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To explore the association between lipid profiles and left ventricular hypertrophy in a Chinese general population. We conducted a retrospective observational study to investigate the relationship between lipid markers [including triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein A-I, apolipoprotein B, lipoprotein[a], and composite lipid profiles] and left ventricular hypertrophy. A total of 309,400 participants of two populations (one from Beijing and another from nationwide) who underwent physical examinations at different health management centers between 2009 and 2018 in China were included in the cross-sectional study. 7,475 participants who had multiple physical examinations and initially did not have left ventricular hypertrophy constituted a longitudinal cohort to analyze the association between lipid markers and the new-onset of left ventricular hypertrophy. Left ventricular hypertrophy was measured by echocardiography and defined as an end-diastolic thickness of the interventricular septum or left ventricle posterior wall > 11 mm. The Logistic regression model was used in the cross-sectional study. Cox model and Cox model with restricted cubic splines were used in the longitudinal cohort. In the cross-sectional study, for participants in the highest tertile of each lipid marker compared to the respective lowest, triglycerides [odds ratio (OR): 1.250, 95% CI : 1.060 to 1.474], HDL-cholesterol (OR: 0.780, 95% CI : 0.662 to 0.918), and lipoprotein(a) (OR : 1.311, 95% CI : 1.115 to 1.541) had an association with left ventricular hypertrophy. In the longitudinal cohort, for participants in the highest tertile of each lipid marker at the baseline compared to the respective lowest, triglycerides [hazard ratio (HR): 3.277, 95% CI : 1.720 to 6.244], HDL-cholesterol (HR : 0.516, 95% CI : 0.283 to 0.940), non-HDL-cholesterol (HR : 2.309, 95% CI : 1.296 to 4.112), apolipoprotein B (HR : 2.244, 95% CI : 1.251 to 4.032) showed an association with new-onset left ventricular hypertrophy. In the Cox model with forward stepwise selection, triglycerides were the only lipid markers entered into the final model. Lipids levels, especially triglycerides, are associated with left ventricular hypertrophy. Controlling triglycerides level potentiate to be a strategy in harnessing cardiac remodeling but deserve to be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flooding has become more frequent and intensive due to climate change, particularly in Asian countries. However, evidence on the long-term health effects of floods from large-scale studies on the vulnerable aged population in China is insufficient. This study analyzed the long-term effects of exposure to flood on electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities, a commonly used indicator of cardiovascular disease (CVD) screening, in middle-aged and elderly people. We evaluated the Chinese National Stroke Screening Survey data of 80,711 follow-up records from 38,375 participants aged > 40 years with two or more visits between 2013 and 2018 in this longitudinal study. Flood exposure was assessed as the presence of a satellite-detected flooded area within 500 m of the residence within 5 years before the survey date. The association between ECG abnormalities and flood exposure was analyzed using a random effects model with multiple adjustments. As age is an important CVD risk factor, a varying-coefficient function was derived to estimate the nonlinear modifying effect of age on the association between ECG abnormalities and flood exposure. The strata-specific associations between ECG abnormalities and flood exposure were applied to characterize vulnerability to flood. The fully adjusted model suggested that flood exposure was associated with an increased risk for ECG abnormalities among the middle-aged and elderly population (odds ratio [OR] 1.74, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.49, 2.03). The ORs of flood exposure for ECG suggesting atrial fibrillation, ST depression, and left ventricular hypertrophy were 1.85 (95 % CI 1.16, 2.94), 6.92 (95 % CI 5.23, 9.16), and 1.55 (95 % CI 0.66, 3.65), respectively. These associations were generally robust in various subpopulations, while a sublinear curve for the negative modifying effect of age was observed on the population vulnerability to flood. Flood exposure was associated with an increased long-term risk for an ECG abnormality. The need for effective measures to mitigate vulnerability to flood is not negligible in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: China's rapid urbanization has created a large number of labour transferring from rural to urban areas and large numbers of college students with left-behind experience (LBE). LBE was an important influencing factor on college students' mental health.Methods: A mixed method involving quantitative survey and qualitative interview was emplyed to explore the influence of LBE on mental health of college students. In the quantitative survey, 1605 college students from three different universities of Shandong province in China were recruited. Their mental health status was measured using Symptom Check-list 90(SCL-90 scale) compiled by American psychologist Derogatis. In the qualitative interview, 40 college students with left-behind experience from the same three universities were interviewed.Results: The prevalence estimate of total mental health problems among left-behind students was 2.14 times higher than that among those without left-behindexperience. LBE increased the problems of somatization, obsessive-compulsion (Ocd), international sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, terror, paranoia, psychoticism and other symptoms. The result of qualitative interview showed the mental health problems of the college students with left-behind experience were mainly on anxiety, depression, Ocd, interpersonal sensitive and hostility, which was consistent with the results of quantitative survey.Limitation: Representativeness of the sample is the major limitation of our study. Due to rare similar studies performed in other countries, we could not compare the results in China to that in other countries.Conclusion: Left-behind experience was an important factor associated with the mental health of college students. The mental health of college students with LBE needs more attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective assessment of cardiac hypertrophy in forensic pathology practice is of great significance for forensic pathologists, for whom reference values for normal heart weights are needed. Developed regions such as Europe, the United States, and Japan recalculate the weight of human organs at regular intervals, but in China, there has been no systematic calculation of the weights of human organs since 2006. To statistically analyse the heart weight of Chinese adults postmortem and obtain a reference range. 4170 adult autopsy reports were collected from 12 forensic departments in 10 provinces in China. The causes of death were classified by sex, and heart weight and the heart weight/body height ratio reference values were further calculated according to different body mass index and body heights. Finally, the cutoff value of cardiac hypertrophy in Chinese adults was calculated. In the group of non-cardiovascular disease causes of death, the cardiac weight of the electric death group was higher, while the heart weight of the prolonged bed-rest group was significantly reduced. After the electric death and prolonged bed-rest groups were excluded, heart weight, the heart weight/body height ratio, and cutoff values for cardiac hypertrophy were further classified and analysed according to body mass index. The mean reference values for heart weight in men and women with normal weight status were 325.82 ± 41.60 g and 286.39 ± 44.84 g, and the heart weight/body height ratios were 1.95 ± 0.23 in men and 1.82 ± 0.27, respectively. The cutoff values for cardiac hypertrophy were 387.35 g for men and 346.80 g for women. The heart weight reference values of both sexes in this study were significantly higher than those in 2006, which is considered related to the development of China's economy and the improvement of people's living standards. This study also suggests the need for a new round of statistical surveys and updated data on the weight of other organs. • This study proposes updated references values for normal heart weight in China. • Gender, age, and BMI should be taken into account to measure heart hypertrophied. • Normal heart weight does not exclude cardiac pathology as the cause of death. • Heart weight does not necessarily increase in cases of sudden unexplained death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sex differences in the long-term prognosis of symptomatic hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) patients undergoing alcohol septal ablation (ASA) remain unclear, especially in the Chinese Han population.Method: This cohort study included 320 HOCM Chinese Han patients who underwent ASA because of symptomatic left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction. Patients were grouped according to sex: females (mean±standard deviation age [SD] 50.7±6.8 years) and males (mean±SD age 52.6±7.3 years). Individuals were followed over the long term.Results: Pre-procedure, women had more symptoms (New York Heart Association [NYHA] class III-IV 67.3% vs 56.3%, p=0.03), more atrial fibrillation (23.5% vs 14.6%, p=0.047) than men. Transient complete atrioventricular block after ASA was more common in woman than in men (34.0 vs 23.4%; p=0.048). Residual LVOT gradient, post-procedural residual left ventricular wall thickness, NYHA functional class, and adverse arrhythmic events were comparable between the two groups. The 10-year survival rate (77% vs 89%, p=0.037) and the annual adverse arrhythmic event rate (1.3% vs 0.4%, p<0.01) following ASA were significantly worse in women compared with men. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a significantly lower survival in women compared with men (p=0.023). In multivariable modelling, female sex remained independently associated with higher all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 1.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.27; p=0.03) when adjusted for age, NYHA class III-IV symptoms, and other cardiovascular comorbidities.Conclusions: Female patients with HOCM undergoing ASA tended to have more severe symptoms and adverse arrhythmic events. The 10-year survival rate after ASA was significantly worse in women compared with men with HOCM. Sex may need to be considered as an important factor in the clinical management of patients with symptomatic HOCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Swertia is a diverse genus of herbs belonging to the family Gentianaceae and comprising roughly 170 species distributed throughout the world, but is most diverse in temperate and subtropical regions and in montane tropics. In Bhutan, China, India, Japan, and Nepal, some Swertia species are recognized for their anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory, activity, finding use in traditional medicine to treat malaria fever, liver diseases, gastric trouble, jaundice, diabetes, hepatitis, and other ailments. The aim of the present review is to provide updated and comprehensive information on the genus Swertia , for promotin the development and uses of such ethnomedical resources. Swertia species have been used in Indian traditional medical systems, the traditional Chinese system, and traditional Tibetan folk medicine for treating various ailments. In China, it has also been used as medicinal herbs for treating hepatitis, cholecystitis, pneumonia, osteomyelitis, dysentery, and scabies. Broad spectrums of phytochemicals such as xanthonoids, iridoids/secoiridoids, flavonoid, alkaloids, and terpenoids have been identified from Swertia spp. The crude extracts and isolated metabolites from Swertia spp. exhibited a wide range of in vitro and in vivo biological and pharmacological activities, including anticancer, anti-diabetic, antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-hepatitis, anthelmintic, anti-leishmanial, neuroprotective, anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, hepatoprotective, gastric emptying and gastrointestinal motility, inhibitors of 5α-reductase, β-glucuronidase inhibitory, anti-Benign prostatic hyperplasia and anti-mutagenic activities. The extensive literature survey reveals that Swertia species have been used for medicinal purpose in various parts of the world and there is significant traditional evidence of their uses. Additional research is required targeting individual ingredients responsible for the pharmacological effects, elucidating its mechanisms of action as well as safety and toxicological assessment. • The genus Swertia has been well-known for its botanical diversity and pharmaceutical uses in traditional and folk medicine. • Review consist ethnobotanical and pharmacological significance of different Swertia species. • Swertia spp. has been studied with respective to taxonomy, ethnobotany, pharmacological activities and toxicology. • Comprehensive descriptions of biological activities of Swertia spp. have been demonstrating multi affirmative characters of this genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smilax glabra Roxb., the dry rhizome of Sarsaparilla, which is also known as Tu fuling (TFL) in China, is a well-known traditional CHINESE medicine that is widely used for detoxication, relieving dampness and as a diuretic. We have previously shown that the extracted TFL flavonoids (designated TFLF) possess anti-cardiac hypertrophy effects in vitro. However, the anti-cardiac hypertrophy effects of TFLF in vivo and the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. To reveal the underlying therapeutic mechanism of TFLF on cardiac hypertrophy by using transverse aortic constriction (TAC) model and cellular assays in vitro. Cardiac hypertrophy was replicated by TAC surgery in rats or by isoprenaline treatment of rat H9C2 myocardial cells in vitro. Cardiac structure and function were evaluated by echocardiographic and hemodynamic examinations in vivo and histological analysis of tissues ex vivo. Biochemical kits and quantitative PCR were used to analyze markers of cardiac hypertrophy. Expression and phosphorylation of key proteins in the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway were quantified by Western blotting. We further confirmed our findings in H9C2 rat cardiomyocytes treated with isoprenaline and the ERK inhibitor in vitro. TFLF attenuated cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis and improved cardiac dysfunction in TAC rats. TFLF treatment induced a strong reduction in serum NT-proBNP levels. Cardiac hypertrophy marker gene (ANP , BNP and β-MHC) expression and the phosphorylation levels of c-Raf and ERK1/2 were decreased by TFLF treatment. TFLF also protected H9C2 cells from isoprenaline-induced hypertrophy in vitro via a similar molecular mechanism as that observed in the rat heart. Moreover, pretreatment with TRLF and the ERK inhibitor further inhibited the mRNA overexpression of hypertrophic genes in vitro. TFLFs may protect against pathological cardiac hypertrophy via negative regulation of the Raf/MEK/ERK pathway. Thus, TFLFs are implicated as a potential pharmacological agent for treating cardiac hypertrophy in clinical practice. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.) is a traditional economic tree species in China. Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) is widely used in combination to treat hypertension and complications in clinical practice. However, the antihypertensive effect of GBE alone is weak and it is also difficult to study the mechanism because of its complex composition. This study was to prepare a new component group of Ginkgo biloba leaves (GBLCG) with clear chemical structures, and to investigate its effect on reducing blood pressure and improving myocardial hypertrophy in spontaneously hypertensive rats with GBE and amlodipine as positive controls. The results showed that total flavonoid aglycones (TFAs) of GBLCG was mainly composed of quercetin (QCT), kaempferol (KMF) and isorhamnetin (ISR); Total terpenoid lactones (TTLs) of GBLCG might be a novel cocrystal composed of Ginkgolide A (GA), Ginkgolide B (GB) Ginkgolide C (GC), Ginkgolide J (GJ) and bilobalide (BB). The hypotensive activity of GBLCG (4.4 mg/kg) group was better than that of GBE group (p < 0.05), and the effect of improving myocardial hypertrophy was better than that of amlodipine besylate group (p < 0.01). GBLCG might reduce blood pressure and improve myocardial hypertrophy by promoting the synthesis and release of NO in endothelial cells, reducing oxidative stress, inhibiting platelet aggregation and promoting lesion circulation. Eventually, we hope to introduce GBLCG as a new drug for hypertension. [Display omitted] • Prepared a new component group of Ginkgo biloba leaves (GBLCG). • A novel cocrystal composed of terpenoid lactones was obtained for the first time. • The hypotensive effect of GBLCG was better than Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The furanocoumarin imperatorin has been reported to have hypotensive effect, and we have investigated its activity on myocardial hypertrophy. Imperatorin displayed similar chromatographic retention peak to verapamil in the model of cardiac muscle/cell membrane chromatography, and could reduce in a concentration-dependent way protein content and cell size of myocytes prestimulated with angiotensin II. The ratio of heart weight to body weight (mg/g) (4.13±0.06 in SHRs, 3.77±0.02 with imperatorin 25mgkg−1 d−1 16 17 ig, P <0.01) was significantly lower in the imperatorin-treated SHRs. Taken together, our observations show that imperatorin exerts anti-hypertrophic effect both in vitro and in vivo. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation (PTSMA) has been introduced as an alternative treatment for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). We report on the acute, short- and long-term results of our experiences in 119 patients from a single center in China. Methods and results: PTSMA was performed in 119 patients with symptomatic HOCM (mean age 35.4±14.8 years, male 80, female 39). All patients had echocardiography performed prior to the procedure, 2-week post-PTSMA, and 6-month post-PTSMA, and 65 patients had echocardiography repeated at 2-year follow-up. The average left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient was 67.3±7.8 mm Hg before the procedure, and 15.9±6.8 mm Hg after the procedure (p<0.05). The thickness of interventricular septum (IVS) was 23.3±5.6 mm before the procedure, 18.6±4.8 mm 2-week post-PTSMA (p<0.05), and 16.8±3.4 mm 6-month post-PTSMA in all of the patients, and 15.6±3.1 mm 2-year post-PTSMA in 65 patients. The mean width of LVOT was 6.7±2.0 mm before the procedure, 8.2±3.4 mm 2-week post-PTSMA (p<0.05), 13.7±6.3 mm 6-month post-PTSMA and 15.1±2.4 mm 2-year post-PTSMA. The incidence of right bundle branch block development post-PTSMA was 52.9%, and three patients (2.5%) had complete heart block. There was no death. Conclusions: PTSMA is a promising non-surgical procedure for symptomatic patients with HOCM because of its low risk and its significant hemodynamic, echocardiographic and clinical improvement. The significant therapeutic remodeling period was up to 6 months rather than 2 years following the procedure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Examines the intracellular distribution of cardiac endothelin-1 (ET) receptor in rat during mycocadial hypertrophy in China. Assay of ET via radioactive analysis method; Causes of myocardial hypertrophy; Components of ET.

Background: Diabetes was regarded as an independent risk factor for abnormal left heart remodeling. However, there was lacking population-based data on the relationship of glucose status with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) or left atrial enlargement (LAE). This study intended to clarify the influence of diabetes and prediabetes on the prevalence and incidence of LVH and LAE based on a northeast rural population of China.Methods: We analyzed clinical, laboratory and echocardiographic data of a total of 2824 participants aged over 35 years from a population-based prospective cohort NCRCHS study with 2 years of follow-up, which was carried out in rural areas of northeast China. All measurements were performed according to standardized protocols.Results: There were 2179 controls, 342 subjects with prediabetes and 303 ones with diabetes. The baseline distribution of LAD, IVSd, LVIDd, LVIDs, LVMI, E wave, A wave, E/A, E/e', diastolic dysfunction, LVEDV, LVESV and SV was significantly different among three groups (all Ptrend<0.05). After the adjustment for age, gender, BMI, waist circumference, heart rate, hypertension and dyslipidemia, glucose status remained associated with LVIDd and E/e' (all P < 0.05). At baseline, diabetes was independently related to the prevalence of LVH (OR = 1.53; 95%CI = 1.12-2.10; P < 0.01) and LAE (OR = 1.71; 95%CI = 1.19-2.43; P < 0.01) in the overall population, and the same significant results were also found in gender specific subgroups. During the 2-year follow-up, Cox regression models revealed that baseline diabetes had an independent association with the incidence of LAE in the total subjects (HR = 1.83; 95%CI = 1.10-3.06; P = 0.02) and females (HR = 1.90; 95%CI = 1.05-3.46; P = 0.04) after adjusting the potential confounders.Conclusion: Diabetes, but not prediabetes, is an independent predictor for the prevalence of LVH and LAE, and for the new-onset LAE, it should be considered in the assessment of diabetes and cardiac structural remodeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The role of Guanxinshutong capsule in myocardial injury is investigated. • Myocardial injury-transverse aortic constriction causes ventricular remodeling. • Guanxinshutong capsule ameliorates cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis in rats. • This study provides a guidance for the treatment of myocardial injury in clinic. Guanxinshutong capsule (GXST), which consists of five traditional Chinese medicines, has been used for a long time in China for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction. However, the effects on GXST on myocardial injury (MI) have not been studied in detail. In these experiments, we found that GXST administration decreased MI-associated ventricular remodeling (VR) with a reduction in interventricular septal thickness in diastole (IVSd), left ventricular posterior wall diameter in systole (LVPWs), and left ventricular posterior wall diameter in diastole (LVPWd) to ameliorate cardiac function and architecture, as measured by echocardiography. Furthermore, histological analysis showed that GXST could ameliorate pathological alterations in the myocardium. And Sirius red staining, wheat germ agglutinin staining and inflammation-related immunohistochemistry results showed that GXST ameliorated the fibrosis areas, cardiac hypertrophy and inflammation (IL-6 and TNF-α). In addition, GXST upregulated intercellular junction proteins (N-cad and Cx-43) and downregulated the angiogenesis-related proteins (PDGF and VEGFA), myocardial fibrosis-related proteins (TGF-β1), and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-2 and MMP-9). We also found that GXST medium-dose group (1 g/kg/d) dosage was the most efficacious. In conclusion, GXST protected cardiac tissues against MI by reducing VR, thus indicating the potential application of GXST in the treatment of MI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco Richardson) is an important commercial freshwater aquaculture species in China. To generate a new strain of yellow catfish featured with good production traits, we knocked out mstna , an orthologue of mammalian myostatin gene (Mstn) encoding a negative regulator of skeletal muscle development and growth, using zinc finger nucleases. Similar to livestock carrying mutated Mstn , the genome-edited- mstna yellow catfish grew and bred normally, and both the male and female homozygous mutants displayed double muscling phenotype with two obvious muscle mass sticking out between head and dorsal fin when they reached 1-month-old and become more obvious with growth. The body weight of mstna null yellow catfish was heavier than (1.27- to 1.37-fold of) their wild-type siblings at 80 dpf (days post fertilization) and 210 dpf, respectively. Histological analysis revealed that the mstna knockout yellow catfish had increasing muscle fiber number but decreasing muscle fiber size in the skeletal muscle. Our results demonstrated that genome editing technology is a good choice for us to breed a new strain of yellow catfish with accelerated growth and more muscle mass. • Both male and female mstna null yellow catfish display obvious double muscling phenotype. • The phenotype is featured with two obvious muscle mass sticking out the "shoulder". • The average body weight of mstna null yellow catfish is increased by 137% at 210dpf. • The mstna knockout yellow catfish have increased muscle fiber number (hyperplasia). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]