Factors influencing outcomes of intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation in elderly patients / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP) is a mechanical cardiac-assist device that is used for cardiac support. There are no published reports about the use of IABP in elderly Chinese patients, especially for those over 80 years old. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical outcomes, influencing factors, and complications in patients ≥80 years old and requiring IABP.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We performed a retrospective study of 134 consecutive patients who received IABP therapy. Based on age, we defined two groups; those ≥80 years old and those <80 years old.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The overall mortality was 41.8%. Patients ≥80 years old had higher mortality rates than those <80 years old (47.9% vs. 30.2%). Patients ≥80 years old had fewer successful revascularizations (45.8%) and more pulmonary infections (47.9%) than patients <80 years old (60.3% and 30.2%, respectively); these differences were statistically significant. The most common non-cardiac complication was pulmonary infection. Cardiogenic shock and pulmonary infection were risk factors for all-cause, in-hospital mortality, whereas revascularization success was a negative risk factor for the ≥80 years old patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>IABP may be successfully and safely employed in patients ≥80 years old, having severe heart disease, with few complications. Patients ≥80 years old who need IABP therapy are less likely to have a successful revascularization and are more likely to develop pulmonary infections than patients <80 years old.</p>

Effects of matrix metalloproteinase-9 inhibitor in Lewis rats with experimental autoimmune myocarditis / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) inhibitor minocyclin hydrochloride in Lewis rats with experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>EAM was induced by injection of cardiac C protein emulsified in completed Freund adjuvant in double footpad and intraperitoneal injection of pertussis toxin on 6- to 8-week old Lewis rats. Sixty EAM Lewis rats were divided into 3 groups (early, middle and late intervention groups, n = 20 each: 10 minocyclin treated and 10 control rats). In early intervention group, rats in treatment group received intraperitoneal injection of minocyclin hydrochloride from 1(st) to 21(st) day after immunization; in middle intervention group, rats were treated from 8(th) to 28(th) day after immunization and in late intervention group, rats were treated from 15(th) to 35(th) day after immunization (50 mg/kg body weight, once daily). Control rats received intraperitoneal injection of same volumetric physiological saline at corresponding time periods. At the end of intervention, rats were euthanatized and hearts were harvested. Paraffin sections were used for hematoxylin and eosin stain to determine the inflammatory score, for picrosirius stain to determine fibrosis score and collagen content, and for immunohistological stain to determine macrophages and T lymphocytes. Real time PCR was used to detect mRNA expression of myocardial MMP-2 and MMP-9. Cryostat sections were used for in situ zymography to detect protein activity of gelatinase.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Inflammatory score in cardiac paraffin slides, number of cardiac macrophages and T lymphocytes, cardiac interstitial fibrosis score and content, expression of MMP-2, 9 mRNA and activity of gelatinase in treatment group were all significantly lower than in control group for early and middle intervention groups (inflammatory score: early control group vs. treatment group: 3.03 ± 1.35 vs.1.51 ± 0.36, P < 0.05, middle control group vs. treatment group: 3.75 ± 0.29 vs. 2.11 ± 0.82, P < 0.01; cardiac interstitial fibrosis score, early control group vs. treatment group: 2.75 ± 0.29 vs.1.51 ± 0.35, P < 0.01, middle control group vs. treatment group: 2.50 ± 0.41 vs. 1.61 ± 0.42, P < 0.05; gelatinase, early control group vs. treatment group: 162 367 ± 5095 vs. 62 366 ± 2131, P < 0.01, middle control group vs. treatment group: 184 256 ± 5427 vs. 113 197 ± 4809, P < 0.01) while these parameters were similar between minocyclin-treated and control rats in late intervention group (all P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>MMP-9 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune myocarditis. Inhibition of MMP-9 in early and middle stage could significantly attenuate inflammatory responses and myocardial fibrosis in this experimental EAM model.</p>

Health safety of main water pipe materials supplied in China market / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the health safety of copper, steel and plastic water pipes by field water quality investigations.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Four consumers were randomly selected for each type of water pipes. Two consumers of every type of the water pipes had used the water pipes for more than 1 year and the other 2 consumers had used the water pipes for less than 3 months. The terminal volume of tap water in copper and steel water pipes should be not less than 0.1 liter, whereas that in plastic water pipes should be not less than 1 liter.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mean values of the experimental results in the second field water quality investigation of the copper and steel water pipes met the Sanitary Standards for Drinking Water Quality. The items of water sample of the plastic water pipes met the requirements of the Sanitary Standards for Drinking Water Quality.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Copper, steel, and plastic pipes can be used as drinking water pipes.</p>

Screening of cellular proteins binding to the core region of hepatitis C virus RNA by ultraviolet cross-linking assay / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To screen cellular proteins binding to the core region of hepatitis C virus (HCV) from human hepatoma cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Unlabeled and labeled RNA transcripts were prepared by in vitro transcription. Cytoplasmic extracts were prepared from human hepatoma cells HepG2. Ultraviolet (UV) cross-linking was used to screen the cellular proteins that would bind to the core region of HCV. Competition experiment was performed to confirm the specificity of the binding in which excess unlabeled RNA of HCV core region and plasmid RNA were used as competitors.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Two cellular proteins of 6.6 x 10(4) and 5.5 x 10(4) were found binding to the core region of HCV RNA by UV cross-linking assay. The unlabeled core region of HCV RNA could compete out this binding whereas the unlabeled plasmid RNA could not.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The cellular proteins from HepG2 cells could bind to the core region of HCV RNA.</p>

Hepatoprotective effects of chloroform extract from leaf of Terminalia catappa in relation to the inhibition of liver IL-6 expression / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the hepatoprotective effects of Terminalia catappa chloroform extract (TCCE) and its effects on IL-6 gene over expression in liver of CCl4-treated mice.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Mice were orally pretreated with TCCE (20, 50, 100 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) for 5 days, and the sALT activity of mice was detected 24 hours after the intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 on the 5 th day. Meanwhile, IL-6 mRNA level was determined by using the method of RT-PCR. And the liver morphological changes were also observed.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>sALT activity was remarkably increased (5.6 fold) after the injection of CCl4. However, with oral pretreatment of TCCE, changes in sALT were dose-dependently reversed. On the other hand, significant increase in IL-6 mRNA level induced by CCl4 was remarkably decreased. The level of IL-6 mRNA in 100 mg x kg(-1) TCCE treated mice was reversed to that of control. In addition, histological changes such as the infiltration of numerous inflammatory cells and hepatocyte swelling in injured mice were effectively lessened by the pretreatment of TCCE.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>TCCE has hepatoprotective activity and the mechanisms underlying its protective effects may be related to the inhibition on the over expression of IL-6 gene in liver.</p>