BACKGROUND: Umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCB-MSCs) have been shown to lead to new tissue formation after homing and engrafting to the heart. But the safety of UCB-MSCs engrafting remains to be further investigated. OBJECTIVE: To study the safety and apoptosis inhibition of the UCB-MSCs under co-culture conditions on human cardiomyocytes. METHODS: UCB was collected at delivery with informed consent obtained from 10 donors. The UCB-MSCs were treated with 5-azaserine to induce differentiation into cardiomyocytes. The in vitro cultured cells of the 3rd-5~(th) passages and dividing cells were taken to detect telomerase activity, tumor-related gene expression, G-banding patterns of chromosomal karyotupes, cell surface antigen expression, tumor formation in nude mice, and inhibited apoptosis under co-culture conditions. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Prior to and after 5-azaserine induction, telomerase activity and tumor-related gene expression (p53, cyclin A, cdk2, β-actin, C-fos, h-TERT, c-myc) of UCB-MSCs were similar, no abnormal chromosomal karyotupes were observed, immunophenotype exhibited no change, CD34 was negative, but CD44 and CD90 (Thy-1) were positive. At 10 weeks after inoculation of UCB-MSCs, nude mice still survived healthily and no formed tumor in vivo was observed. Hematoxylin-eosin staining suggested normal subcutaneous tissue. Compared with simple cardiomyocytes, UCB-MSCs could significantly inhibit cardiomyocyte apoptosis under co-culture conditions (P < 0.05), indicating that human UCB-MSCs are a valuable, safe, and effective source of cell transplantation treatment.

BACKGROUND:Compared with the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs),cells from the umbilical cord blood (UCB)are considered"very young",and its proliferation and differentiation cannot decrease with age.Thus,cells from UCB are a great substitute of BMSCs.OBJECTIVE:To observe the characteristics of in vitro differentiation of UCB-MSCs into cardiomyocytes.DESIGN,TIME AND SETTING:The observational experiment was performed at the Beijing Sijitan Hospital from March 2005 to February 2007.MATERIALS:Cells from UCB were collected from healthy arturients after signing the informed consent.METHODS:Mononuclear cells were isolated to further harvest MSCs.At the third passage,CD34,CD44 and CD90 were measured using immunofluorescence flow cytometry.After 4 weeks of 5-azacitidine treatment,myosin heavy chain,GATA4 and troponin 1 were identified using immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:β-myosin heavy chain,GATA4 and troponin I expression.RESULTS:UCB-MSCs showed a fibrolast-like morphology,clonally expanded after 5-azacitidine reatment.The immunophenotype of these clonally expanded cells is consistent with that reported for BMSCs.Immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction showed β-myosin heavy chain,GATA4 and troponin I expression.CONCLUSION:UCB-MSCs differentiate into cardiomyocyte-like cells,which have the characteristics of cardiomyocytes.

The problem of subacute thrombosis and restenosis iS still not being resolved with stainless steel and cobalt-chromium alloy-based drug-eluting stent fundamentally.Therefore,the bioabsorbable stent has become the focus of attention.At present,the main component of the bioabsorbable metal stent studying in clinic is magnesium alloy,including 93%magnesium,7%REE(rare-earth elements).It has a new endothelial recovery fast,low-induced thrombosis and the degradation of suitable time(2-3 months),and other advantages.The bioabsorbable coronary stent is the future direction of stent development.

Objective To study the safety and effect of the umbilical cord blood(UCB)-derived mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)on apoptosis of human cardiomyocytes(HCM). MethodsUCB was collected at the time of delivery with informed consent obtained from 10donors.The UCB-derived MSCs were treated with 5-azaserube(5-AZA)and were further induced to differentiate into cardiomyocytes.Telomerase activity,G-banding patterns of chromosomal karyotypes,tumor formation in nude mice,RT-PCR,and the effect of inhibiting apoptosis of HCM were investigated. ResultsMSCs derived from UCB were differentiated into cardiomyocytes in vitro,which possessed telomerase activity after 5-AZA induction,and no abnormal chromosomal karyotypes were observed.Expression of p53,cyclin A,cdk2,β-actin,C-fos,h-TERT and c-myc were similar in MSCs before and after 5-AZA treatment.There was no tumor formation in nude mice after injection of UCB-derived MSCs.UCB-derived MSCs significantly inhibited apoptosis of HCM. ConclusionUCB-derived MSCs are a valuable,safe and effective source of cell-transplantation treatment.

Six patients with ST segment elevated acute myocardial infarction (AMI), who were 52.5 years old in average, were enrolled and performed the treatment at Tongren Hospital from November 2003 to June 2004. Following percutanecus transluminal coronary angioplasty and stent revascularization, autologous bone marrow stem cell (BMSC) transplantation was performed after informed consent was obtained. Patients were subcutaneously injected with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) at 1 week before transplantation. When CD34+ cells going up to 1%-3% in peripheral blood, mononuclear cells in peripheral blood were harvested,purified, and further infused into the infarcted related coronary artery with an over-the-wire balloon catheter. Following up was performed every half a year. Four years later, the infarcted area of these patients was further decreased by 8.03%, in the basic descent of 42.7% at 3 months averagely; total infracted area descent was 50.73%, but ejection fraction increased by 4.6% from 50.8%. There was no serious coronary artery restenosis and/or stenosis formation which need revascularization upon angiography.

BACKGROUND:How to reduce the incidence and mortality of cardiovascular diseases is an urgent concern in the field of public health.
OBJECTIVE:To explore the influence of adenovirus-mediated NSF-siRNA release from vesoactive substance on the cardiac function of a rat model of myocardial infarction.
METHODS:A total of 36 adult Sprague-Dawley rats were applied to establish acute myocardial infarction models by ligating the anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery. After the model was determined by electrocardiogram successful y, NSF-siRNA adenovirus (experimental group), negative adenovirus (control group) and normal saline (normal saline group) were injected near the infarct area of the left ventricle of rats respectively. After 2 weeks, the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was tested with noninvasive ultrasonic cardiogram. Meanwhile, the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and maximum pressure rising speed of left ventricular (dp/dt max) were detected by connecting the right external carotid artery place pipe to the BL-420 biological function experiment system, to evaluate the cardiac function. Subsequently, the rat heart was harvested for serial sections to observe the infarcts range.

Objective To investigate whether there is a correlation between the esophageal length of the adult Chinese people and their height, sitting height, sex or age. Methods The length from the upper end of esophagus to the dentate line of the cardia was measured by watching esophageal cavity with endoscope. A total of 613 cases (378 males and 235 females) were studied. Results ① The average length of esophagus was (24.8?2.1)cm for male and (22.8?1.9)cm for female. The difference between male and female was statistically significant (P

Objective To investigate the correlation between plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) ,central aortic systolic pres-sure with the degree of coronary artery lesion .Methods One hundred and fifty patients with coronary artery disease ,positive coro-nary angiographic results and without heart failure in the cardiological department of this hospital from March to June 2011 were selected and divided into the hypertension group (n=90) and the non-hypertension group(n=60) according to the blood pressure . The plasma BNP before angiography was detected by ELISA .The coronary lesion vessels and clinical scores were assessed after an-giography .The central aortic pressure before angiography was measured by the noninvasive measurement method and the diastolic blood pressure(DBP) ,systolic blood pressure(SBP) and pulse pressure(PP)were recorded .The correlation between PP and BNP was analyzed by Logistic regression .Results The plasma BNP concentration in the hypertension group was significantly higher than that in the non-hypertension group(P<0 .05) .The SBP level in 2 vessels ,3 vessels was significantly higher than that in the momal coronary group(P<0 .05) ,the PP in 3 vessels was significantly higher than that in the momal coronary group (P<0 .05) . The BNP level in 3 vessels ,2 vessels and single vessel of coronary artery lesion was significantly higher than that in the normal cor-onary artery group(P<0 .05) .The Logistic regression analysis on the PP influencing factors found that PP was closely related with the number of coronary artery lesion vessels ,lesion score ,LVEF and BNP ;the multiple correlation coefficient between PP with the number of coronary artery lesion vessels ,lesion score and BPN was 0 .91 ,its linear model was PP=0 .543 lesion vessels number +0 .656 lesion score + 0 .864 BNP .Conclusion PP of the central aortic pressure is a risk factor for the development and progress of coronary artery stenosis occurrence .BNP may be used as a plasma marker of the degree of coronary artery stenosis .

Objective To compare the predicting values for Prognosis among Global Risk Classification (GRS),Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With TAXUS and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) score,the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) in patients who received stenting because of unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) lesion.Methods Totally 105 successive elderly patients with ULMCA lesion who received stenting were divided into 2 groups:with and without main adverse cardiac events (MACE).The clinical and angiographic characteristics were analyzed and then compared among GRC,SYNTAX score and EuroSCORE.Results As compared with none MACE group,MACE group had higher EuroSCORE score (2.0±2.3 vs.6.5±2.9,t=8.18,P=0.002),and more trivessel disease and left main bifurcation lesion (x2 =8.96,6.96,P =0.011,P =0.008).High risk GRC showed more MACE than medium or low risk GRC [55.9％ (19/34) vs.20.5％(9/44),7.4％ (2/27),x2 =19.77,P=0.001].AUC(95％CI )of GRC,SYNTAX score and EuroSCORE were [0.821 (0.730-0.912),0.586(0.462-0.709) and 0.631 (0506-0.757)],respectively.Compared with SYNTAX score and EuroSCORE,GRC was superior in the MACE predicting value (Z=3.29,2.63,P＜0.01 or P＜0.05).

According to the training requirement of the biological-psycho-social medical model to the clinical medical students,in order to promote the comprehensive improvement of medical students' professional knowledge,hands-on ability and human qualities,we design the course of introduction to clinical medicine.Through six major functional modules such as basic professional quality,clinical diagnosis basic technology,basic skills related to the operation,the new progress in clinical medicine and technology,clinical nursing and medical relationship,and medical information management,we build up the core content of integrated course of introduction to clinical medical.In this way,the clinical and related basic knowledge and skills are integrated,the clinical course is closely connected with the basic curriculum,the medical and the humanities exchanges.Through this design,the foundation is laid out for the collaborative efforts of the organ-system of integrated curriculum reform.