Chronic Intracerebroventricular Infusion of Metformin Inhibits Salt-Sensitive Hypertension via Attenuation of Oxidative Stress and Neurohormonal Excitation in Rat Paraventricular Nucleus / 神经科学通报·英文版

Metformin (MET), an antidiabetic agent, also has antioxidative effects in metabolic-related hypertension. This study was designed to determine whether MET has anti-hypertensive effects in salt-sensitive hypertensive rats by inhibiting oxidative stress in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). Salt-sensitive rats received a high-salt (HS) diet to induce hypertension, or a normal-salt (NS) diet as control. At the same time, they received intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of MET or vehicle for 6 weeks. We found that HS rats had higher oxidative stress levels and mean arterial pressure (MAP) than NS rats. ICV infusion of MET attenuated MAP and reduced plasma norepinephrine levels in HS rats. It also decreased reactive oxygen species and the expression of subunits of NAD(P)H oxidase, improved the superoxide dismutase activity, reduced components of the renin-angiotensin system, and altered neurotransmitters in the PVN. Our findings suggest that central MET administration lowers MAP in salt-sensitive hypertension via attenuating oxidative stress, inhibiting the renin-angiotensin system, and restoring the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters in the PVN.

Coronary angiographic features and in-hospital outcome of patients with coronary artery disease and rheumatoid arthritis / 中国介入心脏病学杂志

Objective To report the coronary angiographic features and in-hospital outcome in coronary artery disease(CAD) patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)with stent implantation.Methods The study group comprised 69 consecutive patients with RA who underwent PCI in Beijing Friendship Hospital between January 2009 and June 2017. Medical records were analyzed retrospectively including clinical basic material, coronary angiogram data, and the incidence of major adverse events in hospital.Results Fifty five patients(79.7％) had one or more traditional CAD risk factors. Multivessel disease was present in 73.9％ of the patients, and the average SYNTAX score was(31.6±7.2). Two bare metal stents and 143 drug eluting stents were implanted. 50 cases(72.4％) required implantation of long stents(stent length>30 mm) .There were 25 patients developed major adverse events(36.2％) during hospitalization, including 1 case of cardiac death, 2 cases of stent thrombosis, 5 cases of PCI related MI, 5 cases of heart failure, 5 cases of gastrointestinal bleeding and 10 cases of contrast induced nephropathy(2 cases comorbided acute heart failure).Conclusions Patients with RA and CAD may have severe coronary lesions.PCI in these patients tends to result in an increased rate of major adverse events in-hospital. Hence there is a need of early identification and early prevention in these patients during perioperative period.

Study on ecological environment and accompanying plants' community characteristics study of wild Panax japonicus in Enshi / 中国中药杂志

The paper is aimed to study the distribution, population density, soil conditions and community characteristics of accompanying plants' in Enshi sub-regional different areas, with a typical habitats investigation method. The results showed that the wild Panax japonicus mainly distributed in moist places under the forests, by streams, or secondary forests of high grass, within east longitude 29°-30°, north latitude 108°-110°and about 1 000-15 00 meters above sea level. The soils were mainly tide soil and humus with yellow-brown soil, yellow soil and red soil, and the humus thickness was5-30 centimeter, pH 6.0-6.8, the moisture content of 16.8%-24.2%, soil bulk density of 1.39-2.12. Its geographical vegetation types were mainly evergreen coniferous forest, evergreen-deciduous mixture broad leaved forest and evergreen coniferous forest mixed deciduous broad-leaved forest, including three levels community structure of arbors, shrubs and herbaceous; Its accompanying plants reached 86 families, 118 genera, 134 species of seed plants, the arbors included 15 families, 21 genera, 26 species and the dominant species community mainly Pinaceae such as Pinus massoniana, P. tabuliformis, P. henryi and Taxodiaceae such as Cunninghamia lanceolata, Cryptomeria fortunei etc. The shrubs included 39 families, 54 genera, 62 species with the dominant species such as Camellia oleifera, Kalopanax septemlobus, Akebia trifoliata, Trachycarpusfortunei, Rhamnus globosa, Smilax corbularia and so on. The herbaceous included 32 families, 43 genera, 46 species, and Ferns such as the black-footed Dryopteris, Dryopteris crassirhizom, Coniogramme affinis, Polystichum tripteron, Adiantum pedatum, Lunathyrium acrostichoides, Woodsia ilvensis and Woodwardia japonica were dominant species. The cover layer covered a large number of lichens and mosses. The wild P. japonicus can be found among the P. massoniana, P. tabuliformis, P. henryi, lichens and mosses. These may indicate that the wild P. japonicusin Enshi requires higher demands on the ecological environment, its accompanying plants are mainly the tree layer-shrub layer-herb layer, and vertical structure is obvious. The study provides a basis for domestication and conservation of P. japonicus resources.

Optimization of reaction conditions and methodological investigation on microtox-based fast testing system for traditional Chinese medicine injection / 中国中药杂志

Vibrio fischeri CS234 was used to establish and optimize microtox assay system, laying a foundation for the application of this method in comprehensive acute toxicity test of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) injections. Firstly, the Plackett-Burman method was carried out to optimize the factors which would affect Vibrio fischeri CS234 luminescence. Secondly, ZnSO4•7H2O was chosen as reference substance to establish its reaction system with quality control samples. The optimal luminescence conditions were achieved as follows: ①At a temperature of (15±1) ℃, Vibrio fischeri CS234 lyophilized powders were balanced for 15 min, then, 1 mL resuscitation fluid was added and blended for 10 min. 100 μL bacteria suspension was taken to measure the initial luminescence intensity, and then 1 mL resuscitation fluid or test sample was immediately added; after reaction for 10 min, corresponding luminescence intensity was measured again. Resuscitation diluent, osmotic pressure regulator and ZnSO4•7H2O stock solution showed no interference to the determination of Vibrio fischeri CS234 luminescence intensity, so this method was of good specificity. The within-and between-batch precisions of quality controls and the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) samples were <5% and <10% respectively, while the accuracy ranged between 85.8% and 103.2%. The standard curve equation of ZnSO4•7H2O ranged from 3.86 mg•L⁻¹ to 77.22 mg•L⁻¹ (final concentrations) was y=21.78lnx-15.14, R2=0.998; meanwhile, IC₅₀ of ZnSO4•7H2O to Vibrio fischeri CS234 was 19.90 mg•L⁻¹. ZnSO4•7H2O stock solution and its quality controls were continuously investigated for 120 h and 8 h respectively, and their RSD was lower than 2%, indicating stability at room temperature and 4 ℃ storage conditions. Between pH 4.5-8.0, luminescence intensity of Vibrio fischeri CS234 was controlled within ±10%, and such pH value range could meet the testing needs of the vast majority of traditional Chinese medicine injections. The Vibrio fischeri strain CS234 assay system was specific, stable, sensitive, accurate and adaptable after optimization, so it was suitable for the comprehensive acute toxicity assessment of TCM injections.

Short- and Long-term Outcomes in Patients with Connective Tissue Diseases Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with connective tissue diseases (CTDs). Risk factors and clinical characteristics in these patients are not equivalent to those in traditional CAD patients. The objective of this study was to report short- and long-term clinical outcomes in a consecutive series of patients with CTD who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent implantation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The study group comprised 106 consecutive patients with CTD who underwent PCI in Beijing Friendship Hospital between January 2009 and June 2012. Medical records were analyzed retrospectively including clinical basic material, coronary angiogram data, and the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) during the short- and long-term (median 3 years) follow-up.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Ninety-two of the patients (86.8%) had one or more traditional CAD risk factors. Multivessel disease was present in more than 2/3 of patients (73.6%). The left anterior descending coronary artery was the most commonly affected vessel (65.1%). Five bare-metal stents and 202 drug-eluting stents were implanted. After a median follow-up period of 36 months, thirteen patients (12.3%) died from cardiac causes, the rate of stent thrombosis was 9.4%, and the rate of target vessel revascularization (TVR) was 14.2%. Multivariate analysis revealed that hypertension (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.07, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.30-7.24, P = 0.041), anterior myocardial infarction (HR = 2.77, 95% CI: 1.06-7.03, P = 0.04), longer duration of steroid treatment (HR = 3.60, 95% CI: 1.43-9.08, P = 0.032), and C-reactive protein level >10 mg/L (HR = 3.98, 95% CI: 1.19-12.56, P = 0.036) were independent predictors of MACEs.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Patients with CTD and CAD may have severe coronary lesions. PCI in these patients tends to result in an increased rate of stent thrombosis and TVR during long-term follow-up, which may be influenced by traditional and nontraditional risk factors.</p>

Analysis of spontaneous reperfusion in acute myocardial infarction and its effect on short-term prognosis / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To analyse the clinical and angiographic characteristics of spontaneous reperfusion (SR) in AMI, and to evaluate its effect on short-term prognosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>112 consecutive AMI patients without intravenous thrombolytic therapy received emergent coronary angiography and primary PCI. The patients were divided into SR group (antegrade TIMI grade 2-3 flow) and non-SR group (antegrade TIMI grade 0-1 flow). The clinical, angiographic and prognostic features of the patients were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>31 patients (27.7%) were in SR group, and there was no significant difference in base-line clinical characteristics between the two groups. Compared with non-SR group, peak values of CK and CK-MB, Ventricular wall motion abnormality and mortality were lower in SR group, ejection fraction was higher in SR group. Logistic regression analysis showed that there was good correlation between SR and peak value of CK, collaterals, ventricular wall motion abnormality and pre-dilation in PCI.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SR decreased infarction size, improved heart function and reduced 30-day mortality.</p>