life in patients with CHD after PCI. (Registration No. ChiCTR1800014291).

Critical selection of internal control genes for quantitative real-time RT-PCR studies in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated human THP-1 and K562 cells.

The choice of internal control genes is important since it may affect the study outcome in RT-qPCR. Indeed, it is well-known that expression levels of traditional internal control genes can vary across tissue types and across experimental settings within one specific tissue type. The aim of this study is an evaluation of a set of housekeeping genes (HKGs) to be used in the normalization of gene expression in vitro different cultured cells, THP-1 and K562. The transcriptional stability of eleven potential internal control genes (RPL37A, ACTB, GAPDH, B(2)M, PPIB, PGK1, PPIA, SDHA, TBP, HPRT1 and RPL13A) were evaluated using RT-qPCR and were compared in different treatment, that was un-stimulated or LPS-stimulated cells. The raw Ct values were determined for each candidate gene at different time points following LPS-stimulated or unstimulated cells. Furthermore, all data were analyzed by the geNorm, BestKeeper, and NormFinder validation programs. Results indicated that PPIB and PGK1 were the most stable internal control genes in this study. RPL13A was found to be the least stable. This study provides the comprehensive reported assessment of internal control genes for use in expression studies in vitro cultured cells. These findings further emphasize the need to accurately validate candidate internal control genes in the study before use in gene expression studies using RT-qPCR.

[Repetition of teaching contents between genetics and relative courses in agricultural and forestry colleges and approaches to solving the problem].

Genetics is one of the main courses in agricultural and forestry colleges. However, there is large repetition of teaching contents and joining problems between genetics and the relative courses. The negative effects of above problems are discussed in this paper. In order to relieve the conflict between the increase of genetics contents and the decrease of teaching hours in genetics teaching of undergraduates and provide reference for future textbook compilation, some approaches on solving repetition of teaching content and suggestions on joining problems are put forward.

[Effects of probucol, aspirin and atorvastatin combination therapy upon atherosclerosis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of probucol, aspirin and atorvastatin (PAS) combination therapy upon atherosclerosis. METHODS: A total of 436 patients with coronary artery disease were selected and randomly divided into control group (aspirin 100 mg, atorvastatin 10 mg daily) and PAS group (aspirin 100 mg, atorvastatin 10 mg and probucol 0.25 g daily). After a 1-year treatment course, 378 cases remained in the study (201 in control group vs. 177 in PAS group). These patients were followed for throughout the study course and their serum levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL), ox-LDL, TXB2 and MMP-9 were measured at 6 and 12 months respectively. Twenty cases were diagnosed with carotid artery plaque by carotid ultrasound and 16 cases remained in the PAS group. They were followed with ultrasound for plaque thickness. RESULTS: In the control group, the pre-treatment level of MMPs and ox-LDL were not statistically different from the post-treatment level (P > 0.05). In the PAS group, the pre-treatment level of ox-LDL was (23.46 +/- 0.01) mmol/L and the post-treatment level (16.13 +/- 0.02) mmol/L. There was a decrease of 31.7% (P < 0.05). The pre-treatment level of MMPs and MMP-9 in the control group was not statistically different from the post-treatment level. The pre-treatment level of MMP-9 in the PAS group was (7.15 +/- 0.01) mmol/L and the post-treatment level (4.19 +/- 0.02) mmol/L. There was a decrease of 42.4% (P < 0.05). During the course of follow-up, the hospitalization rate, angina recurrence rate, myocardial infarction rate and mortality rate for the control group were 23 (11.4%), 28 (13.9%), 4 (2.0%) and 2 (1.0%) respectively. In the PAS group, the corresponding values were 6 (3.4%), 13 (7.3%), 1 (0.6%) and 0 respectively. All parameters of adverse events showed a significant decrease in the PAS group (P < 0.05). Among the cases with carotid plaque, the pretreatment measurements of intima thickness and plaque thickness were (0.103 +/- 0.002) cm and (0.248 +/- 0.001) cm while the post-treatment corresponding measurements (0.097 +/- 0.001) cm and (0.209 +/- 0.002) cm respectively. There was a significant difference between the PAS group and the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Antioxidant probucol significantly inhibits the generation of ox-LDL and MMP-9. PAS therapy also reduces the plaque thickness and decreases the rate of adverse event in patients with atherosclerosis. Antioxidants can be considered as a new adjunct therapy in the treatment of atherosclerosis.

[Inhibitory effect of N-acetylcysteine upon atherosclerotic processes in rabbit carotid].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) upon matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) in the atherosclerotic processes in rabbit carotid. METHODS: The atherosclerotic models were generated in vitro by injuring rabbit internal carotid with arterial canal balloon. These rabbits were divided into 3 groups (15 mg/kg NAC, 30 mg/kg NAC and control group) and treated for 8 weeks. HE staining and immunohistochemistry were used to observe the plaque formation and the distribution of MMPs and ox-LDL. ELISA was used to detect the level of ox-LDL. And the protein levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in rabbit venous blood were detected by SDS PAGE zymography. The mRNA level of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were measured by RT-PCR and electrophoresis. RESULTS: As compared with the control group, NAC (15 mg/kg) group had a reduction of neointima of arterial lumen [(1.79 +/- 0.24) vs (2.78 +/- 0.17) mm2]. A decrease of endothelial thickness [(0.16 +/- 0.01) vs (0.24 +/- 0.02) mm2] and an increase of vascular cavity transverse [(0.58 +/- 0.10) vs (0.33 +/- 0.1) mm2] (P < 0.05) were observed. At week 8, the oxLDL levels decreased by 16% in NAC (30 mg/kg) group [(30.5 +/- 1.2) vs (36.2 +/- 1.8) mmol/L] (P < 0.01). Serum levels of pro-MMP-2, MMP-2 and pro-MMP-9 decreased markedly [INT/mm2: (311 +/- 19, 208 +/- 8, 283 +/- 7 vs 619 +/- 17, 574 +/- 8, 564 +/- 10) respectively, P < 0.01] in NAC (30 mg/kg) group. The levels of mRNA expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were (2.4 +/- 0.4, 2.8 +/- 0.2) vs (3.4 +/- 0.3, 3.7 +/- 0.5) respectively (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: NAC inhibits the atherosclerotic formation, suppresses the levels of ox-LDL, MMP-9 and MMP-2 and downgrades the expression of matrix metalloproteinase mRNA.

[Epidemiologic study of admitted children with Kawasaki disease in Beijing from 1995 to 1999].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the epidemiologic picture of Kawasaki disease (KD) in Beijing and its suburbs. METHODS: A questionnaire form and diagnostic guideline for KD were sent to all hospitals with pediatric inpatient beds throughout Beijing and its suburbs. Pediatricians were asked to review the medical records and report all patients with KD diagnosed during the 5-year period from January, 1995, to December, 1999. RESULTS: A total of 710 patients with KD were reported from 37 (95%) of 39 hospitals with pediatric inpatient beds. The incidence rates of KD were 18.2 (1995), 21.1 (1996), 18.6 (1997), 30.6 (1998) and 27.8 (1999) per 100,000 children < 5 years of age. The male:female ratio was 1.7:1. The age at onset ranged from 1 month to 13.4 years (with median of 2.3 years), with 85.2% < 5 years old. The disease occurred more frequently in spring and summer and less frequently in autumn and early winter. Lymph node enlargement was the least common clinical sign, and its incidence decreased from 1995 to 1999. Cardiac abnormalities were found in 21.5% of patients and were more prevalent in patients diagnosed 10 days or longer after the onset. No patients died in the acute stage. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of KD in Beijing is lower than that reported in Japan, similar to the incidence in the United States and higher than in those other Western countries. The age and gender distribution and increasing trend in incidence are similar to those in previous reports, but seasonal distribution is unique.