Value of Combining Left Atrial Diameter and Amino-terminal Pro-brain Natriuretic Peptide to the CHA2DS2-VASc Score for Predicting Stroke and Death in Patients with Sick Sinus Syndrome after Pacemaker Implantation.

Background: The CHA2DS2-VASc score is used clinically for stroke risk stratification in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We sought to investigate whether the CHA2DS2-VASc score predicts stroke and death in Chinese patients with sick sinus syndrome (SSS) after pacemaker implantation and to evaluate whether the predictive power of the CHA2DS2-VASc score could be improved by combining it with left atrial diameter (LAD) and amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP).

Methods: A total of 481 consecutive patients with SSS who underwent pacemaker implantation from January 2004 to December 2014 in our department were included.

A metabolomic study of rats with doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy and Shengmai injection treatment.

Doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy (DOX-CM) is a severe complication of doxorubicin (DOX) chemotherapy. Characterized by cumulative and irreversible myocardial damage, its pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated. Shengmai Injection (SMI), a Traditional Chinese Medicine, may alleviate myocardial injury and improve heart function in the setting of DOX-CM.

Shengmai injection improved doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy by alleviating myocardial endoplasmic reticulum stress and caspase-12 dependent apoptosis.

Background: Apoptosis plays vital roles in the progression of doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy (DOX-CM). Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress) could induce specific apoptosis by caspase-12 dependent pathway. Shengmai Injection (SMI), a famous Traditional Chinese Medicine, could alleviate the heart damage via inhibiting myocardial apoptosis.

[Role of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 on coxsackievirus B3-induced inflammation and cardiomyocyte injury].

Objective: To determine the expression of TREM-1 (triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1) in macrophages after coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) infection and the cardiomyocytes viability after culturing with supernatant of macrophages in the absence and presence of TREM-1 inhibitor LP-17 to explore if TREM-1 is involved in the pathogenesis of CVB3 infection induced inflammation and cardiomyocytes injury.

Methods: TREM-1 mRNA and TREM-1 and DAP-12 protein expression in macrophages were detected by Real-time PCR at 0, 1, 4, 8 and 12 h and by Western blot at 0, 16, 24 and 48 h post CVB3 infection. TNF-α secretion of macrophages was measure by ELISA, vitality and the apoptosis degree of cardiomyocytes was assessed by CCK8 and Annexin V-FITC after the cardiomyocytes were cultured with the supernatant of macrophages in normal control group, CVB3 infection group and LP-17 pretreated CVB3 infection group.

[Analysis of the treatment and prognosis of recurrent breast phyllodes tumor].

Objective: To explore the methods of diagnosis, treatment and prognosis for patients with recurrent breast phyllodes tumor.

Methods: Clinicopathological data of 26 patients with pathologically proven recurrent phyllodes tumors treated from March 1972 to June 2006 were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: The mean age of the 26 cases was 45 years, and the median follow-up duration was 83 months.

Differences in biological features of gastric dysplasia, indefinite dysplasia, reactive hyperplasia and discriminant analysis of these lesions.

Aim: To investigate the differences in biological features of gastric dysplasia (Dys), indefinite dysplasia (IDys) and reactive hyperplasia (RH) by studying the biomarker alterations in cell proliferation, cell differentiation, cell cycle control and the expression of house-keeping genes, and further to search for markers which could be used in guiding the pathological diagnosis of three lesions.

Methods: Expressions of MUC5AC, MUC6, adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), p53, Ki-67, proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and EGFR were studied by immunohistochemistry with a standard Envision technique in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded specimens from 43 RH, 35 IDys, 35 Dys and 36 intestinal type gastric carcinomas (IGC). In addition, Bayes discriminant analysis was used to investigate the value of markers studied in differential diagnosis of RH, IDys, Dys and IGC.

Methylation of p16 CpG islands associated with malignant transformation of gastric dysplasia in a population-based study.

Purpose: Inactivation of p16 by aberrant methylation of CpG islands is a frequent event in carcinomas and precancerous lesions of various organs, including the stomach. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between p16 methylation and malignant transformation of human gastric dysplasia (DYS) based on follow-up endoscopic screening in a high-risk population.

Experimental Design: Genomic DNA samples were extracted from paraffin blocks of gastric mucosal biopsies that were histopathologically diagnosed as low-grade DYS from patients who developed gastric carcinomas [GCs (n = 21)] and those that did not do so (n = 21) during 5 years of follow-up.

[In vivo effect of Shu-Gan-Liang-Xue decoction on estrogen].

Objective: To observe the in vivo effect of traditional chinese medicine (TCM) Shu-Gan-Liang-Xue (SGLX) decoction on estrogen in vivo in mice.

Methods: Mice were randomly divided into control, tamoxifen (TAM), SGLX and SGLX + TAM groups. After SGLX decoction had been given to mice for 21 days, the serum hormone level of mice was tested by radioimmunological method, uterine weight index was obtained by uterine weight divided by body weight.