Objective To discuss the methods of selecting different shapes occluder and to evaluate the feasibility,safety and efficacy of them in transcatheter closures of congenital ventricular septal defect (VSD) in children.Methods Transcatheter closures were performed in 226 children with congenital VSD,age ranging from 2 to 14 years(mean 5.62 years) under the guidance of transthoracic echocardiography(TTE) and fluoroscopy.There were 14 patients with intracristal VSD,209 patients with perimembranous VSD and 3 patients with muscular VSD.Left ventriculography and transthoracic echocardiography were performed repeatedly after the procedure to assess the effect of occlusion.The echocardiography and electrocardiography were scheduled before discharge,1,6 and 12 months for the follow-up.Results The occluders were deployed successfully in 211 patients.The successful rate was 93.4%.Thin waist shape occluders,were deployed in 7 patients;equal side shape occluders,were deployed in 191 patients;eccentric shape occluders were deployed in 12 patients,and muscular defect occluders were deployed in 1 patient.There were no complications encountered during or after closure.Conclusions It is very important in transcatheter closure of congenital in children to select different shape occluder according to pathologic characteristics.In general,equal side shape occluder is suita-ble for a large number of defect and it is easy for deployment.In some conditions,the other shape occluder may be necessary.

BACKGROUNDNumerous studies have shown that reducing the level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) through the use of anti-TNF antibodies or soluble TNF receptor is a safe and efficacious treatment to inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, novel approaches to achieve this outcome are desired. The aim of this study was to investigate the characterization of a small molecule inhibitor, Y316, which blocks TNF mRNA upregulation and TNF production by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) stimulated monocytes.

METHODSPeripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy volunteers were plated in 24-well plates and stimulated with LPS (1 µg/ml), phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) (100 ng/ml), zymosan (10 µg/ml) and Tsst (100 ng/ml). Supernatants were collected after 4-hour culture at 37°C, and quantitative determination of TNFα, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and IL-2 production in the supernatants was performed by colorimetric enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Total RNA of PBMC was isolated and cytokine mRNA quantitation was performed by using a RNA level measuring kit (R & D Systems). PBMC were pretreated with Y316 (10 µmol/L, 1 µmol/L, 0.1 µmol/L, 0.01 µol/L and 0.001 µmol/L) or dimethyl sulfoxide at 37°C for 10 minutes, and then stimulated with LPS or PMA, protein concentrations of p44.42, IKBα, P38 and Jun NH2-terminal kinase were determined by Western blotting. Cyclic adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) of PBMC was measured by enzyme immunoassay kit (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech).

RESULTSY316 blocked TNF production and inhibited the upregulation of TNF mRNA levels in response to LPS, and also prevented the production of IL-1 and IL-6. In contrast, Y316 augmented the production of IL-10 in LPS-stimulated monocytes. Y316 failed to prevent the production of IL-2 and TNF in antigen-stimulated T cells, suggesting that its effects may be cell-type specific. Y316 prevented the phosphorylation and activation of the MAPK, ERK, and therefore appeared to mediate its effects on TNF by acting at an early point in the signaling cascade induced in response to LPS. There was no effect of Y316 on cAMP levels either alone or in the presence of LPS.

CONCLUSIONSY316 appears to be a small molecule inhibiting TNF production, which may act via a novel mechanism. Identification of the target of Y316 may lead to the development of alternative strategies for achieving selective cytokine inhibition.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases ; metabolism ; Humans ; Interleukin-1 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; biosynthesis ; Interleukin-6 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; biosynthesis ; Lipopolysaccharides ; pharmacology ; Monocytes ; drug effects ; immunology ; Phosphorylation ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; antagonists & inhibitors ; biosynthesis

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Yougui Formula Granule (YFG) on ovarian granulosa cells gene expression profiles in in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) patients of Shen yang deficiency syndrome (SYDS) from the viewpoint of genomics.

METHODSTotally 72 infertility patients undergoing IVF-ET were randomly assigned to the treatment group and the control group according to random digit table, 36 in each group. Patients in the treatment group took YFG combined gonadotropin (Gn), while those in the control group took placebos combined Gn. All medication lasted for 3 menstrual cycles before IVF. With high-throughput gene sequencing technology, gene expression profiles of ovarian granulosa cells in the two groups were analyzed to explore the difference by gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis.

RESULTSOvarian granulosa cell gene expression profiles from the follicular fluid showed, when compared with the control group, 391 differential genes were found in the syndrome-control group, 153 down-regulated and 238 upregulated. Enrichment of differentially expressed cellular location and molecular function of genes involved cell proliferation and apoptosis associated cyclin, protein ubiquitination, construction of microtubules and microfilament, mitochondrial function and energy-related factors, regulatory factors for hormone synthesis. Participated pathways involved energy metabolism pathway and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONSThere existed significant difference in gene expression profiles of ovarian granulosa cells between the treatment group and the control group. Differentially expressed genes involved in biological processes correlates with Shen yang deficiency induced proliferation of germ cells, confused apoptosis, and hindered process during which mitochondria produced energy.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Follicular Fluid ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Gonadotropins ; Granulosa Cells ; Humans ; Syndrome ; Transcriptome ; Yang Deficiency

Objective To explore whether autoreactive antibody presents in patients with sporadic idiopathic hypoparathyroidism(sIHP).Methods The subjects including 26 patients with sIHP and 112 genealogical members as well as 60 age-and sex-matched healthy controls.Anti-parathyroid antibodies in the sera were assayed by indirect immunofluorescence.The levels of calcium,phosphorus and magnesium as well as intact parathyroid hormone(iPTH)in the sera were tested.Results Positive autoantibodies against parathyroid tissue were demonstrated in 10 patients(38%)with sIHP,significantly higher than that of in genealogical members(10%,?~2=13.42,P

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between DNA degradation and postmortem interval of corrupt corpse. METHODS: By determining the marrow DNA content with histochemical technique and image analysis. RESULTS: The content of marrow DNA decreased gradually with prolongation of postmortem interval, and it evencould be detected till 14 days after death. CONCLUSION There was a linear relationship between the degradation rate of the nuclear DNA and postmortem interval.
Adult ; Bone Marrow Cells/metabolism* ; Cadaver ; Cell Nucleus/metabolism* ; DNA/metabolism* ; Female ; Forensic Pathology/methods* ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Male ; Postmortem Changes ; Regression Analysis ; Staining and Labeling ; Sternum/cytology* ; Time Factors ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDAlthough endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) plays a crucial role in the final diagnosis in patients with heart failure of unknown etiology, the invasive nature of this technique limits its clinical application in China. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical application of EMB in diagnosing cardiomyopathy with unexplained etiologies in China.

METHODSFifty-three consecutive patients (38 males, age 14 - 67 years, median 43 years) were included in the study who were initially diagnosed as unexplained cardiomyopathy and under EMB biopsy in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from 2006 to 2009. The patients were clinically divided into four groups: dilated, hypertrophic, restrictive and unclassified cardiomyopathy. Biopsies were performed via right internal jugular vein with the use of the bioptome under fluoroscopic guidance. Three to five endomyocardial samples were taken from each patient for light microscopy examination and one sample for electron microscopy was taken if necessary. For each patient, an initial clinical diagnosis, an EMB diagnosis and a final diagnosis prior to discharge were established. All the data were compared and analyzed for the evaluation of clinical utility of EMB in China.

RESULTSIn 26 patients initially diagnosed with restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM), the etiology of the condition was finally diagnosed using EMB in 15; including 13 amyloidosis and two eosinophilic myocarditis. We employed EMB in 19 patients clinically diagnosed as dilated cardiomyopathy and detected viral myocarditis in one patient, cardiac involvement due to polymyositis in four and doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy in one. In five patients with severe left ventricle hypertrophy undergoing EMB, one patient was diagnosed as autophagic vacuolar cardiomyopathy and one as mitochondrial disease. In the remaining three patients with unclassified cardiomyopathy, EMB revealed infiltration of eosinophils as the cause of atrial ventricular block in one patient. Final diagnoses were made in 24 of the total 53 patients (45%) based on the combination of EMB and clinical data. Transient atrial ventricular block in a patient with prior complete left bundle branch block was the only complication occurred during the procedures.

CONCLUSIONThe clinical application of EMB is safe. The combination of EMB and clinical data produced a better understanding of the mechanisms behind the clinically diagnosed cardiomyopathy in China.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Biopsy ; methods ; Cardiomyopathies ; classification ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Cardiomyopathy, Dilated ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Cardiomyopathy, Restrictive ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardium ; pathology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the management of complicated, severe or recurrent Budd-Chiari syndrome.

METHODSFrom February 2004 to August 2007, 28 patients with complicated, severe or recurrent Budd-Chiari syndrome were treated. In this series, 16 patients relapsed after treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty or stent deployment, 2 cases relapsed after surgery; and the other 10 were under severe conditions and hard to treat, including malignancy of the inferior vena cava and right atrium. Meso-cavo-atrial shunt was carried out in 10 cases, meso-cavo-jugular shunt in 6 (capitis medusa was used in one case), cavoatrial shunt in 2 and cavo-jugular shunt in 1, mesocaval shunt in 2, and radical or extended radical correction in 7.

RESULTSOne patient (3.6%) died in 24 hours after operation. Graft infection occurred in 1 case. Excellent, good, fair, poor and death rate were 22.2%, 55.5%, 14.8%, 3.7% and 3.7%, respectively, the overall effective rate was 92.5%.

CONCLUSIONTo select personalized treatment according to the disease status brings hopes to difficult, severe, recurrent Budd-Chiari syndrome.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation ; Budd-Chiari Syndrome ; surgery ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Critical Illness ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Portacaval Shunt, Surgical ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of Liuwei Dihuang Granule ([symbols; see text], LDG) for tonifying Kidney (Shen) on the outcomes of in vitro fertilization pre-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) of infertility women with Kidney-yin deficiency syndrome and to explore its mechanism by detecting the proteome expression in the follicular fluid.

METHODSSixty-six infertility patients of Kidney-yin deficiency syndrome who would undergo IVF-ET, were randomly assigned to a treatment group and a control group according to a random number table, 33 cases in each group. Another 33 cases of non-Kidney-yin deficiency syndrome was taken as a syndrome-control group. Besides Western routine therapy, LDG was given 3 menstrual cycles before IVF to the treatment group, and a placebo granule to the control and syndrome-control groups. The scores of Kidney-yin deficiency symptoms (sore waist and knees, dry vagina, dysphoria with feverish sensation in the chest, palms and soles, etc.) were assessed, the number of retrieved oocytes, rates of high quality oocytes and embryos, fertility rate and clinical pregnancy rate were recorded, and the follicular fluid was collected on the day when the ovum was picked up, the differential protein expression was detected using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, and then, matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) was applied to identify the proteins.

RESULTSThe syndrome score in the treatment group decreased significantly from 16.09±2.58 to 8.67±2.13, while it changed insignificantly in the control group, with a significant difference in the lowering score between the two groups (P<0.05); the high quality rates of oocytes and embryos and clinical pregnancy rate were all superior in the treatment group to the control group (82.29% vs 78.08%, 76.76% vs 68.79%, 63.64% vs 36.36%, all P<0.05). The protein expression map from the follicular fluid showed that compared with the control group, 33 differential protein expressions were found in the syndrome-control group, among which 18 were down-regulated, and 15 up-regulated; in the treatment group 28 differential protein expressions were found, among which 15 were down-regulated, and 13 up-regulated. Through MALDI-TOF-MS, 14 proteins were identified (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSFor the infertility patients undergoing IVF, LDG could alleviate clinical symptoms, improve rates of high quality oocytes and embryos, so as to raise clinical pregnancy rate. The mechanism may be through regulating proteome expression in the follicular fluid to improve the developmental microenvironment for oocytes which would lead to a successful embryo implantation.

Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; methods ; Follicular Fluid ; metabolism ; Holistic Health ; Humans ; Infertility, Female ; metabolism ; therapy ; Kidney ; metabolism ; Oocytes ; cytology ; metabolism ; Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome ; metabolism ; Placebos ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Proteomics ; methods ; Yin Deficiency ; metabolism ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo evaluate medium-long term patency of below-knee bypass on patients who suffered from diabetic lower limb ischemia.

METHODSClinical and follow-up data of 51 patients was retrospectively analyzed who underwent 56 below-knee bypass because of diabetes from November 2001 to December 2006. There were 35 male and 16 female with an average age of 68 years. They endured 26 months ischemic time lag in average, and had suffered from diabetes for 11 years. All of the patients were performed bypass to below-knee (posterior tibial, anterior tibial or peroneal) arteries. Kaplan-meier method was applied. The subgroups of different operative methods and different out-flow vessels were compared by Log-rank tests.

RESULTSAn average follow-up time of 23 months was achieved, and lost-follow-up rate was 15%. The total 1- and 5-year primary patent rates were 68% and 54% respectively, secondary patent rate were 70% and 60% respectively, limb salvage rates were 69% and 65%, survival rates were 82% and 60%. One year (3 years) of patent rate(s) of operative method subgroups of femoral-popliteal-infrageniculate bypass with composite grafts, femoral/popliteal-infrageniculate bypass with artificial grafts and femoral/popliteal-infrageniculate bypass with autologous veins were 70% (50%), 33% (33%) and 70% (70%) respectively. One year (4 years) of patent rate(s) of out-flow vessel subgroups of posterior tibial artery, anterior tibial artery and peroneal artery were 65% (60%), 80% (53%) and 77% (66%) respectively. However, both subgroups did not show any statistic differences by log-rank tests.

CONCLUSIONSPartial or whole autologous veins as bypass grafts should be chosen when infrageniculate bypass is considered in diabetic patients. Considerable patent rates are acceptable no matter what kinds of out-flow vessels are chosen.

Aged ; Diabetic Angiopathies ; surgery ; Female ; Femoral Artery ; surgery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ischemia ; etiology ; surgery ; Lower Extremity ; blood supply ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Popliteal Artery ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Saphenous Vein ; transplantation ; Tibial Arteries ; surgery ; Vascular Surgical Procedures ; methods

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the efficacy of by combining a 12-week course of lamivudine in those HBeAg-positive hepatitis B patients receiving peginterferon alfa-2a (peg-IFN alpha-2a) therapy.

METHODSA total of 58 patients initiated a 52-week course of peginterferon alfa-2a were enrolled and divided into 3 groups. The patients with HBV DNA undetectable or HBeAg negative at week 12 were divided into group A, in this group treatment continued to week 52 with peg-IFN alpha-2a alone; The rest patients were divided into group B1 and B2, in group B1, lamivudine was combined at a course of 12 weeks, while in group B2 treatment continued to week 52 with peg-IFN alpha-2a alone. Clinical responses were assessed at week 52.

RESULTS8 out of 58 patients achieved undetectable HBV DNA or HBeAg loss at week 12 and divide into group A. In this group the HBV DNA loss rate, HBeAg seroconversion rate, HBsAg loss rate and ALT normalization rate were 100% (8/8), 75% (6/8), 0% (0/8) and 100% (8/8) respectively at the end of treatment. In this group the HBV DNA loss rate, HBeAg seroconversion rate, HBsAg loss rate and ALT normalization rate were 100% (8/8), 75% (6/8), 0% (0/8) and 100%(8/8) respectively at the end of treatment. The rest 50 patients without early response to peg-IFN alpha-2a at week 12 were divided into group B1 (24 patients enrolled) and B2 (26 patients). At the end of treatment, the HBV DNA loss rate, HBeAg seroconversion rate, HBsAg loss rate and ALT normalization rate in Group B1 were 50% (12/24), 38% (9/24), 4% (1/24) and 63% (15/24) respectively, and 31% (8/26), 27% (7/26), 0% (0/26) and 35% (9/26) respectively in group B2.

CONCLUSIONThose patients with early responses to peg-IFN alpha-2a therapy can achieve high clinical responses at the end of 52-week treatment. The combining therapy of lamivudine for a course of 12-weeks can improve the clinical responses for the patients without early responses to peg-IFN alpha-2a.

Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; blood ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; therapeutic use ; Lamivudine ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Pilot Projects ; Polyethylene Glycols ; therapeutic use ; Recombinant Proteins ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult