SUMMARY: The Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis) belongs to the genus Alligator, which is a unique crocodile in China. In order to study the macroscopic structure of the heart of Chinese alligator, we performed detailed cardiac anatomy on five specimens. The heart is in the cranial mediastinum. It is caudally involved by the liver cranial margins, and ventrally by the ribs, intercostal muscles, and sternum and dorsally by the lungs. The wild Chinese alligator heart is a typical four-chamber heart, with two (right and left) atria and ventricles, left and right aorta, pulmonary artery and subclavian artery branch from the aorta. Morphology measures the circumference (129.36 mm), weight (44.14 g), and length of the heart from apex to bottom (52.50 mm). Studies have shown that the shape of the wild Chinese alligator’s heart is consistent with the anatomy of other crocodiles.

RESUMEN: El caimán chino (Alligator sinensis) pertenece al género Alligator, que es un cocodrilo único en China. Para estudiar la estructura macroscópica del corazón del caimán chino, revisamos detalladamente la anatomía cardíaca de cinco especímenes. El corazón está en el mediastino craneal. Está limitado caudalmente por los márgenes craneales del hígado, y ventralmente por las costillas, los músculos intercostales y el esternón, y dorsalmente por los pulmones. El corazón de cocodrilo chino salvaje es un corazón típico de cuatro cámaras, con dos atrios y dos ventrículos (derecho e izquierdo), aortas izquierda y derecha, arteria pulmonar y rama de la arteria subclavia de la aorta. La morfología mide la circunferencia (129,36 mm), el peso (44,14 g) y la longitud del corazón desde el ápice hasta la base (52,50 mm). Los estudios han demostrado que la forma del corazón del caimán chino salvaje es consistente con la anatomía de otros cocodrilos.

RESUMO Introdução: Estudos mostram que diferentes tipos de exercício aeróbico podem diminuir a pressão sanguínea de pacientes com hipertensão essencial; o mesmo é verdade para exercícios de resistência adequados. Objetivo: Estudar o impacto dos esportes na hipertensão em escolas secundárias e universidades. Métodos: Selecionou-se diversos pacientes com hipertensão em escolas secundárias e universidades, que foram aleatoriamente divididos em dois grupos. Um grupo (grupo terapia medicamentosa exclusiva) usou medicamentos anti-hipertensivos convencionais (nifedipino), enquanto o outro (grupo atividade física) utilizou atividades físicas como complemento à medicação. Realizou-se uma análise comparativa da pressão dos dois grupos de pacientes. Resultados: O esporte teve efeito evidente sobre os pacientes hipertensos, gerando diferenças significativas na pressão sanguínea entre os dois grupos. Conclusão: O esporte pode ajudar a tratar a hipertensão. O método utilizado é viável para aplicação clínica. Nível de evidência II; Estudos terapêuticos – investigação de resultados de tratamento.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Studies have shown that different forms of aerobic exercise can lower blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension. Appropriate resistance exercises can also effectively lower blood pressure. Objective: To study the impact of sports on hypertension in colleges and universities. Methods: Several hypertension patients in colleges and universities were selected and randomly divided into two groups. One group (drug-only group) used conventional antihypertensive drugs (nifedipine), while the other (physical exercise group) supplemented drug therapy with physical exercise. There was a comparative analysis of the blood pressure of the two groups of patients. Results: The was a clear effect of sports on the hypertensive patients, with significant differences in the blood pressure reduction of the two groups. Conclusion: Sports can help treat high blood pressure. This method is viable for clinical application. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment results.

RESUMEN Introducción: Estudios muestran que diferentes tipos de ejercicio aeróbico pueden disminuir la presión sanguínea de pacientes con hipertensión esencial; lo mismo es verdad para ejercicios de resistencia adecuados. Objetivo: Estudiar el impacto de los deportes en la hipertensión en escuelas secundarias y universidades. Métodos: Se seleccionaron diversos pacientes con hipertensión en escuelas secundarias y universidades, que fueron aleatoriamente dividididos en dos grupos. Un grupo (grupo de terapia medicamentosa exclusiva) usó medicamentos anti-hipertensivos convencionales (nifedipino), mientras que el otro (grupo actividad física) utilizó actividades físicas como complemento a la medicación. Se realizó un análisis comparativo de la presión de los dos grupos de pacientes. Resultados: El deporte tuvo efecto evidente sobre los pacientes hipertensos, generando diferencias significativas en la presión sanguínea entre los dos grupos. Conclusión: El deporte puede ayudar a tratar la hipertensión. El método utilizado es viable para aplicación clínica. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudiantes terapéuticos – investigación de resultados de tratamiento.

Abstract To investigate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of Astragali Radix-Corni Fructus herb-pair in kidney-yin deficiency model, which was made by continuously oral gavage of thyroxine. A simple and rapid LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the determination of loganin and morroniside in rat plasma and used for the pharmacokinetics study. The kidney-yin deficiency significantly changed the AUC(0-∞), Cmax and CLz/F of loganin and morroniside. The T1/2z of morroniside increased significantly in the kidney-yin deficiency rats. For the pharmacodynamics study, the liver index, kidney index, and ALT, TBIL, UREA, CREA level in the kidney-yin deficiency mice were examined. The herb-pair had been proved to be effective for the treatment of kidney-yin deficiency by affecting the liver, kidney, ALT, UREA and CREA, which showed positively correlated with the dose. The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics studies in the pathological status could offer more valuable information for the future application of Astragali Radix-Corni Fructus herb-pair.

Reparação endovascular de aorta torácica para dissecção aórtica é reconhecida como um tratamento eficaz. Relatamos o caso de um homem de 72 anos de idade, com dissecção aórtica tipo B de Stanford. A endoprótese e oclusor duplo disco vascular foi usado para reparar as rupturas primária e de re-entrada, respectivamente. Aos três meses de pós-operatório, angiotomografia computadorizada não revelou vazamentos, o oclusor e a endoprótese vascular estavam em posições melhores, a falsa luz foi quase completamente trombosada, e as artérias viscerais estavam patentes. Esse caso demonstra que o tratamento de rupturas na re-entrada com endoprótese vascular após reparos proximais primários é viável.

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair for aortic dissections is recognized as an effective treatment. We herein report the case of a 72-year-old male with a Stanford type B aortic dissection. A stent-graft and double-disk vascular occluder was used to repair the primary and re-entry tears, respectively. At 3 month postoperatively, computed tomographic angiography revealed no endoleaks, the stent-graft and vascular occluder to be in optimal positions, the false lumen was almost completely thrombosed, and the visceral arteries were patent. This case illustrates that it is feasible to treat re-entry tears with a vascular occluder after primary proximal stent-graft repairs.

OBJECTIVE: The diagnostic efficacy of the BDProbeTEC ET Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) complex direct detection assay (DTB) performed on bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens and sputum smears was compared with acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear microscopy. METHOD: AFB smear microscopy, DTB and culture results of 286 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 120 patients provided expectorated sputum samples, and 166 patients provided BAL specimens. Culture results and clinical diagnosis were used as gold standards. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of the DTB assay in detecting MTB in sputum specimens was significantly higher compared to AFB smear microscopy (83.7% and 82.4%, vs. 75.6%, and 41.2%, respectively). The sensitivity and specificity of the DTB assay in detecting MTB in sputum samples was 77.2% and 100% compared to clinical diagnosis, while AFB smear had a sensitivity and specificity of 70.3% and 26.3%, respectively. Compared to culture, DTB had a sensitivity and specificity of 82.8% and 93.2%, respectively, in detecting MTB from BAL specimens; AFB smear had a sensitivity and specificity of 41.9% and 87.7%, respectively. Compared to clinical diagnosis, DTB had a sensitivity and specificity of 67.2% and 100%, respectively, in detecting MTB from BAL specimens; AFB smear had a sensitivity and specificity of 34.8% and 79.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The superior performance of the DTB assay relative to AFB smear microscopy makes it a valuable tool to enable early diagnosis of MTB, thereby improving patient care and reducing transmission.