Aortic Coarctation Associated With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in a Woman With Hypertension and Syncope: A Case Report With 8-Year Follow-Up.

Background: Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is a common congenital cardiovascular malformation with aortic narrowing in the region of the ligamentum arteriosum. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a primary cardiomyopathy that is characterized by left ventricular wall thickening and likely left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction. They are two irrelevant diseases, and their coexistence has not been reported before.

Pretreatment of rAAV-Mediated Expression of Myostatin Propeptide Lowers Type 2 Diabetes Incidence in Mice on a High-Fat Diet.

Myostatin, a negative modulator of muscle growth, has been considered as a potential target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D). In previous work, it was found that myostatin inhibition by adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene delivery of myostatin propeptide (MPRO) could improve muscle mass and achieve therapeutic effects on glucose regulation and lipid metabolism in db/db mice. This study investigated whether pre-intervention of rAAV-mediated expression of MPRO could lower the incidence of T2D.

Diagnostic value of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin for renal injury in asphyxiated preterm infants.

The aim of the present study was to analyze the diagnostic value of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in renal injury in asphyxiated preterm infants. In total, 48 cases of asphyxiated preterm infants, 45 cases of premature infants and 45 cases of normal newborn infants were included in the study. Using ELISA we evaluated the level of urine NGAL, kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), cystatin C (Cys-C) and serum creatinine (Scr).

[Epidemiological survey of childhood asthma in 2010 in urban Baotou, China].

Objective: To investigate the prevalence rate of childhood asthma in 2010 in urban Baotou, China, as well as the characteristics of attacks and the status of diagnosis and treatment of childhood asthma.

Methods: More than 10 000 children (0-14 years) were selected from 3 secondary schools, 3 primary schools, 6 kindergartens, and 4 community vaccination sites in urban Baotou by cluster random sampling between September 2009 and August 2010. A standardized preliminary questionnaire was used for screening out suspected cases, which were then confirmed or excluded by a clinician; the confirmed cases underwent further questionnaire survey.

Increased leukocyte Rho-kinase activity in a population with acute coronary syndrome.

Accumulating evidence suggests that Rho-associated kinase (ROCK) may be important in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and coronary vasospasm. In the present study, we investigated whether ROCK activity is increased in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. Twenty-one patients with ACS (12 males, mean age 58.

Effect of fluoride exposure on bone metabolism indicators ALP, BALP, and BGP.

Objective: To analyze the changes in serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP) activity and changes in osteocalcin (BGP) content following fluoride exposure and, thereby, determine the reference indications of fluoride-induced changes in bone metabolism.

Methods: In the animal study, rats were allowed free access to drinking water containing different concentrations (10, 150, or 400 mg/L) of sodium fluoride. Serum ALP and BALP activity and serum BGP content were assessed at three exposure time-points.

Interactive effect of fluoride burden with calcitonin receptor gene polymorphisms on the risk of F bone injury.

Purpose: This study aims to examine the interactive effect of fluoride burden with calcitonin receptor (CTR) gene polymorphisms on the risk of fluoride (F) bone injury and provide the basis for determination of F bone injury risk factors.

Methods: In this case-control study, a total of 119 cases and 126 controls were enrolled from 2 aluminum plants in Hubei province. F burden (UF) was measured by F ion-selective electrode method.

Evaluation on the safety and efficacy of tirofiban in the treatment of acute coronary syndrome.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of tirofiban, a specific inhibitor of the platelet glycoprotein llb/llla receptor, in the treatment of unstable angina and myocardial infarction without persistent ST elevation (acute coronary syndrome, ACS), a total of 200 patients were randomly assigned to a heparin group and a tirofiban+heparin group on double-blind basis and the treatment effects of the two protocols on ACS were compared when the patients of both groups were taking aspirin at the same time. The composite primary end-point events consisted of death, myocardial infarction, or refractory ischemia. Our results showed that the frequency of the composite primary end point events in 30 days was lower in tirofiban+heparin group as compared with that of heparin group (13.

Impact of left ventricular epicardial and biventricular pacing on ventricular repolarization in normal-heart individuals and patients with congestive heart failure.

Aims: Malignant ventricular arrhythmias can arise in a subset of congestive heart failure (CHF) patients after they undergo cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), thus counteracting the haemodynamic benefits typically associated with biventricular pacing. This study seeks to assess whether alteration of the ventricular transmural repolarization and conduction due to reversal of the depolarization sequence during epicardial or biventricular pacing facilitate the development of ventricular arrhythmias.

Methods And Results: ECGs and monophasic action potential (MAP) were recorded during programmed stimulation from right ventricle (RV) endocardium (RV-Endo), left ventricle (LV) epicardium (LV-Epi), or both (biventricular, Bi-V) in 15 individuals without structural heart diseases.

CD151 promotes neovascularization and improves blood perfusion in a rat hind-limb ischemia model.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficiency of recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV)-mediated CD151 gene delivery in promoting neovascularization and improving blood perfusion in the skeletal muscle of the rat hind-limb ischemia model.

Methods: CD151 was constructed into the rAAV vector. Twelve Wistar rats were randomly divided into 2 groups of 6 rats each and then intramuscularly injected with rAAV-CD151 or rAAV-GFP, respectively, in one hind limb.

[Effects of CD151 on migration of human tongue squamous carcinoma cell line Tca8113].

Background & Objective: Over-expression of CD151 gene in tumor tissues may be associated with metastasis and poor prognosis of cancer, but the mechanism is unknown. This study was designed to determine the effects of CD151 gene on migration of human tongue squamous carcinoma cell line Tca8113.

Methods: Functional fragment of CD151 gene was amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and inserted into plasmid adeno-associated virus (pAAV) vector in sense direction and antisense direction to construct rAAV-CD151 and rAAV-antiCD151, the virus titers were determined by dot blot.