Objective: To study the examination of coronary sinus (CS) and blood flow by transthoracic echocardiography(TTE) and transesophageal echocardiography(TEE).Methods: Thirty patients with supraventricular tachycardia were studied by TTE and TEE. The CS was visualized using modified 4 chamber view. The position of the probe was optimized until the coronary sinus with its ostium into the right atrium could be visualized. CS flow recordings were performed by TEE with Doppler sample volume placed in the CS within a distance of no more than 10 mm from its ostium. Results: In all patients the angle between the doppler beam and the long axis of the CS was <30°. The CS was fully displayed in 18 patients by TTE and 28 patients by TEE. The length and width of the CS were (16.53±2.57) mm and (4.51±1.30) mm by TTE, (24.11±2.46) mm and (5.06±0.97) mm by TEE.The CS flow was characterized by biphasic flow.Its flow velocity was (39±7.8), (31±6.1) and (21±4.7) cm/s respectively. The CS flow velocity-imeintegral was(43±11.6),(43±13.0),(27±8.2) cm/s. Conclusion: Echocardiography is reliable for detecting CS and its flow. TTE is more feasible for detecting CS and its flow than TEE.

Objective To investigate the effects of bone mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) transplantation on neuronal nuclei (NeuN) and neurogenin 1 (Ngnl) in focal cerebral ischemic rats.Methods A total of 64 healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal (N) + phosphate-buffered solution (PBS),middle cerebral occlusion (MCAO)+ PBS,N + BMSC and MCAO + BMSC groups (n =16 in each group).A rat model was induced by the intraluminal suture method.BMSC was cultured in vitro.At 24 h after modeling,brain transplantation was conducted.Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to detect infarct volume in vivo.NeuN/DAP,Ngnl/DAPIimmunofluorescence double-labeling and Western blot were used to detect the expression of NeuN and Ngnl around ischemic brain tissue.Results On day 14 after transplantation,the T1-and T2-weighted imaging revealed that the cerebral cortex and striatum had abnormal signal areas in the rats of the MCAO group.The infarct volume of the MCAO + BMSC group was significantly less than that of the MCAO + PBS group (32.5％ ± 4.2％ vs.47.9％ ± 7.9％ ; P ＜ 0.01).Immunofluorescence doublelabeling assay showed that the numbers of cells of NeuN+/DAPI+ (976.2 ± 87.5/mm2 vs.1 908.3 ±127.8/mm2; P ＜ 0.01) and Ngn1 +/DAPI + (251.6 ± 23.1/rmm2 vs.285.1 ± 25.2/mm2 ; P ＜ 0.01) of the MCAO + PBS group were significantly less than those of the N + PBS group,but those of NeuN+/DAPI +(1 439.9 ± 101.7/mm2; P ＜ 0.01) and Ngn1 +/DAPI + (356.3 ± 35.6/mm2; P ＜ 0.01) of the MCAO + BMSC group were significantly more than the MCAO + PBS group.Western blot analysis showed that the protein expression levels of NeuN (0.69 ±0.06 vs.0.91 ±0.09; P ＜0.01) and Ngn1 (0.53 ±0.05 vs.0.62 ±0.07;P ＜0.01) of the MCAO +PBS group were significantly lower than those of the N +PBS group,but those of NeuN (0.82 ± 0.07; P ＜ 0.01) and Ngn1 (0.77 ± 0.09; P ＜ 0.01) of the MCAO + BMSC group were significantly higher than the MCAO + PBS group.Conclusions BMSC transplantation may promote the expression of NeuN and Ngn1,and alleviate MCAO caused brain injury.

Objective: To explore the blood velocity variety(BFV) of common carotid artery. Methods: BFV was detected with HDI5000 colour doppler ultrasound in 28 healthy volunteers to observe whether there was bifurcation among BFV of each section (about 6.0 cm) of common carotid artery(CCA). CCA was divided into 5 sections (1 cm) from its beginning to bifurcation. BFV was detected in each section. Influences of age, heart rate, blood pressure on BFV were observed. Results: BFV decreased gradually from its beginning to its divergence, the average decreasing value of each section BFV was 5.37 cm/s, and 4.24 cm/s, the difference between maximal and minimum BFV was 17.35 cm/s and 14.32 cm/s in right, left CCA respectively. Maximal BFV increased with age, blood pressure increased and heart rate decreased. But the change of each section BFV was not influenced by age, blood pressure and heart rate. Conclusion: The results indicate that each section BFV is not consistent in CCA, deviation is more obvious when stenosis is valued by internal carotid artery(ICA) BFV/CCA BFV, it should be valued with maximal BFV of ICA.

Objective To investigate the effect of melatonin on ketamine-induced apoptosis in hippocampal neurons of fetal rats.Methods Sixteen to eighteen day pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were anesthetized.The fetal rats were obtained under sterile condition and decapitated.The hippocampal neurons were isolated and primary cultured for 5 days.The primary cultured neurons were randomly divided into 5 groups (n =6 each):control group (group C),ketamine group (group K),and 1.0,2.5 and 5.0 mmol/L melatonin groups (groups M1-3 respectively).Ketamine with the final concentration of 1 000 μmol/L was added to the culture medium and the neurons were incubated for 3 h in group K.In groups M1-3,1.0,2.5 and 5.0 mmol/L melatonin were added to the culture medium,respectively,at 60 min before the addition of ketamine,and the neurons were incubated for 3 h.While the equal volume of normal saline was added instead in group C.The neuronal viability during the developmental phase was assessed by MTT assay.The mitochondrial membrane potential (Ψm) was measured by flow cytometry.The expression of cAMP response element binding protein phosphorylation (p-CREB (Ser133)),Bcl-2,Bax,and cytochrome C was detected by Western blot.Results Compared with group C,the neuronal viability and Ψm were significantly decreased,and the expression of p-CREB and Bcl-2 was down-regulated,while the expression of Bax and cytochrome C was up-regulated in group K (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with group K,Ψm was significantly increased in groups M2 and M3,and the neuronal viability was significantly increased,the expression of Bcl-2 was up-regulated,while the expression of Bax and cytochrome C was down-regulated in groups M1-3 (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Melatonin can protect the hippocampal neurons of fetal rats from apoptosis triggered by ketamine via regulating the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax,stabilizing Ψm,inhibiting the release of cytochrome C from mitoehondria,and preventing apoptosome formation.

BACKGROUND: Bone marrow stromal cells(BMSCs) are the ideal gene target cells and will have a bright future in the gene therapy of spinal cord injury.OBJECTIVE :To detect the expression of glial cell line - derived neurotrophic factor(GDNF) gene after BMSCs were infected by adenovirus-medialed GDNF (Adv-GDNF) in vitro and to explore its biological activity.DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial study.SETTING: Laboratory of Orthopedic DepartmentMATERIALS: The experiment was completed in the Laboratory of Orthopedic Department, Affiliated Tongji Hospital of Tong ji Meidcal College,Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Twenty-four SD rats of either gender, weighing (180 ± 20) g.INTERVENTIONS: BMSCs were infected by Adv-GDNF in vitro and then cocultured with spinal cord dorsal root ganglion. The three methods, immunofluorescent chemistry, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) were used to evaluate GDNF expression in the BMSCs. The biological activity of GDNF was observed by a phase contrast microscope.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Primary outcomes:①RT-PCR;②results of immunofluorescent chemical examination;③biological activity of GDNF in vitro. Secondary outcomes:①culturing and identification of BMSCs②time-effect relationship of GDNF expression revealed by ELISA.RESULTS: Immunofluorescence displayed expression of GDNF in BMSCs 48hours after Adv-GNDF infection. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated expression of GDNF mRNA 24 hours after Adv-GNDF infection. ELISA confirmed the presence of GDNF in the liquid supernatant of BMSCs 24 hours after Adv-GDNF infectionn and showed that GDNF was secreted. The supernatant can promote the neurite outgrowth in the rat dorsal root ganglion(DRG).CONCLUSION: It is demonstrated that BMSCs infected by Adv-GDNF can express GDNF steadily and the expressed GDNF has the activity of promoting neurite outgrowth, which lays a foundation of the GDNF gene therapy for spinal cord injury.

Objective To investigate the correlation between neural tube defects (NTDs) and DACT1 gene, and provide the basic data for disease diagnosis and genetic counseling. Methods Blood samples were obtained from 163 NTDs patients and 480 unrelated healthy individuals. Mutation detection of DACT1 gene and DNA direct sequencing was carried out by PCR amplification. Bioinformatics analysis of these mutated loci was performed. Results Six mutations were found in NTDs patients, including 4 missense mutations (p.R45W, p.D142G, p.N356K and p.V702G). But these mutations were not found in 480 healthy individuals. Three mutated amino acid residues (p.45R, p.142D and p.356N) were highly conservative in evolution, and the mutated carriers were female patients, and suffered from anencephaly. Conclusion DACT1 gene mutation may be a risk factor of NTDs in Han population of northern China.

Objective To evaluate the correlations between CT features and histopathologic subtypes of lung adenocarcinomas presenting as pure ground-glass nodules (pGGN) of 1 cm or less in maximal diameter. Methods CT appearances, pathology and clinical data of 95 patients (97 lesions) who underwent curative resection of lung adenocarcinomas presenting as pGGN≤1 cm in diameter from March 2011 to February 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Of the 97 lung adenocarcinomas, there were 19 atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH) (19.6%), 31 adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) (31.9%), 19 minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) (19.6%) and 28 invasive pulmonary adenocarcinoma (IPA) (28.9%). Fifty (51.5%) were preinvasive (AAH+AIS) and 47 (48.5%) were invasive (MIA+IPA). Lesion size and density were compared among pathologic subtypes using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Lesion size were compared between preinvasive and invasive lesions using 2?independent samples t?test. Lesion location, presence of bubble?like sign, air bronchogram, vessel changes, margin, and tumor?lung interface were compared among histopathologic subtypes using chi?square test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the cut-off point of size in discriminating preinvasive lesions from invasive lesions. Results Of the 97 lesions, there were no statistically significant differences among histopathologic subtypes in terms of lesion density, presence of bubble?like sign, air?bronchogram, and margin (P>0.05). Mean size of AAH, AIS, MIA and IPA was (0.72 ± 0.19), (0.82 ± 0.14), (0.84 ± 0.11) and (0.85 ± 0.16) cm respectively. There were statistically significant differences among histopathologic subtypes in terms of lesion size (F=3.16, P=0.028). The vessel changes occurred in 2 of AAH, 11 of AIS, 10 of MIA and 17 of IPA. There were statistically significant differences among histopathologic subtypes in terms of vessel changes (χ2=13.22, P=0.004). Lesions with clear tumor?lung interface were in 10 of AAH, 24 of AIS, 17 of MIA, and 26 of IPA. There were statistically significant differences among histopathologic subtypes in terms of tumor?lung interface (χ2=12.67, P=0.005). The optimal cutoff value of lesion size for differentiating preinvasive lesions from invasive lesions was 0.82 cm (sensitivity, 61.7%;specificity, 62.0%). Conclusion Lesion size, vessel changes, and lung?tumor interface may indicate the invasiveness of lung adenocarcinoma presenting as pGGNs of≤1 cm in diameter.

Objective To explore the predictive values of the levels of blood lipids ,liver function and estrogen for the fetal dis‐tress in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) patients .Methods The indicators of blood lipids ,liver function and estrogen of mild IPC group ,severe ICP group and control group were detected respectively ,and the results were analyzed .Results The levels of triglycerides ,total cholesterol and low‐density lipoprotein were positively related to estradiol levels .Multivariate logistic regres‐sion analysis showed that cholyglycine (OR=8 .24 ,P=0 .01) and estradiol(OR=4 .46 ,P=0 .02) were significant for prediction of fetal distress in ICP patients .Conclusion Estradiol and cholyglycine levels may be better indicators for the prediction of fetal dis‐tress in ICP patients .

This study aims to investigate the preparation process and in vitro release behavior of artesunate polylactic acid microspheres, in order to prepare an artesunate polylactic acid (PLA) administration method suitable for hepatic arterial embolization. With PLA as the material and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the emulsifier, O/W emulsion/solvent evaporation method was adopted to prepare artesunate polylactic acid microspheres, and optimize the preparation process. With drug loading capacity, encapsulation efficiency and particle size as indexes, a single factor analysis was made on PLA concentration, PVA concentration, drug loading ratio and stirring velocity. Through an orthogonal experiment, the optimal processing conditions were determined as follows: PLA concentration was 9. 0% , PVA concentration was 0. 9% , drug loading ratio was 1:2 and stirring velocity was 1 000 r x min(-1). According to the verification of the optimal process, microsphere size, drug loading and entrapment rate of artesunate polylactic acid microspheres were (101.7 +/- 0.37) microm, (30.8 +/- 0.84)%, (53.6 +/- 0.62)%, respectively. The results showed that the optimal process was so reasonable and stable that it could lay foundation for further studies.
Artemisinins ; chemistry ; Calibration ; Drug Compounding ; methods ; Lactic Acid ; chemistry ; Microspheres ; Polyesters ; Polymers ; chemistry ; Polyvinyl Alcohol ; chemistry