Animal models of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF): from metabolic pathobiology to drug discovery.

Heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is currently a preeminent challenge for cardiovascular medicine. It has a poor prognosis, increasing mortality, and is escalating in prevalence worldwide. Despite accounting for over 50% of all HF patients, the mechanistic underpinnings driving HFpEF are poorly understood, thus impeding the discovery and development of mechanism-based therapies. HFpEF is a disease syndrome driven by diverse comorbidities, including hypertension, diabetes and obesity, pulmonary hypertension, aging, and atrial fibrillation. There is a lack of high-fidelity animal models that faithfully recapitulate the HFpEF phenotype, owing primarily to the disease heterogeneity, which has hampered our understanding of the complex pathophysiology of HFpEF. This review provides an updated overview of the currently available animal models of HFpEF and discusses their characteristics from the perspective of energy metabolism. Interventional strategies for efficiently utilizing energy substrates in preclinical HFpEF models are also discussed.

Value of quantitative analysis of left ventricular systolic function in patients on maintenance hemodialysis based on myocardial work technique.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the left ventricular (LV) systolic function in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) using the myocardial work (MW) technique and investigate the clinical value of the MW technique for the quantitative analysis of left ventricular (LV) systolic function in MHD patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). METHODS: A total of 68 MHD patients and 35 controls were registered in this study. The MHD patients were divided into the non-left ventricular hypertrophy (NLVH) group (n = 35) and the LVH group (n = 33) according to the LV mass index (LVMI). MW was used to generate the LV global longitudinal strain (GLS), global work index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW), and global wasted work (GWW), global work efficiency (GWE). GLS and the MW parameters (GWI, GCW, GWW, GWE) were compared between groups and the correlations between these parameters and the LV ejection fraction (LVEF) in the LVH group were examined. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the efficacy of MW parameters and GLS for the assessment of LV systolic dysfunction in MHD with LVH patients. RESULTS: The LVH group had significantly lower GWE, GWI, GCW, and GLS but higher GWW than the control and NLVH groups. Compared with the control group, the NLVH group had significantly lower GWE and GLS and higher GWW, but no significant differences in GWI, GCW were observed between these two groups. The LVEF was negatively correlated with GWW in MHD patients, but positively correlated with GWI, GWE, and GCW in the LVH group. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis revealed that GWE, GWW, GWI, and GCW had appreciable area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity for evaluating LV function in LVH patients on MHD. CONCLUSIONS: The MW parameters can quantitatively represent the LV myocardial work in MHD patients. Thus, the technique provides a new method for the quantitative evaluation of LV systolic function in MHD with LVH patients.

[Mortality trend on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Liaoning province, 1984-2010].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the mortality trend of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among residents in Liaoning province during the period of 1984-2010. METHODS: The cut-points were ascertained by Monte Carlo Permutation test in COPD mortality trend lines of Poisson regression with Joinpoint Regression Program. The annual percent changes (APC) before and after the cut-points and the average annual percent change (AAPC) of COPD mortality were examined during the period. RESULTS: Significant declining trends on COPD mortality among the urban population during 1984-2010 and that of rural population during 1999-2009 were found. The standardized urban COPD mortality rate by Chinese population declined from 243.93 per 100 thousand in 1984 to 33.13 per 100 thousand in 2010. The urban 26 years AAPC was -5.8%. While the mortality in the rural population decreased from 251.33 per 100 thousand in 1999 to 102.25 per 100 thousand in 2009 in the same population. The rural 10 years' AAPC was -6.8%. The total trend of COPD mortality reduction was mainly resulted from the fast decline of bronchitis mortality. The AAPC of COPD mortality of the urban population was -9.0% and greater than that of the rural population (-6.8%) from 1999 to 2009. The urban population had a lower COPD mortality than that of the rural population. In urban area, males had a higher COPD mortality than females, however, in the rural area, males had a lower COPD mortality than the females. CONCLUSION: The COPD mortality among the residents of Liaoning province declined significantly from 1984 to 2010. Further studies are needed to confirm the viewpoint of WHO that the prevalence of COPD would have a continuous increasing trend in China.

[Decomposition of life expectancy at birth by age and causes of death among residents of Liaoning province, 1975 - 2005].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the impact of mortality by age and causes of death on life expectancy at birth among residents of Liaoning province. METHODS: The study included mortality data of urban and rural residents in two periods (1973 - 1975 and 2004 - 2005). Both Abridged Life Table and Arriaga method were used to calculate and to decompose life expectancy changes by age and causes of death. RESULTS: From 1975 - 2005, the life expectancy increased by 4.68 years in urban residents and 4.91 for rural residents with a higher increment among females than males. Most part of the increase (76.27% and 82.81% for urban and rural male, 58.76% and 62.13% for urban and rural female) in life expectancy within the last 30 years could be explained by the decrease of mortality in the populations at age 0 - 4 and 55 - 74. Diseases related to respiratory system and infectious disease were contributing the most to the gap in life expectancy between the two periods. Mortality of heart disease was a negative contributor to the changes in life expectancy among both rural and urban residents while the mortalities of cerebro-vascular diseases and malignant tumors were the negative contributors for rural residents. CONCLUSION: The increase of life expectancy in the last 30 years was mainly resulted from the decrease of mortality on both respiratory and infectious diseases. Control of chronic diseases is the key point to increase the life expectancy among the residents of Liaoning province.

The preparation of an elastomer/silicate layer nanocompound with an exfoliated structure and a strong ionic interfacial interaction by utilizing an elastomer latex containing pyridine groups.

A great variety of polymer/layered silicate (PLS) nanocomposites have been reported, however, there are few exfoliated PLS nanocomposites and their inorganic-organic interfaces are still a great problem, especially for the elastomers. In this research, a kind of exfoliated elastomer/silicate layer nanocompound was prepared and proved by XRD and TEM, in which 10 phr Na(+)-montmorillonite was dispersed in butadiene-styrene-vinyl pyridine rubber by latex compounding method with acidic flocculants. Moreover, a dynamic mechanical thermal analyzer (DMTA) suggested a strong interfacial interaction (interaction parameter B(H) = 4.91) between the silicate layers and macromolecules in addition to the weak inorganic-organic interfacial interaction, and solid state (15)N NMR indicated the formation of a strong ionic interface through the acidifying pyridine. Subsequently, a remarkable improvement of the dispersing morphology, mechanical performance and gas barrier property appeared, compared to that using calcium ion flocculants. This supports the formation of an exfoliated structure and an improved interfacial interaction.

RETRACTION: Effects of Outdoor and Indoor Air Pollution on Respiratory Health of Children from Kindergarten in Northern China.

RETRACTION: The paper entitled "Effects of Outdoor and Indoor Air Pollution on Respiratory Health of Children from Kindergarten in Northern China" by Guang-hui Dong et al, which was published online on 02 May 2007, has been withdrawn at the authors' request.

[Advances in diabetic erectile dysfunction].

Erectile dysfunction is common complication of diabetes mellitus. The incidence of diabetes mellitus induced erectile dysfunction (DMED) is 20% - 75%. DMED appears to be due to vascular-neuropathic and corpus cavernosum smooth muscular damage. To control blood glucose, blood pressure and blood lipids is the basis of DMED therapy. In 50% of the patients with DMED, the phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors is effective, while intracavernous pharmacotherapy is effective for more than 90%. Penile prosthesis implantation continues to be the treatment of choice in case of other therapy failure.

[Three-piece inflatable penile prosthesis implantation for the treatment of penile erectile dysfunction].

OBJECTIVES: To introduce the method and experience of three-piece inflatable penile prosthesis for treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). METHODS: Both AMS700CX/CXM and MENTOR ALPHA I three-piece inflatable prosthesis were used for 48 cases of ED. RESULTS: There were no rejection, mechanical problems, urethral injury and penile skin necrosis after surgery. All patients had satisfaction of sexual life. Only one case had trauma of tunica albuginea (2.08%) and the implantation had to be cancelled. There were 2 cases of post-operative infection (4.17%), 10 cases of prepuce edema(20.8%), 8 cases of penile pain(16.67%). The effective rate was 97.9% and satisfaction rate was almost 100%. CONCLUSIONS: Three-piece inflatable penile prosthesis was more compatible to human physiology. It is natural, easy to hide and use, and it caused little trauma in surgery with high rate of successful implantation and patient satisfaction. It was indicated for all kinds of ED, especially suitable for refractory and drug incurable ED patients.

[Microsurgical inguinal varicocelectomy with delivery of testis].

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of microsurgical inguinal varicocelectomy with delivery of testis. METHODS: We use microsurgical inguinal varicocelectomy with delivery of testis to treat 48 patients with varicocele. RESULTS: After six months the 30 patients' sperm concentration and motility were significantly improved. 6 infertile patient's wives were pregnant. All patients did not have the complications such as recurrence, testis trophy and hydrocele. CONCLUSIONS: This method has advantages such as less recurrence, less complication and more effective.