Objective To explore the preliminarily clinical value of strain rate parameters using velocity vector imaging (VVI) evaluating left ventricular regional endocardial systolic function in patients with coronary artery heart disease (CAD).Methods A total of eight six inner subjects who were suspected as CAD was enrolled in the study.Patients with the vascular stenosis rate ≥ 50％ were defined as the CAD group,patients with the vascular stenosis rate ＜ 50％ were defined as the coronary atherosclerosis group,and patients with the completely normal angiographic results were included in the control group,according to the results of angiography.The left ventricular endocardial systolic strain rate parameters of VVI were obtained in standard long axis views (apical two,three,and four-chamber view) and short axis views (at the level of the mitral valve,papillary muscles,and apex).The strain rate parameters were global longitudinal endocardial systolic strain rate in the apical two,three,and four-chamber views (A2-GLSRs,A3-GLSRs,and A4-GLSRs),global radial endocardial systolic strain rate in short axis view of the mitral valve level,papillary muscles,and apex (MV-GRSRs,PM-GRSRs,and AP-GRSRs),and global circumferential endocardial systolic strain rate in short axis view of the mitral valve level,papillary muscles,and apex (MV-GCSRs,PM-GCSRs,and AP-GCSRs).The parametric differences were compared among three groups.Results All the subjects included in the present study had normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and there was no significant difference in LVEF across three groups.Compared to other groups,the control group had significantly higher E/A ratio.The LV endocardial systolic strain rate parameters were all significantly reduced in the CAD group compared to the control group and the coronary atherosclerosis group (all P ＜ 0.05).Compared to the control group[(-1.37 ± 0.25)/s],the coronary atherosclerosis group [(-1.12 ± 0.42)/s] had significantly lower MV-GCSRs (P ＜0.01).Conclusions VVI is useful for quantitative assessment of the left ventricular systolic function in CAD.MV-GCSRs might have the potential to predict early left ventricle (LV) systolic dysfunction in subjects with coronary artery stenosis ＜ 50％.

Immobilization conditions of Candida tropicalis to be absorbed in polyurethane foam carrier materials were studied on the xylitol production from corn hemicellulosic hydrolysate. Optimum batch-fermentation conditions were as follows: inoculum amount, 7% (volume ratio); polyurethane foam quantity, 1.0 g/100 mL; 30?C; initial pH, 6.0. Shaking speed was divided into two-phase to accommodate the dissolved oxygen, with 200 r/min at 0~24 h and 150 r/min at 24 h~46 h. The immobilized cells on polyurethane foam carrier have high density and good resistance to inhibitors in the hydrolysates. Average xylitol yield and volumetric productivity of polyurethane foam immobilized fermentation were much higher than the fermentation without immobilization. Corn cob hydrolysates can be directly biotransformed to xylitol without decoloration or ion-exchange treatment. This process can effectively reduce production costs, and it shows broad prospects of applications. Average xylitol yield was 67.6% and xylitol volumetric productivity was 1.92 g/(L?h).

Background Fibrin glue has been utilized to adhere the graft during the pterygium excision with conjunctival autografts.Several relevant clinical randomized controlled trial(RCT) and retrospective studies have been published abroad,but the samples for its effectiveness and safety issue of fibrin glue and suture are still underinvestigation.Objective Current study was to quantificationally assess the efficacy and safety of fibrin glue versus sutures in the application of pterygium excision with conjunctival autografts.Methods Based on established search strategy,a computerized literature search was conducted to identify all citations concerning the RCT for effectiveness and safety evaluation of fibrin glue and suture for the graft fixation during the pterygium excision with conjunctival autografts from MEDLINE ( from 2000 to October,2010 ),EMbase ( from 2000 to October,2010 ),Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials ( Issue 4,2010 ),CBMdisc ( 2000 to October 2010 ),CNKI ( 2000 to October 2010 ),and the relevant conference proceedings and references searched by hand was performed as supplement.The included literature was scored with Jadad table.The Cochrane Collaboration' s RevMan 5.0 software was used for the test of heterogeneity or test for overall effect.The effective indexes,such as operative duration,recurrence rate and complication,were evaluated by Meta analysis.Results Six RCTs involving 401 eyes of 377 participants were identified.These literatures were published with English in 2004-2010 from China,New Zealand,Sweden,Israel,Turkey and Malasia and the Jadad scores were 4-5.The quantitatively analysis revealed that fibrin glue appeared to short the operative time compared with suturing method (MD =14.23 ;95％ CI:- 16.18- 12.29;P=0.00) and drop the rate of recurrence ( RR =0.49,95％ CI:0.26 -0.95 ; P =0.03 ).No significant differences were found in the rate of postoperative graft dehiscence or absence (RR =3.41,95 ％ CI:0.85-13.68;P =0.08 ).Conclusions Fibrin glue shows the good effectiveness and easy application during the pterygium excision with conjunctival autografts.Long-term follow-up of multi-central RCTs with a larger number of cases are still needed to support this conclusion.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect and mechanism of hirudin on atherosclerotic plaques in apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE(-/-)) mice.

METHODSTotally 24 ApoE(-/-) mice, 7-8 weeks old were fed with high fat diets. They were randomly divided into the recombinant hirudin treatment group (drug group) and the model group according to body weight and different dens, 12 in each group. Twelve C57BL/6J mice, 7-8 weeks old fed with high fat diet were recruited as the normal control group. Recombinant hirudin (0.25 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected to mice in the drug group from the 10th week old once every other day for five successive weeks. Equal volume of normal saline was injected to mice in the model group. Mice in the normal control group received no treatment. All mice were sacrificed after fed with high fat diet until they were 20 weeks old. Serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), E-selectin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and stromal metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) were detected. The plaque/lumen area and extracellular lipid composition/ plaque area were analyzed by HE staining and morphometry. Changes of signaling molecules in store-operated calcium channels, including stromal interacting molecule 1 (STIM1), Orail protein, and transient receptor potential channel 1 (TRPC1) were determined by Western blot. Results Lipid plaque formed in the aorta vessel wall of 20-week old mice in the model group. Compared with the normal control group, serum levels of TC, TG and LDL increased (P<0.01), hs-CRP, E-selction, IL-6, and MMP-2 obviously increased (P<0.01, P<0.05) in the model group; expression levels of STIM1, TRPC1, and Orail significantly increased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the plaque/lumen area and the extracellular lipid composition/plaque area significantly decreased in the drug group (P<0.05, P<0.01); serum levels of TC and LDL, hs-CRP, E-selction, IL-6, and MMP-2 obviously decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01); expression levels of STIM1, TRPC1, and Orail were significantly down-regulated (P<0.05, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONHirudin could significantly improve lipids and endothelial functions of ApoE(-/-) mice, down-regulate expression levels of STIM1, Orai1, and TRPC1, and thus delaying the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis.

Animals ; Aorta ; Apolipoproteins E ; metabolism ; Atherosclerosis ; C-Reactive Protein ; Cholesterol ; Diet, High-Fat ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; E-Selectin ; Hirudins ; metabolism ; Interleukin-6 ; Lipids ; Lipoproteins, HDL ; Lipoproteins, LDL ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Knockout ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; metabolism ; Recombinant Proteins ; metabolism ; Triglycerides

Objective To evaluate the safety of coronary intervention using iodixanol in patients with diabetic renal insufficiency.Methods Clinical data of 97 patients with diabetic renal insufficiency undergoing coronary intervention during June 2004 to June 2006 were retrospectively analyzed,50 of them with iodixanol,an iso-osmolar contrast medium (iodixanol group),and 47 with iopromide,a hypotanic contrast medium (iopromide group).Judkin's coronary angiography showed 167 diseased vessels in the patients,65 in anterior descending branches,44 in circumflex branches,and 58 in right coronary arteries. Levels of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen were determined before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI),on the day of the procedure,the 3rd and 7th days after PCI,respectively,as well as radiocontrast media-induced nephropathy (CIN) was observed.Results Totally,192 drug-eluting stents were successfully implanted in 167 diseased vessels,and all patients' angina pectoris symptom disappeared soon after the procedure,with a full success.No acute or subacute stent thrombosis and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) occurred.Two patients (4%) in iodixanol group and 10 (21%) in iopromide group got CIN,with a statistical significance (P

Objective: The current study was designed to evaluate the clinical application of radioimmunoimaging(RII) for lymph node metastasis in esophageal carcinoma. Methods:1)131I was used to label McAb G9(specific to cellular membrane antigen of human esophageal carcinoma) and form labeling compound 131I-G9. Administration of 131I-G9 in esophagus submucosally with a specific injector for the purpose of submucosal injection via endoscopies in preoperative patients with squamous cell carcinoma of thoracic esophagus followed by RII. 2)The samples of dissected lymph node were used for detection of radioactivity. Results: 1)The pictures at 48 h showed that small radioactivity concentrated dots appeared dispersedly in mediastinum and upper abdomen around esophagus and cardiac gastric. The lymph nodes were considered metastatic in above regions. 2)The pathological results of the lymph nodes dissected compared to the RII result. The metastatic lymph nodes were found in the regions of dispersedly concentrated radioactivity, while no metastatic lymph nodes could be found in the radioactivity free regions. 3)After counting for radioactivity, lymph node metastases showed higher antibody uptake than the non-metastases lymph nodes. The difference was statistically significant. Conclusion: 131I-G9 may be used to locate metastatic lymph nodes in patients with esophageal carcinoma.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on collagen phagocytosis of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (hPDLF).

METHODSFluorescence localization and flow cytometry was used to test the collagen phygocytosis of hPDLF stimulated by the various concentration of LPS for 48 hours in vitro.

RESULTSThe collagen phygocytosis of hPDLF was increased significantly by 0.1 microg/mL LPS (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThis study indicates that P. gingivalis LPS may enhance the degradation of collagen by stimulating the phagocytic activity of the hPDLF in periodontitis.

Collagen ; Fibroblasts ; Gingiva ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Periodontal Ligament ; Periodontitis ; Phagocytosis ; Porphyromonas gingivalis

OBJECTIVE: To develop a rapid screening method for xenoestrogens and to screen the estrogenicity of some environmental chemicals. METHODS: The E-SCREEN test was developed based on proliferation of human breast cancer cells (MCF-7), and the estrogenicity of diethylstilbestrol, 4-hydrotamoxifen and endosulfan was assessed. RESULTS: The E-SCREEN detected estradiol at very low concentration as 1x10(-13) mol/L. It was found that diethylstilbestrol was a full agonist of estrogen receptor, endosulfan was a partial agonist, while 4 hydrotamoxifen lacked estrogenic effects at this assay. CONCLUSION: The E-SCREEN test is sensitive, rapid, easy to perform and, therefore, suitable for large scale screening for estrogenicity of environmental chemicals.

AIMTo further explore the roles of endogenous nitric oxide (NO) or NO derivatives in complex partial seizures and generalized convulsions.

METHODSThe effect of pretreatment with L-nitroarginine (L-NNA), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), or L arginine (L-Arg), a precursor of NO on kainic acid (KA)-induced seizure in rats and the changes in the concentration of NO2 -/NO- in the hippocampus were determined.

RESULTSThe rats appeared with wet dog shakes (WDS) at 15 min and then occurred generalized convulsions during 1 h to 3 h after administration of KA (10 mg/kg i.p.). However, the pretreatment of L-NNA (50 mg/kg) so dramatically promoted and enhanced KA-induced behavioral seizures that the latency of generalized convulsion was shorten dramatically, and the mortality was greatly high. In contrast, the pretreatment with L-Arg (40 mg/kg) markedly delayed or weakened KA-induced behavioral changes, such as increasing latency of WDS and generalized convulsion, shortening time o f seizure and none of animal died during observed time. The concentration of NO2- /NO3- in the hippocampus increased immediately at 30 min and remained to 7 d after the administration of KA. Compared with control group (pretreatment with NS), the concentration of NO2- / NO3- in the hippocampus apparently increased at 3 h and 3 d after the administration of KA in the rats with L-Arg pretreatment.

CONCLUSIONThe endogenous NO (NO or NO derivatives) mediators may play an important role against excitotoxin induced seizures in rats.

Animals ; Arginine ; pharmacology ; Kainic Acid ; adverse effects ; Male ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Nitroarginine ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Seizures ; chemically induced ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical effects of menisci reformation and repair for the treatment of discoid meniscus injuries and to explore the operation methods.

METHODSFrom Jun. 2005 to Dem. 2009, 28 patients underwent arthroscopic menisci reformation and repair for discoid meniscus, including 23 males and 5 females, ranging in age from 6 to 42 years, with an average of 32 years. The nature of meniscus and the type and range of tear were judged under arthroscope. The menisci reformation and repair were used to treat discoid meniscus tear at the edge. After the operation, the brace was used for 8 weeks, and heavy exercise should be avoided for 6 months. The Lysholm score was adopted to evaluate therapeutic effects.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up ranging from 3 to 36 months, averaged 8 months. The preoperative Lysholm scores ranged from 62 to 74, with a mean of (67.23 +/- 5.24), and the postoperative Lysholm scores ranged from 80 to 96, with a mean of (87.24 +/- 5.26). There was no occurrence of re-tear or re-operation due to symptom recurrence.

CONCLUSIONThe menisci reformation and repair has better clinical effects on the treatment of discoid meniscus tear and can be regarded as one of the operational options.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Arthroscopy ; methods ; Child ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; physiopathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Menisci, Tibial ; surgery ; Tibial Meniscus Injuries ; Young Adult