Objective To evaluate the clinical value of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) on minimally invasive surgical closure of heart septal defects. Methods Thirty-four patients with atrial septal defect (ASD) and 38 patients with ventricular septal defect(VSD) were selected by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) prepared for minimally invasive surgical closure. TEE was performed to choose appropriate occluder and guide occluder release during the procedure. The immediate closure effect also evaluated by using TEE. A week follow-up was done by using TTE. Results Successful occlusion was in 32 patients with ASD and 29 patients with VSD. On 1 week follow-up,neither displacement for the occluders nor residual shunt except minimal residual shunt in 3 patients. The ventrieular remodeling was improved, the valvular regurgitation and pulmonary arterial pressure decreased. Conclusions TEE is important in minimally invasive surgical closure of atrial, ventricular septal defects, especially in choosing the candidate for the procedure and occluder, guiding occluder released and evaluating the procedure.

Objective To refrain the medical costs from out-of-control increase, and identify a per-disease payment mode suitable for New-CMS.Methods Case studies were conducted on all the data of five diseases in the course of three years, in a field study of the pilot counties for NRCMS in Anhui Province.Results This system of per-disease "pay by segmentation and quota" is composed of five parts: choice of diseases, measurement of payment criteria, method of settlement, method of compensation, and methods of supervision.Conclusion This system is an effective way to keep the medical costs in the NRCMS under control, given an effective play of the five supportive measures including the clinical pathways for individual diseases.

Objective To evaluate the usefulness of real-time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (RT-3D TEE) in the perventricular device occlusion of the ventricular septal defect (VSD).Methods Sixty patients underwent perventricular device occlusion of VSD were divided into two groups.Group A:30 patients,3D images of VSD were obtained intraoperatively by RT-3D TEE.3D images were analyzed and the maximal and minimum area and maximal diameter of VSD were measured in the cardiac cycle.The size of selected VSD occluder was the diameter calculated from the maximal area based on the formula πD2/4 and plus 1～2 mm.Simultaneously,two dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (2D TEE) images of VSD were obtained and measured on standard views.Group B:other 30 patients,intraoperative 2D TEE was performed to measure the diameter of VSD on standard views.The selection VSD occluder was based on the maximal diameter plus 1～2 mm.Results The VSDs shape showed oval,class round and irregular by RT-3D TEE imaging.There was a significant difference between the maximal area and smallest area of VSD appeared in the cardiac cycle obtained by RT-3D TEE (P<0.01).There was a significant difference between the maximal diameter by measurement of RT-3D TEE and 2D TEE (P<0.01).Of all 30 patients with evaluation of VSD size based on the RT-3D TEE,1.1 times attempts of device occlusion were performed on one patient (33/30).Of the other 30 cases with evaluation of VSD size by 2D TEE,2 cases were failed with device occlusion because of instant residual shunt.Of the remaining 28 cases,1.43 attempts of device occlusion were performed on one patient (40/28).Conclusions RT-3D TEE can accurately reveal the size of VSD,and aid in the selection of VSD occluder in the device occluding procedure of VSD.

Abdominal Neoplasms ; complications ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Adult ; Dendritic Cell Sarcoma, Follicular ; complications ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Humans ; Ki-1 Antigen ; metabolism ; Leukocytosis ; complications ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Receptors, Complement 3b ; metabolism ; Receptors, Complement 3d ; metabolism ; Young Adult

Adolescent ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; Killer Cells, Natural ; pathology ; Leukocyte Common Antigens ; analysis ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; genetics ; immunology ; Male ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; genetics

To investigate the role of volatile components in the compound and to find the substance foundation of Gualou Guizhi decoction (GLGZD) for curing extremities spasticity after stroke. The chemical compositions of essential oil, obtained by hydrodistillation from Gualou Guizhi decoction and its major constituting herbs (Trichosanthis Radix, Paeoniae Alba Radix, Cinnamomi Ramulus, Zingiberis Recens Rhizoma, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Ziziphi Jujubae Fructus) were analyzed by GC-MS to evaluate the correlativity between volatile components of GLGZD and its major constituting herbs, and volatile components after oral administration of GLGZD in the rats' brain. Volatile components of GLGZD are mainly derived from Cinnamomi Ramulus, Zingiberis Recens Rhizoma, Ziziphi Jujubae Fructus, Trichosanthis Radix. The volatile components in the brain is mostly derived from radix trichosanthis. Compared with individual herbs of GLGZD, the dissolution of the components increase or new components appear after compatibility of six herbs. Adminstrated with GLGZD, the results point out that volatile components in the brain play a neuroprotective role through passing the brain.
Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Volatile Organic Compounds ; chemistry ; pharmacology

Mechanical environment seems to be one of the most important surviving environment for vessel conduit and vascular endothelial cells(ECs), while adhesion is one of the most important physical characteristics of ECs. In this study, Flow chambers of steady laminar and turbulent flow are made and improved. Different flow-derived VCAM-1, ICAM-1 expressions are detected by laser confocal microscope. Spacial and temporal curves of the adhesion molecules are protracted. In laminar flow, expression of VCAM-1 is dramatically elevated, whereas the expression of ICAM-1 is transiently elevated and it immediately falls back to the baseline. In turbulent flow, expression of VCAM-1 declines, while expression of ICAM-1 slowly rises to a peak. These results indicate that such pathological flow field as turbulence exerts different influence on the adhesion of vascular ECs from laminar flow, and turbulence could be one of the most important reasons of the ECs structural and functional lesion.
Cell Adhesion ; Cells, Cultured ; Endothelium, Vascular ; cytology ; metabolism ; Epithelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; biosynthesis ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Stress, Mechanical ; Umbilical Veins ; cytology ; Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 ; biosynthesis

Objective To evaluate the effect of various iterative reconstruction methods on phase analysis of gated myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). Methods Thirty consecutive patients scanned by the Philips CardioMD system were recruited into this study. The gated SPECT (GSPECT) data were reconstructed with filtered backprojection (FBP),maximum likelihood expectation maximization (MLEM),three-di-mensional (3D) resolution recovery MLEM (AST),attenuation corrected (AC) MLEM,AC and 3D Monte Carlo scatter corrected (ACSC) MLEM methods. Parameters of left ventricular ( LV ) dyssynchrony ( phase standard deviation and histogram bandwidth) were measured using the software SyncTool. Paired t-test was used to compare the differences of the LV dyssynchrony indices between FBP and MLEM,AC MLEM,ACSC MLEM,AST respectively. Results The phase standard deviations of stress GSPECT MPI for FBP,MLEM,AC MLEM,ACSC MLEM,and AST were 11.6°,10.9°,11.2°,11.6°,11.4° respectively;while the histogram bandwidths were 35.7°,34.3°,35.1°,36.9°,35. 1 ° respectively. The phase standard deviations of rest GSPECT MPI for FBP,MLEM,AC MLEM,ACSC MLEM and AST were 15.2°,14. 5°,15.4° ,15. 4°,14.8° respectively; while the histogram bandwidths were 47.3°,46.4°,46.4° ,47.9°,46.1 ° respectively. No statistical significance was observed between the FBP and various iterative reconstruction methods for both the stress and rest GSPECT MPI study (t:-1. 179 to 1.554,P＞0.05 forall). Conclusion The standard FBP reconstruction method is accurate enough for the measurement of LV dyssynchrony indices using the widely used clinical software SyncTool.

OBJECTIVETo establish the testis transplantation model in rats and to study the mechanism of graft injury.

METHODSThe testis orthotopic transplantation model was established using three-cuff method. The animals were divided into 6 groups. Serum levels of testosterone (T), luteining hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Morphology and ultrastructure were examined by light and electron microscopy. Expression of Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) mRNA was studied by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique.

RESULTOn the 7th day postoperatively, the allotransplanted testes showed perivascular massive infiltration of lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) and reduced number of the sertoli cells under light microscopy. It also showed the broken blood-testis barrier, the atrophy of the sertoli cells and spermatogenic cells arranged in disorder under electron microscopy. The decline of serum T level and the increase of serum LH and FSH levels were similar to those found in bilateral castrates. The levels of GDNFmRNA expression were lower than those in normal controls. On 14th day postoperatively, the spermatogenesis of allotransplanted testes was still not recovered and the expression of GDNFmRNA declined further.

CONCLUSIONThe atrophy and reduced number of the sertoli cells and the breakage of the close connection probably are the main causes of dysfunction of spermatogenesis. The decline of GDNFmRNA expression is in accordance with the dysfunction of the sertoli cells and the spermatogenesis.

Animals ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Models, Animal ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred Lew ; Rats, Wistar ; Sertoli Cells ; ultrastructure ; Spermatogenesis ; physiology ; Testis ; transplantation ; ultrastructure ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of growth hormone (GH) on penile erection after reconstruction of cavernous nerves using sural nerve as an interposition nerve graft in rats.

METHODSTwenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats (3-4 ms of age and 300-400 g in weight) were randomly divided into 2 groups: nerve graft group and GH group, each electrostimulated to determine the erectile potency 2 and 4 months after nerve graft (followed by hypodermic GH injection). The nNOS-positive nerve fibers in the corpora cavemosa were examined by streptavidin-peroxidase immunohistochemistry technique (SP method). Image analysis was used to calculate the area stained in pixel.

RESULTSElectrostimulation at 2 months produced 31.25% of erections in the GH group but none in the grafted rats. There was a significant difference in the erection rate produced by electrostimulation between the two groups at 2 months (P < 0.05). The pixel of the expression of nNOS-positive nerve fibers in the GH group (38971 +/- 7692) was also greater than that of the graft group (16538 +/- 3179, P < 0.05). At 4 months, 43.75% of the graft group and 75% of the GH group produced erections upon electrostimulation, with no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). The pixels of the expression of nNOS-positive nerve fibers were 79276 +/- 12,021 and 91348 +/- 18965, respectively (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONGH can accelerate the regeneration of cavernous nerves after bilateral nerve grafting, and GH administration may present a new physiological approach to the treatment of erectile dysfunction after radical pelvic surgery.

Animals ; Growth Hormone ; pharmacology ; Male ; Nerve Regeneration ; drug effects ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; analysis ; Penile Erection ; drug effects ; Penis ; enzymology ; innervation ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sural Nerve ; transplantation