Aims: To investigate the value of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in diagnosing left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with hypertension. Methods: The left ventricular diastolic function and plasma BNP levels were assessed prospectively in 135 hypertensive patients. Results: The plasma BNP in patients with (n=61) and without (n=74) diastolic dysfunction was 122F105 and 18F16 pg/ml, respectively ( p<0.001). Increased BNP levels were associated with systolic blood pressure ( p<0.05), left ventricular mass index ( p<0.001), the E/A ratio of transmitral flow ( p<0.01) and the isovolumic relaxation time ( p<0.01). A receiver-operator characteristic curve showing the sensitivity and specificity of BNP against the echocardiography diagnosis of diastolic dysfunction revealed an area under the curve (accuracy) of 0.904 ( p<0.01). Using a cut-off value of >40 pg/ml, the sensitivity and specificity of plasma BNP in diagnosing left ventricular diastolic dysfunction were 79% and 92%, respectively. Conclusions: The plasma BNP levels in patients with hypertension are closely related to left ventricular hypertrophy and filling impairment. Plasma BNP may be used to facilitate the diagnosis of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.

there is a significant elevation in plasma BNP in patients with hyperthyroidism; the increase is largely due to hyperthyroidism-induced left ventricular dysfunction. Measurements of plasma BNP may help to detect heart failure in patients with clinical hyperthyroidism.

Background Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS), a common cause of diarrheal enterocolitis, may also cause severe invasive diseases. Limited information on NTS infections in children is available in China. Methods We performed a retrospective study of children admitted to the Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital with culture-confirmed NTS infections between January 2012 and December 2019. Clinical and microbiological information were collected. We compared demographic, clinical and antibiotic resistance variables of invasive NTS (iNTS) infections and non-invasive NTS (non-iNTS) infections, and explored associations between hospitalizations for pediatric NTS infections and temperature and rainfall. Results A total of 166 pediatric hospitalizations due to NTS infection were identified during the 8year study period. Most of the 166 children were <5 years old (93.4%). The primary serotype was Salmonella Typhimurium (62.6%). Of 166 children with NTS infections, 11 had invasive infection. Compared to 155 children with non-iNTS infections, we found that iNTS infections were more likely to occur in infants �6 months or children with an underlying medical condition of leukemia at admission, but iNTS infections less often presented with a symptom of diarrhea (P <0.05 in all cases). The resistance rates of non-iNTS isolates to ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, cefepime, and aztreonam were significantly higher than those of iNTS isolates (P <0.05 in all cases). In addition, compared with iNTS isolates, non-iNTS isolates were significantly associated with resistance to �4 CLSI (Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute) classes (P = 0.041, OR: 0.089, 95%

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BackgroundLapachol is a natural naphthoquinone compound that possesses extensive biological activities. The aim of this study is to investigate the inhibitory effects of lapachol on rat C6 glioma both in vitro and in vivo, as well as the potential mechanisms.MethodsThe antitumor effect of lapachol was firstly evaluated in the C6 glioma model in Wistar rats. The effects of lapachol on C6 cell proliferation, apoptosis and DNA damage were detected by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS)/ phenazinemethosulfate (PMS) assay, hoechst 33358 staining, annexin V-FITC/PI staining, and comet assay. Effects of lapachol on topoisomerase I (TOP I) and topoisomerase II (TOP II) activities were detected by TOP I and TOP II mediated supercoiled pBR322 DNA relaxation assays and molecular docking. TOP I and TOP II expression levels in C6 cells were also determined.ResultsHigh dose lapachol showed significant inhibitory effect on the C6 glioma in Wistar rats (P < 0.05). It was showed that lapachol could inhibit proliferation, induce apoptosis and DNA damage of C6 cells in dose dependent manners. Lapachol could inhibit the activities of both TOP I and II. Lapachol-TOP I showed relatively stronger interaction than that of lapachol-TOP II in molecular docking study. Also, lapachol could inhibit TOP II expression levels, but not TOP I expression levels.ConclusionThese results showed that lapachol could significantly inhibit C6 glioma both in vivo and in vitro, which might be related with inhibiting TOP I and TOP II activities, as well as TOP II expression.

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