The hemodynamic consequences of atrial fibrillation (AF) may lead to impairme nt of the left ventricular function and a reduction in exercise capacity. Studie s on mechanical and neurohormonal remodelling in patients ...The hemodynamic consequences of atrial fibrillation (AF) may lead to impairme nt of the left ventricular function and a reduction in exercise capacity. Studie s on mechanical and neurohormonal remodelling in patients with AF are becoming i ncreasingly important. The results could possibly enhance treatment strategies o f these patients. The aim of this study was to assess changes in exercise capaci ty, echocardiographic findings and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide(ANP) concen trations in patients with non rheumatic persistent AF, before and 30 days after successful cardioversion. Methods: We attempted cardioversion in 42 consecutive patients, aged 58±8 years, with persistent non valvular AF of duration 7.1±7 .1 months. They underwent echocardiography examination and submaximal exercise t esting 24 h before and 30 days after cardioversion. Exercise capacity was determ ined during symptom limited exercise testing, according to a modified Bruce pro tocol with peak VO2 analysis. Plasma samples of ANP were obtained at rest: befor e, the day after, and 30 days after cardioversion therapy, and were prepared by refrigerated centrifugation and stored until radioimmunoassay. The control study group, without AF, comprised of 11 subjects. Results: Cardioversion was success ful in 35 patients. However, in six of the 35 patients, AF reappeared within 1 m onth. There were no statistical differences before cardioversion in exercise tol erance and ejection fraction of left ventricle between the group with successful cardioversion and the group with unsuccessful cardioversion or with recurrence of AF. On the 30th day after cardioversion we recorded a significant increase in exercise tolerance: duration of exercise 13.7±3.2 versus 9.5±3.4 min, (P< 0.0 5); peak oxygen consumption 32.2±3.6 versus 19.85±3.5 ml/min per kg, (P< 0.05) ; and ejection fraction of left ventricle 58.6±9.4 versus 52.7±10.2%(P< 0.05) ; in the sinus rhythm group. There was no significant improvement observed in th e AF group. The mean baseline ANP level was 58.5±15.7 pg/ml in the study group and 34.3±10.2 pg/ml in the control group (P< 0.01). The successful therapy redu ced significantly the pretreatment mean plasma ANP concentration from 58.5±15.7 to 31.4±15.0 pg/ml, (P< 0.01); the day after cardioversion, in the group of 35 patients. It remained stable for the next 30 days(36.9±15.2 pg/ml) in the grou p of 29 patients who remained in sinus rhythm, and increased to 53.4±16.4 pg/ml in the group of six patients who had recurrence of AF. Plasma ANP did not chang e in the group of seven patients with unsuccessful cardioversion. Conclusions: T he restoration of sinus rhythm in patients with persistent AF was associated wit h a significant improvement in cardiac performance and exercise tolerance 1 mont h after cardioversion. Such improvement was not observed in the group with unsuc cessful cardioversion or with AF recurrence. The plasma ANP concentration in pat ients with AF was significantly reduced after successful cardioversion and remai ned stable for a period of 30 days.展开更多
Estrogen deficiency mediates aging, but the underlying mechanism remains to be fully determined. We report here that estrogen deficiency caused by targeted disruption of aromatase in mice results in significant inhibi...Estrogen deficiency mediates aging, but the underlying mechanism remains to be fully determined. We report here that estrogen deficiency caused by targeted disruption of aromatase in mice results in significant inhibition of telomerase activity in the adrenal gland in vivo. Gene expression analysis showed that, in the absence of estrogen, telomerase reverse transcriptase （TERT） gene expression is reduced in association with compromised cell proliferation in the adrenal gland cortex and adrenal atrophy. Stem cells positive in c-kit are identified to populate in the parenchyma of adrenal cortex. Analysis of telomeres revealed that estrogen deficiency results in significantly shorter teiomeres in the adrenal cortex than that in wild-type （WT） control mice. To further establish the causal effects of estrogen, we conducted an estrogen replacement therapy in these estrogen-deficient animals. Administration of estrogen for 3 weeks restores TERT gene expression, telomerase activity and cell proliferation in estrogen-deficient mice. Thus, our data show for the first time that estrogen deficiency causes inhibitions of TERT gene expression, telomerase activity, telomere maintenance, and cell proliferation in the adrenal gland of mice in vivo, suggesting that telomerase inhibition and telomere shortening may mediate cell proliferation arrest in the adrenal gland, thus contributing to estrogen deficiency-induced aging under physiological conditions.展开更多
The levels of somatostatin(SS)in CSF and blood and pancreatic polypeptide(PP)inplasma were measured by radioimmunoassay in 64 patients with acute ischemiccerebrovascular diseases(ICVD),randomly divided into two groups...The levels of somatostatin(SS)in CSF and blood and pancreatic polypeptide(PP)inplasma were measured by radioimmunoassay in 64 patients with acute ischemiccerebrovascular diseases(ICVD),randomly divided into two groups:group 1(n=31,bothelectro-acupuncture and routine treatments given)and group 2(n=33,routine treatment)and 26 non-ICVD patients were used as controls.The points of electro-acupuncture wereQuchi(LI 12),Waiguan(SJ 5)and Huantiao(GB 30)and Zusanli(St 36).After a courseof treatment,the SS levels in plasma and CSF were significantly increased in the patientsof group 1 with good result and their plasma PP level had no significant change.In thepatients with poor result,however,the PP level was significantly decreased.The resultssuggested that electro-acupuncture might play an active role in alleviating the SSmetabolic disturbance in CNS of ICVD patients.展开更多
PURPOSE: To observe the effects of acupuncture on the pituitary-thyroid axis in rabbits with fracture. METHOD: 36 male rabbits with a 3-mm width experimental defect in the middle segment of the left radius were random...PURPOSE: To observe the effects of acupuncture on the pituitary-thyroid axis in rabbits with fracture. METHOD: 36 male rabbits with a 3-mm width experimental defect in the middle segment of the left radius were randomly divided into the treatment group and control group, and the changes in serum T3, T4 and TSH contents in different weeks were investigated. RESULTS: Serum T3, T4 and TSH contents in the treatment group all were higher than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences in the contents of T4 and TSH in the second week and T3 content in the fourth week (P展开更多
文摘The hemodynamic consequences of atrial fibrillation (AF) may lead to impairme nt of the left ventricular function and a reduction in exercise capacity. Studie s on mechanical and neurohormonal remodelling in patients with AF are becoming i ncreasingly important. The results could possibly enhance treatment strategies o f these patients. The aim of this study was to assess changes in exercise capaci ty, echocardiographic findings and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide(ANP) concen trations in patients with non rheumatic persistent AF, before and 30 days after successful cardioversion. Methods: We attempted cardioversion in 42 consecutive patients, aged 58±8 years, with persistent non valvular AF of duration 7.1±7 .1 months. They underwent echocardiography examination and submaximal exercise t esting 24 h before and 30 days after cardioversion. Exercise capacity was determ ined during symptom limited exercise testing, according to a modified Bruce pro tocol with peak VO2 analysis. Plasma samples of ANP were obtained at rest: befor e, the day after, and 30 days after cardioversion therapy, and were prepared by refrigerated centrifugation and stored until radioimmunoassay. The control study group, without AF, comprised of 11 subjects. Results: Cardioversion was success ful in 35 patients. However, in six of the 35 patients, AF reappeared within 1 m onth. There were no statistical differences before cardioversion in exercise tol erance and ejection fraction of left ventricle between the group with successful cardioversion and the group with unsuccessful cardioversion or with recurrence of AF. On the 30th day after cardioversion we recorded a significant increase in exercise tolerance: duration of exercise 13.7±3.2 versus 9.5±3.4 min, (P< 0.0 5); peak oxygen consumption 32.2±3.6 versus 19.85±3.5 ml/min per kg, (P< 0.05) ; and ejection fraction of left ventricle 58.6±9.4 versus 52.7±10.2%(P< 0.05) ; in the sinus rhythm group. There was no significant improvement observed in th e AF group. The mean baseline ANP level was 58.5±15.7 pg/ml in the study group and 34.3±10.2 pg/ml in the control group (P< 0.01). The successful therapy redu ced significantly the pretreatment mean plasma ANP concentration from 58.5±15.7 to 31.4±15.0 pg/ml, (P< 0.01); the day after cardioversion, in the group of 35 patients. It remained stable for the next 30 days(36.9±15.2 pg/ml) in the grou p of 29 patients who remained in sinus rhythm, and increased to 53.4±16.4 pg/ml in the group of six patients who had recurrence of AF. Plasma ANP did not chang e in the group of seven patients with unsuccessful cardioversion. Conclusions: T he restoration of sinus rhythm in patients with persistent AF was associated wit h a significant improvement in cardiac performance and exercise tolerance 1 mont h after cardioversion. Such improvement was not observed in the group with unsuc cessful cardioversion or with AF recurrence. The plasma ANP concentration in pat ients with AF was significantly reduced after successful cardioversion and remai ned stable for a period of 30 days.
文摘Estrogen deficiency mediates aging, but the underlying mechanism remains to be fully determined. We report here that estrogen deficiency caused by targeted disruption of aromatase in mice results in significant inhibition of telomerase activity in the adrenal gland in vivo. Gene expression analysis showed that, in the absence of estrogen, telomerase reverse transcriptase （TERT） gene expression is reduced in association with compromised cell proliferation in the adrenal gland cortex and adrenal atrophy. Stem cells positive in c-kit are identified to populate in the parenchyma of adrenal cortex. Analysis of telomeres revealed that estrogen deficiency results in significantly shorter teiomeres in the adrenal cortex than that in wild-type （WT） control mice. To further establish the causal effects of estrogen, we conducted an estrogen replacement therapy in these estrogen-deficient animals. Administration of estrogen for 3 weeks restores TERT gene expression, telomerase activity and cell proliferation in estrogen-deficient mice. Thus, our data show for the first time that estrogen deficiency causes inhibitions of TERT gene expression, telomerase activity, telomere maintenance, and cell proliferation in the adrenal gland of mice in vivo, suggesting that telomerase inhibition and telomere shortening may mediate cell proliferation arrest in the adrenal gland, thus contributing to estrogen deficiency-induced aging under physiological conditions.
文摘The levels of somatostatin(SS)in CSF and blood and pancreatic polypeptide(PP)inplasma were measured by radioimmunoassay in 64 patients with acute ischemiccerebrovascular diseases(ICVD),randomly divided into two groups:group 1(n=31,bothelectro-acupuncture and routine treatments given)and group 2(n=33,routine treatment)and 26 non-ICVD patients were used as controls.The points of electro-acupuncture wereQuchi(LI 12),Waiguan(SJ 5)and Huantiao(GB 30)and Zusanli(St 36).After a courseof treatment,the SS levels in plasma and CSF were significantly increased in the patientsof group 1 with good result and their plasma PP level had no significant change.In thepatients with poor result,however,the PP level was significantly decreased.The resultssuggested that electro-acupuncture might play an active role in alleviating the SSmetabolic disturbance in CNS of ICVD patients.
文摘PURPOSE: To observe the effects of acupuncture on the pituitary-thyroid axis in rabbits with fracture. METHOD: 36 male rabbits with a 3-mm width experimental defect in the middle segment of the left radius were randomly divided into the treatment group and control group, and the changes in serum T3, T4 and TSH contents in different weeks were investigated. RESULTS: Serum T3, T4 and TSH contents in the treatment group all were higher than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences in the contents of T4 and TSH in the second week and T3 content in the fourth week (P
