Renin-angiotensin system inhibitor is associated with the reduced risk of all-cause mortality in COVID-19 among patients with/without hypertension / 医学前沿

Consecutively hospitalized patients with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China were retrospectively enrolled from January 2020 to March 2020 to investigate the association between the use of renin-angiotensin system inhibitor (RAS-I) and the outcome of this disease. Associations between the use of RAS-I (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB)), ACEI, and ARB and in-hospital mortality were analyzed using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models in overall and subgroup of hypertension status. A total of 2771 patients with COVID-19 were included, with moderate and severe cases accounting for 45.0% and 36.5%, respectively. A total of 195 (7.0%) patients died. RAS-I (hazard ratio (HR)= 0.499, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.325-0.767) and ARB (HR = 0.410, 95% CI 0.240-0.700) use was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality among patients with COVID-19. For patients with hypertension, RAS-I and ARB applications were also associated with a reduced risk of mortality with HR of 0.352 (95% CI 0.162-0.764) and 0.279 (95% CI 0.115-0.677), respectively. RAS-I exhibited protective effects on the survival outcome of COVID-19. ARB use was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality among patients with COVID-19.

FMO3-TMAO axis modulates the clinical outcome in chronic heart-failure patients with reduced ejection fraction: evidence from an Asian population / 医学前沿

The association among plasma trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), FMO3 polymorphisms, and chronic heart failure (CHF) remains to be elucidated. TMAO is a microbiota-dependent metabolite from dietary choline and carnitine. A prospective study was performed including 955 consecutively diagnosed CHF patients with reduced ejection fraction, with the longest follow-up of 7 years. The concentrations of plasma TMAO and its precursors, namely, choline and carnitine, were determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the FMO3 E158K polymorphisms (rs2266782) were genotyped. The top tertile of plasma TMAO was associated with a significant increment in hazard ratio (HR) for the composite outcome of cardiovascular death or heart transplantation (HR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.13-1.91, P = 0.004) compared with the lowest tertile. After adjustments of the potential confounders, higher TMAO could still be used to predict the risk of the primary endpoint (adjusted HR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.01-1.74, P = 0.039). This result was also obtained after further adjustment for carnitine (adjusted HR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.01-1.74, P = 0.039). The FMO3 rs2266782 polymorphism was associated with the plasma TMAO concentrations in our cohort, and lower TMAO levels were found in the AA-genotype. Thus, higher plasma TMAO levels indicated increased risk of the composite outcome of cardiovascular death or heart transplantation independent of potential confounders, and the FMO3 AA-genotype in rs2266782 was related to lower plasma TMAO levels.

Development of young talented scientists by excellent young scientists fund : Review of excellent young scientists fund in the department of health sciences of National Natural Science of Foundation of China / 中华医学科研管理杂志

Objective The implementation and prospect of excellent young scientists fund in the department of health sciences of national natural science of foundation of china were reviewed and discussed to propose suggestions for future development.Methods The applications and grants of excellent young scientists fund in health sciences field from 2012 to 2017 wereanalyzed among different medical branches,regions and supporting institutions.The age,gender,title and academic rank of both applicants and awardees were analyzed.Results The applications and grants of excellent young scientists fund vary greatly in the different branches of medical science,as well as in the different regions and supporting institutions.The person in charge of such projects has been better developed after being awarded.Conclusions The establishment and implementation of the excellent young scientists fund has promoted the growth of young medical scientists.

Science foundation promotes to improve the people's health in China: current status of prevention and control of cardiovascular disease and its basic research / 中华医学科研管理杂志

According to the China cardiovascular disease report in 2015,cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in China.In view of the grim situation of prevention and control of cardiovascular disease in China,and implement with the spirit of National Science and Technology In novation Conference and National Health Conference in China recently,the author analyzed the current status of prevention and control of cardiovascular disease as well as the basic research situation,and discussed the leading role of National Natural Science Foundation of China in promoting the basic research of cardiovascular disease in China.

Review and analysis of transplant biological research projects funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the funding and achievements in the field of organ transplantation support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A search of NSFC database was made by using the key word "transplantation" and excluding "bone marrow transplantation" for the projects funded between 1988 and 2013. SCI indexed publications that marked with NSFC project number were collected by searching each grant number in the database of the Web of Science.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Six hundreds fifty-five projects were identified and received about 220 million yuan in grant funding. These funded research projects were distributed among 25 provinces and autonomous regions, however, which were mainly in the developed coastal areas; of them, 43 (6.56%) projects were granted in xenotransplantation and 17 projects (2.60%) were funded in the field of traditional Chinese medicine-related organ transplantation; Transplantation on blood vessels, heart, kidney, liver, lung, small intestine, pancreatic, cornea, trachea, skin, etc. were primarily performed in research. Nine hundreds and sixty-one SCI-indexed publications were achieved.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Magnitude and intensity of NSFC funding, output of SCI publications have been increasing, suggesting that NSFC positively promotes the development of organ transplantation. Although a great progress of transplantation has been made, basic and translational studies should be vigorously strengthened.</p>

Current aging research in China

The mini-review stemmed from a recent meeting on national aging research strategies in China discusses the components and challenges of aging research in China. Highlighted are the major efforts of a number of research teams, funding situations and outstanding examples of recent major research achievements. Finally, authors discuss potential targets and strategies of aging research in China.

Analysis of dental and craniofacial research programs supported by National Natural Science Foundation / 中华医学科研管理杂志

ObjectiveTo enhance the fund efficiency of dental research programs supported by National Natural Science Foundation (NSFC) and to reveal the achievements and progresses of the funds.MethodsThe data of programs in dental and craniofacial field supported by NSFC from 1999 to 2006 and completed between 2003 and 2009 were collected based on the final reports by the investigators.The data of personnel training,research publication,patent,awards,and academic communication at domestic and international levels were all collected and analysed. Results There were 307 grants in total,including 185 general programs,73 Young Scientists Funds,13 regional funds,3 Key Programs,1 National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars and 32 others.An average of 4 postgraduate students was trained by each program.In general,the outcomes of general programs were better than those of Young Scientists Fund,and the latter was better than regional fund.There was steady increase each year in the amount of papers published in SCI journals,and about half of the investigators published SCI papers.In addition,9 patents were registered and 13 prizes were won, and the investigators participated 610 domestic and international exchanges.Conclusions The continuously increase of NSFC support in dental field has led to substantial achievement,although patent application,the quality of papers and novel ideas need to be improved.

Inhibitory ?-adrenergic receptor in heart / 中国病理生理杂志

adrenergic receptor is the third subtype of ?-adrenergic receptors. The genetic structure and pharmacological property of ? 3-adrenergic receptor are markedly distinguished from ? 1-and ? 2-adrenergic receptor subtypes. Recently studies show that myocardial ? 3-adrenergic receptor mediates negative inotropic effect through Gi-protein/NO/cGMP pathway, the expression of ? 3-adrenergic receptor and negative inotropic effect mediated by ? 3-adrenergic receptor are increased in heart failure. However, because of the low expression of ? 3-adrenergic receptor in the heart, the actual pathophysiological significance of ? 3-adrenergic receptor remains unknown.

EFFECTS OF THE COMBINATION OF ASPIRIN AND VERAPAMIL ON PLATELET AGGREGATION AND THROMBOGENESIS / 中国药理学通报

The effects of Verapamil ( Ver ) . Aspirin ( ASA ) and ASA+ Ver on platelet aggregation and generation of thrombosis were studied. ASA and Ver inhibited rabbit platelet aggregation in vitro and rat platelet aggregation in vivo induced by ADP, also prolonged the occlusion time of thrombosis that was induced electrically in the carotid artery of the rat, and reduced the death rate resulted from pulmonary thrombosis that was induced with inducer composed of collagen and epinephrine iv in mice. The effects of Ver and ASA were markedly increased when combined, meanwhile all showed good dose-dependant manner.