Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics and follow-up data of catheter ablation of recurrent atrial tachycardias (ATs) after Mini-Maze surgery,and to explore prognostic factors for recurrence.Methods 59 patients in Guangdong General Hospital with ATs post Mini-Maze and concomitant open-heart surgery from April.2010 to June.2015 were included.According to high density precise mapping,activation mapping,voltage mapping and entrainment mapping,they underwent electrophysiological study and ablation which was guided by three-dimensional mapping system.All patients were followed up regularly.We explored the prognostic factors for recurrence by the Cox regression analysis.Results There were 88 types of ATs being mappedwith mean (1.49 ± 0.75) types of ATs identified per case.Most ATs were macro-reentry ATs(67/88,76.1％)and focal ATs (20/88,22.7％),respectively.56 patients (94.9％) achieved immediate ablation success.In a mean follow-up of (30.8 ± 17.7) months,recurrences were observed in 12 patients after the first time catheter ablation.Recurrent time was 3.5 (1.3,12.0) months and the overall ablation success rate was 74.6％ (44/59).6 patients received second ablation and the achievement of freedom from arrhythmias reached 79.7％ (47/59).Multivariate analysis showed that the LA diameter was the independent predictor for recurrence (HR 1.108,95％ CI 1.002 to 1.226,P =0.045).Conclusion Catheter ablation of ATs post Mini-Maze with concomitant surgery is save and feasible.LA diameter is the independent predictor for recurrence.

Purpose MRI is one of the most effective methods in examining anterior cruciate ligament (ACL),but probability of misdiagnose and missed diagnosis still might exist.This research aims to investigate the effect of oblique coronal MRI views in individualized bent-knee position on the imaging findings of ACL.Materials and Methods Seventy healthy volunteers recruited by the Third Xiangya Hospital,Central South University from September 2016 to March 2017 were involved in this prospective study.3-T MRI combined with independently designed knee joint dynamic imaging auxiliary instrument was employed to perform a dynamic scan in the sagittal plane;the optimal bentknee angle with ACL basically in straight layers (angle of the individualized bent-knee position) was measured.Afterwards,oblique coronal MRI views (PDWI+FS) in both regular extended-knee position and individualized bent-knee position were conducted.And their separate effects on ACL imaging findings in oblique coronal MRI views were compared.Results Oblique coronal MRI scan in extended-knee position and individualized bent-knee position were 92.9％ (65/70) and 45.7％ (32/70) respectively in displaying the imaging of the whole ACL.The former outperformed the latter,and the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.001).Conclusion In contrast to oblique coronal MRI scan in extended-knee position,the scan in individualized bent-knee position elevates the performance of whole ACL imaging.

BACKGROUND:Studies have found that activation of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxidase-1(Nrf2/HO-1)pathway can alleviate oxidative stress caused by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury,but whether human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(hBMSC)can activate Nrf2/HO-1 pathway to alleviate cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury is still lacking relevant studies. OBJECTIVE:To investigate whether intracranial transplantation of hBMSC alleviates oxidative stress injury in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion animal models by activating Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. METHODS:Totally 40 male SPF SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group,model group,hBMSC transplantation group,hBMSC+solvent group and hBMSC+Nrf2 inhibitor group.Each group consisted of eight animals.In the model group and the hBMSC transplantation group,middle cerebral artery occlusion model was prepared by thread embolization method.The thread embolization was removed 1 hour later,and 30 μL PBS or hBMSC cultured to at least passage 5 was injected into the right cortex and striatum of rats.In the hBMSC+Nrf2 inhibitor group and hBMSC+solvent group,the left ventricle was injected with Nrf2 inhibitor Brusatol and its solvent dimethyl sulfoxide respectively 24 hours before model establishment,then the middle cerebral artery occlusion model was prepared,and hBMSC was injected.Relevant indexes were detected 3 days after transplantation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)CT and TTC staining showed the same area and volume of cerebral infarction:model group>hBMSC+Nrf2 inhibitor group>hBMSC+solvent group>hBMSC transplantation group>sham operation group.(2)Hematoxylin-eosin staining and Nissl's staining showed that the ischemic brain tissue was intact and the neurons were normal in the sham operation group.Compared with the model group,the pathological morphology and neuronal injury of the hBMSC transplantation group and the hBMSC+solvent group were significantly improved.Compared with the hBMSC+solvent group,the hBMSC+Nrf2 inhibitor group had more serious pathological morphology and neuronal damage.(3)Western blot assay and oxidative stress index detection results showed that compared with the sham operation group,Nrf2 and HO-1 proteins were decreased(all P<0.05),malondialdehyde was increased and superoxide dismutase was decreased(all P<0.05)in the model group.Compared with the model group,the expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 proteins were increased(all P<0.05),malondialdehyde was decreased and superoxide dismutase was increased(all P<0.05)in the hBMSC transplantation group and the hBMSC+solvent group.Compared with the hBMSC+solvent group,the expression levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 proteins were simultaneously decreased(all P<0.05),and malondialdehyde was increased and superoxide dismutase was decreased(all P<0.05)in the hBMSC+Nrf2 inhibitor group.(4)These results indicate that hBMSC can alleviate cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury possibly by activating Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of blocking the activation of ERK pathway on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and the formation of cerebral edema in SD rats after brain injury. METHODS: Ninety SD rats were randomly divided into 3 equal groups, including a sham-operated group, modified Feeney's traumatic brain injury model group, and ERK inhibition group where the ERK inhibitor SCH772984 (500 μg/kg) was injected via the femoral vein 15 min before brain trauma. At 2 h and 2 days after brain trauma, the permeability of blood-brain barrier was assessed by Evans blue method, the water content of the brain tissue was determined, and the phosphorylation level of ERK and the expression level of MMP-9 mRNA and protein were measured by RT-PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the sham-operated group, the rats with brain trauma exhibited significantly increased level of ERK phosphorylation at 2 h and significantly increased expression of MMP-9 mRNA and protein 2 days after the injury ( < 0.01). Treatment with the ERK inhibitor significantly decreased the phosphorylation level of ERK after the injury ( < 0.01), suppressed over-expression of MMP-9 mRNA and protein 2 days after the injury ( < 0.01). The permeability of blood-brain barrier increased significantly 2 h after brain trauma ( < 0.05) and increased further at 2 days ( < 0.01); the water content of the brain did not change significantly at 2 h ( > 0.05) but increased significantly 2 d after the injury ( < 0.01). Treatment with the ERK inhibitor significantly lowered the permeability of blood-brain barrier and brain water content after brain trauma ( < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Blocking the activation of ERK pathway significantly reduced the over-expression of MMP-9 and alleviates the damage of blood-brain barrier and traumatic brain edema, suggesting that ERK signaling pathway plays an important role in traumatic brain edema by regulating the expression of MMP-9.
Animals ; Brain Edema ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Brain Injuries, Traumatic ; complications ; drug therapy ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; drug effects ; Indazoles ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; drug effects ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; genetics ; Piperazines ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of blocking the activation of ERK pathway on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and the formation of cerebral edema in SD rats after brain injury. METHODS: Ninety SD rats were randomly divided into 3 equal groups, including a sham-operated group, modified Feeney's traumatic brain injury model group, and ERK inhibition group where the ERK inhibitor SCH772984 (500 μg/kg) was injected via the femoral vein 15 min before brain trauma. At 2 h and 2 days after brain trauma, the permeability of blood-brain barrier was assessed by Evans blue method, the water content of the brain tissue was determined, and the phosphorylation level of ERK and the expression level of MMP-9 mRNA and protein were measured by RT-PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the sham-operated group, the rats with brain trauma exhibited significantly increased level of ERK phosphorylation at 2 h and significantly increased expression of MMP-9 mRNA and protein 2 days after the injury ( < 0.01). Treatment with the ERK inhibitor significantly decreased the phosphorylation level of ERK after the injury ( < 0.01), suppressed over-expression of MMP-9 mRNA and protein 2 days after the injury ( < 0.01). The permeability of blood-brain barrier increased significantly 2 h after brain trauma ( < 0.05) and increased further at 2 days ( < 0.01); the water content of the brain did not change significantly at 2 h ( > 0.05) but increased significantly 2 d after the injury ( < 0.01). Treatment with the ERK inhibitor significantly lowered the permeability of blood-brain barrier and brain water content after brain trauma ( < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Blocking the activation of ERK pathway significantly reduced the over-expression of MMP-9 and alleviates the damage of blood-brain barrier and traumatic brain edema, suggesting that ERK signaling pathway plays an important role in traumatic brain edema by regulating the expression of MMP-9.
Animals ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Brain Edema ; Brain Injuries, Traumatic ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley