Pharmacodynamic Mechanism of Kuanxiong Aerosol for Vasodilation and Improvement of Myocardial Ischemia / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the effect of Kuanxiong Aerosol (KXA) on isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial injury in rat models.@*METHODS@#Totally 24 rats were radomly divided into control, ISO, KXA low-dose and high-dose groups according to the randomized block design method, and were administered by intragastric administration for 10 consecutive days, and on the 9th and 10th days, rats were injected with ISO for 2 consecutive days to construct an acute myocardial ischemia model to evaluate the improvement of myocardial ischemia by KXA. In addition, the diastolic effect of KXA on rat thoracic aorta and its regulation of ion channels were tested by in vitro vascular tension test. The influence of KXA on the expression of calcium-CaM-dependent protein kinase II (CaMK II)/extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) signaling pathway has also been tested.@*RESULTS@#KXA significantly reduced the ISO-induced increase in ST-segment, interventricular septal thickness, cardiac mass index and cardiac tissue pathological changes in rats. Moreover, the relaxation of isolated thoracic arterial rings that had been precontracted using norepinephrine (NE) or potassium chloride (KCl) was increased after KXA treatment in an endothelium-independent manner, and was attenuated by preincubation with verapamil, but not with tetraethylammonium chloride, 4-aminopyridine, glibenclamide, or barium chloride. KXA pretreatment attenuated vasoconstriction induced by CaCl2 in Ca2+-free solutions containing K+ or NE. In addition, KXA pretreatment inhibited accumulation of Ca2+ in A7r5 cells mediated by KCl and NE and significantly decreased p-CaMK II and p-ERK levels.@*CONCLUSION@#KXA may inhibit influx and release of calcium and activate the CaMK II/ERK signaling pathway to produce vasodilatory effects, thereby improving myocardial injury.

Huoxin Pill () Attenuates Cardiac Fibrosis by Suppressing TGF-β1/Smad2/3 Pathway in Isoproterenol-Induced Heart Failure Rats / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the effects of Huoxin Pill (, HXP) on cardiac fibrosis and heart failure (HF) in isoproterenol (ISO)-induced HF rats.@*METHODS@#Thirty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups including control, HF, isosorbide mononitrate (ISMN), HXP low (HXP-L), and HXP high (HXP-H) groups (n=6 for each group) according to the complete randomization method. Rats were pretreated with ISMN (5 mg/kg daily), low concentration of HXP (10 mg/kg daily) or high concentration of HXP (30 mg/kg daily) or equal volume of saline by intragastric administration for 1 week, followed by intraperitoneal injection of ISO (10 mg/kg, 14 days), and continually intragastric administrated with above medicines or saline for additional 6 weeks. The effects of HXP treatment on the cardiac function, heart weight index (HWI), pathological changes, and collagen content were further assessed. Moreover, the role of HXP on activation of transforming growth factor- β 1 (TGF-β 1)/Smads pathway was further explored using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western-blot assay.@*RESULTS@#HXP treatment significantly alleviated the decrease of ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS), while decreased the elevation of left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV) in ISO-induced HF rats (P<0.05). Moreover, HXP treatment obviously attenuated the increase of HWI and serum level of creatine kinase MB (CK-MB, P<0.05), as well as pathological changes in ISO-induced HF rats. Further determination indicated that HXP treatment alleviated the elevation of collagen I and collagen III protein expression in cardiac tissues of ISO-induced HF rats. Furthermore, HXP treatment significantly down-regulated the increase of TGF-β 1 and p-Smad2/3 protein expression in cardiac tissues of HF rats (P<0.05), while did not affect the expression of total Smad2/3.@*CONCLUSIONS@#HXP attenuated heart failure and cardiac fibrosis in ISO-induced HF rats by suppression of TGF-β 1/Smad2/3 pathway.

Influence of serum uric acid on platelet function in CHD patients and influence of aspirin on serum uric acid level / 心血管康复医学杂志

Objective :To explore influence of serum uric acid (UA) on platelet function in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and influence of low dose aspirin (100mg) on serum UA level .Methods : A total of 117 CHD patients hospitalized in our hospital from Apr 2017 to Sep 2017 were selected .According to serum UA level ,they were divided into non-hyperuricemia group (n＝69) and hyperuricemia group (n＝48).They all received aspirin an-tiplatelet therapy after admission .Their arachidonic acid (AA ) induced platelet inhibition rate were detected by thrombelastography (TEG) on the seventh day after admission .The change of serum UA level after taking aspirin for three months were followed up .Results : After treatment ,AA induced platelet inhibition rate in hyperuricemia group is significantly lower than that in non-hyperuricemia group [(65.00 ± 19.39)% vs.(85.41 ± 22.83)%,P＝0.001]. Compared with the first day after admission ,there were significant rise in serum UA level in hyperuricemia group [(471.72 ± 53.46) μmol/L vs.(499.72 ± 54.98) μmol/L] and non-hyperuricemia group [ (319.43 ± 57.11) μmol/L vs.(338.46 ± 58.97) μmol/L] after taking aspirin for three months ,P＜0.05 both .Compared with non-hyperuricemia group ,there was a significant rise in serum UA level [(338.46 ± 58.97) μmol/L vs.(499.72 ± 54.98) μmol/L ,P＝0.001] in hyperu-ricemia group .Conclusion : In CHD patients complicated hyperuricemia ,their arachidonic acid induced platelet inhibition rate are significantly lower than that in non-hyperuricemia group .Small dose aspirin leads to serum UA level rise and its in-creasing amplitude in hyperuricemia group is significantly higher than that in non-hyperuricemia group .So , clinicians should monitor serum UA level of those patients in clinical work .

Management of Benign Tracheal Stenosis by Small-diameter Tube-assisted Bronchoscopic Balloon Dilatation / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>A limitation of bronchoscopic balloon dilatation (BBD) is that airflow must be completely blocked for as long as possible during the operation. However, the patient often cannot hold his or her breath for a long period affecting the efficacy of the procedure. In this study, we used an extra-small-diameter tube to provide assisted ventilation to patients undergoing BBD and assessed the efficacy and safety of this technique.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Bronchoscopic balloon dilatation was performed in 26 patients with benign tracheal stenosis using an extra-small-diameter tube. The tracheal diameter, dyspnea index, blood gas analysis results, and complications were evaluated before and after BBD. Statistical analyses were performed by SPSS version 16.0 for Windows (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Sixty-three BBD procedures were performed in 26 patients. Dyspnea immediately improved in all patients after BBD. The tracheal diameter significantly increased from 5.5 ± 1.5 mm to 13.0 ± 1.3 mm (P < 0.001), and the dyspnea index significantly decreased from 3.4 ± 0.8 to 0.5 ± 0.6 (P < 0.001). There was no significant change in the partial pressure of oxygen during the operation (before, 102.5 ± 27.5 mmHg; during, 96.9 ± 30.4 mmHg; and after, 97.2 ± 21.5 mmHg; P = 0.364), but there was slight temporary retention of carbon dioxide during the operation (before, 43.5 ± 4.2 mmHg; during, 49.4 ± 6.8 mmHg; and after, 40.1 ± 3.9 mmHg; P < 0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Small-diameter tube-assisted BBD is an effective and safe method for the management of benign tracheal stenosis.</p>

Effect of oxymatrine on JAK2/STAT3 signaling in renal tissues of rats with septic shock / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of oxymatrine (OMT) on JAK2/STAT3 signaling in renal tissues of rats with septic shock.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was adopted to establish the rat septic shock model. Fifty-six male SD rats were randomly divided into 7 groups: the sham operation group, the model (CLP) group, CLP + OMT high, middle, low-dose (52, 26, 13 mg x kg(-1), vena caudalis bolus) groups and the positive control (CLP + dexamethasone, 10 mg x kg(-1)) group. The pathological changes in renal tissues were examined with lightmicroscope. BUN content was determined by urine enzymatic method. Expressions of tumournecrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) mRNA in renal tissues were determined by RT-PCR. Expression of JAK2 and STAT3 in renal tissues determined by Western blot. Changes in tumournecrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) contents in renal tissue were determined by radioimmunoassay.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>OMT of different doses could inhibit the JAK2 and STAT3 activation in renal tissues (P<0.05), and decrease the protein expression of JAK2, STAT3, TNF-alpha and IL-1beta mRNA (P<0.05). Besides, it could reduce TNF-alpha and IL-1beta contents in renal tissue homogenate (P<0.05), serum BUN content (P<0.05), and improve such lesions as tissue hyperemia, edema and inflammatory cell infiltration, with identical results in medium and high-dose OMT groups, and the positive control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>OMT can inhibit JAK2/STAT3 signaling activity to reduce the expression of proin-flammatory factors (TNF-alpha, IL-1beta) and treat the renal injury in rats with septic shock.</p>

Sexual function of aging males in Beijing: a primary investigation / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the mean age of sexual activity termination, the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED), and their related factors in the old male population in Beijing.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We included in this study 764 males aged over 60 years old received in the health examination clinic and investigated the prevalence of ED and the related factors using the sexual health assessment resource (SHARE) and IIEF-5 questionnaires.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The average age of sexual activity termination (no sexual intercourse in over 2 years) was 68.4 +/- 5.2 years among the subjects. The prevalence of ED was 89.4% , of which the rates of mild, moderate and severe ED and non-sexuality were 6.7, 18.6, 28.4 and 35.7% , respectively. Those who had no sexual intercourse for over 2 years because of severe ED accounted for 26.8% among the 60-64 years old males and more than 50% in the >70 yr group. The main risk factors for ED-induced sexual activity termination included age, diabetes, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, obesity, and low urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ED is a common problem as well as the main risk factor for sexual activity termination, and age and general health status are significantly associated with the prevalence of ED among aging males.</p>