Objective To evaluate the usefulness of real-time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (RT-3D TEE) in the perventricular device occlusion of the ventricular septal defect (VSD).Methods Sixty patients underwent perventricular device occlusion of VSD were divided into two groups.Group A:30 patients,3D images of VSD were obtained intraoperatively by RT-3D TEE.3D images were analyzed and the maximal and minimum area and maximal diameter of VSD were measured in the cardiac cycle.The size of selected VSD occluder was the diameter calculated from the maximal area based on the formula πD2/4 and plus 1～2 mm.Simultaneously,two dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (2D TEE) images of VSD were obtained and measured on standard views.Group B:other 30 patients,intraoperative 2D TEE was performed to measure the diameter of VSD on standard views.The selection VSD occluder was based on the maximal diameter plus 1～2 mm.Results The VSDs shape showed oval,class round and irregular by RT-3D TEE imaging.There was a significant difference between the maximal area and smallest area of VSD appeared in the cardiac cycle obtained by RT-3D TEE (P<0.01).There was a significant difference between the maximal diameter by measurement of RT-3D TEE and 2D TEE (P<0.01).Of all 30 patients with evaluation of VSD size based on the RT-3D TEE,1.1 times attempts of device occlusion were performed on one patient (33/30).Of the other 30 cases with evaluation of VSD size by 2D TEE,2 cases were failed with device occlusion because of instant residual shunt.Of the remaining 28 cases,1.43 attempts of device occlusion were performed on one patient (40/28).Conclusions RT-3D TEE can accurately reveal the size of VSD,and aid in the selection of VSD occluder in the device occluding procedure of VSD.

Adolescent ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins ; Killer Cells, Natural ; pathology ; Leukocyte Common Antigens ; analysis ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; genetics ; immunology ; Male ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins ; genetics

To investigate the role of volatile components in the compound and to find the substance foundation of Gualou Guizhi decoction (GLGZD) for curing extremities spasticity after stroke. The chemical compositions of essential oil, obtained by hydrodistillation from Gualou Guizhi decoction and its major constituting herbs (Trichosanthis Radix, Paeoniae Alba Radix, Cinnamomi Ramulus, Zingiberis Recens Rhizoma, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Ziziphi Jujubae Fructus) were analyzed by GC-MS to evaluate the correlativity between volatile components of GLGZD and its major constituting herbs, and volatile components after oral administration of GLGZD in the rats' brain. Volatile components of GLGZD are mainly derived from Cinnamomi Ramulus, Zingiberis Recens Rhizoma, Ziziphi Jujubae Fructus, Trichosanthis Radix. The volatile components in the brain is mostly derived from radix trichosanthis. Compared with individual herbs of GLGZD, the dissolution of the components increase or new components appear after compatibility of six herbs. Adminstrated with GLGZD, the results point out that volatile components in the brain play a neuroprotective role through passing the brain.
Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Volatile Organic Compounds ; chemistry ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVEThe Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), belonging to the Bcl-2 family, plays a pivotal role in mitochondria-dependent apoptosis. The aims of this study are to revalidate the functional significance of Bax G(-248)A polymorphism, and investigate its association with lung cancer risk in Chinese population.

METHODSThe biological function of Bax G(-248)A was tested by luciferase assays, and its effects on lung cancer risk was determined by case-control analysis of 989 patients with lung cancer and 990 controls.

RESULTSBax -248A allele exhibited significantly higher transcriptional activity compared with G allele. The Bax-248A allele carriers yielded a significantly decreased risk of lung cancer, compared with -248G allele carriers (OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.48 approximately 0.90, P = 0.01). Furthermore, a significant gene-smoking interaction between Bax G(-248)A polymorphism and smoking existed among the light smokers.

CONCLUSIONBax G(-248)A polymorphism is associated with lung cancer susceptibility in Chinese population.

Adenocarcinoma ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Case-Control Studies ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of automated quantification of myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) using a method based on a Western normal database for the detection of coronary artery disease (CAD) in a group of Chinese patients. Methods Seventy-two Chinese patients who underwent coronary angiography (CAG) and MPI within 3 months were recruited into this study. Eighty selected from 140 Chinese patients with low probability of CAD ( ＜ 5% ) were enrolled into local normal database of 99Tcm-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) MPI using Cedars quantitative perfusion SPECT (QPS) database. Two Western MPI normal databases (CSMC MibiMbiAuto and Mibimibi) were used for processing the Chinese CAD patients recruited in this study, and the results were compared with those using local normal database and visual interpretation. T-test and z-test were used for statistical analysis. Results The extent (EXT)measurement obtained from Mibimibi and local database was ( 10.73 ± 14.54)% and ( 14.22 ± 16.51 )%,respectively ( t = 7.87, P ＜ 0.001 ); the severity (SEV) was 1.07 ± 0.93 and 1.34 ± 1.20, respectively ( t =7.45, P＜0.001). The area under curve(AUC) by using EXT measurement for local database (0.85 ±0.05) was larger than that for CSMC MibiMbiAuto ( AUC = 0.72 ± 0.06, z = 2.50, P ＜ 0.01 ) and Mibimibi ( AUC = 0.77 ± 0.06, z = 2.47, P = 0.014). The AUC of local database showed no significant difference from that of visual interpretation (AUC=0.83 ±0.05, z=0.05, P＞0.05). Conclusion Quantification of MPI of our Chinese patients using Western normal database would decrease the accuracy for the detection of CAD.

OBJECTIVETo analyze the comorbidities in patients with cerebral palsy (CP) from two perspectives as neurologic subtype and gross motor functions, and find their correlations.

METHODSChildren with cerebral palsy treated in the rehabilitation center from January 2007 to June 2009 received the following examinations: intelligence capacity test, ophthalmologic consultation, language-speech test, brainstem auditory evoked potential and electroencephalogram. They were stratified according to both neurologic subtype and gross motor functions to detect the occurrence of comorbidities.

RESULTSOf all the 354 cases, 166 (46.89%) had mental retardation, 15 (4.24%) auditory limitations, 138 (38.98%) visual disorder, 216 (61.02%) language-speech disorder and 82 (23.16%) epilepsy. The frequency of individual comorbidities were distributed disproportionately between the different neurologic subtypes. Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between the spastic diplegia and the visual disorder (correlation coefficient = 0.26), between spastic hemiplegia and epilepsy (correlation coefficient = 0.17), between spastic quadriplegia and epilepsy and mental retardation (the correlation coefficient was 0.38 and 0.11, respectively) and between both dyskinetic and mixed children and language-speech disorder (the correlation coefficient was 0.24 and 0.27, respectively). The frequency of individual comorbidities was distributed disproportionately between the different neurologic subtypes and between the different GMFCS levels (P < 0.05), except for the frequency of visual disorders (chi(2) = 1.90, P > 0.05); and with the increase of the GMFCS levels, the burden of the comorbidities were more heavy and the incidence of the comorbidities was higher. Multi-comorbidities were relatively infrequently encountered in those with spastic hemiplegic or spastic diplegic children or patients whose GMFCS levels were I-III, while these entities occurred at a frequent level for those with spastic quadriplegic, dyskinetic, or mixed or children whose GMFCS levels were IV and V, and the differences were significant (P < 0.05). The mean GMFCS levels of children with spastic quadriplegic, dyskinetic or mixed CP were higher than level III, most of them had no ability of ambulation;while the mean GMFCS levels of spastic hemiplegic or spastic diplegic children were below level III, most of them could walk independently.

CONCLUSIONSThere are correlations between the occurrence of the comorbidities such as mental retardation, auditory or visual impairments, language-speech disorders, epilepsy and the cerebral palsy subtype and the gross motor function levels. Clinicians should have a full recognition of these comorbidities, and we should have a cooperation between the different subjects to have an overall evaluation and rehabilitation and to improve the prognosis.

Adolescent ; Cerebral Palsy ; classification ; epidemiology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Comorbidity ; Epilepsy ; classification ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Motor Skills ; classification ; Motor Skills Disorders ; classification ; epidemiology ; Quadriplegia ; classification ; epidemiology ; Vision Disorders ; classification ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVEThis study investigated the association between a missense SNP in the codon of ADD1 phosphorylation site and the susceptibility of non-cardia gastric cancer in a Chinese population.

METHODSPhosphoSitePlus and dbSNP database were combined to discover missense SNPs in the codon of phosphorylation site. Then, we genotyped the missense SNP in 1, 998 cases with non-cardia gastric cancer and 2, 008 cancer-free controls of Chinese descent. Analysis was conducted by using Logistic model adjusted by gender and age.

RESULTSThe rs4963 in the codon of ADD1 phosphorylation site was found. The frequencies of the 3 rs4963 genotypes, CC, CG, GG, among controls were 25.2%, 50.4%, and 24.4%, respectively, among patients were 20.1%, 50.6%, and 29.3%, respectively. Compared with CC genotype, the rs4963 CG genotype and GG genotype significantly increased the risk of non-cardia gastric cancer with the odds ratios being 1.24 (95%CI: 1.06 ∼ 1.46, P = 0.008) and 1.49 (95%CI: 1.25 ∼ 1.78, P < 0.001), respectively.

CONCLUSIONSFnnctional polymorphism in the phosphorylation site of ADD1 (rs4963) may influence the susceptibility of non-cardia gastric cancer.

Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Calmodulin-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; Codon ; Female ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation, Missense ; Odds Ratio ; Phosphorylation ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Stomach Neoplasms ; ethnology ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo explore the association between HLA-DQA1 gene copy number polymorphisms and gastric cancer risk in Chinese population, and the interaction of those genes and environmental factors.

METHODSThe genotype of HLA-DQA1 gene copy number polymorphisms was determined in 343 patients with gastric cancer and 330 controls by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Logistic regression model was used to evaluate the impact of this polymorphism on the risk of developing gastric cancer and the gene-environment interaction.

RESULTSCompared with 0 copy of HLA-DQA1 gene carriers, the 2 copies of HLA-DQA1 gene carriers had a significantly increased risk of gastric cancer (OR = 1.87, 95%CI = 1.15 - 3.06, P = 0.012). Gene-environment interaction of HLA-DQA1 gene copy number polymorphisms and Helicobacter pylori infection significantly increased the risk of gastric cancer in a multiplicative manner, with an OR of 3.89 (95%CI = 1.75 - 8.57, P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONSHLA-DQA1 gene copy number polymorphism is associated with gastric cancer susceptibility, and there is a multiplicative gene-environment interaction between this polymorphism and Hp infection in the development of gastric cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; DNA Copy Number Variations ; Female ; Gene-Environment Interaction ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; HLA-DQ alpha-Chains ; genetics ; Helicobacter Infections ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Stomach Neoplasms ; genetics ; immunology ; microbiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the frequencies of alleles and the association with risk of esophageal cancer in a Mongolian population, and to compare the allele frequencies of these polymorphisms between the two populations and the susceptibility to esophageal cancer.

METHODSA case-control study was conducted, and 8 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), including FAS - 670G/A, FAS - 1377G/A, FASL -844T/C, COX-2 - 1290A/G, COX-2 - 1195G/A, STK15 Phe31Ile, MMP-2 - 1306C/T and MMP -2 -735C/T, were detected by polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism assay (PCR-RFLP) in 188 esophageal cancer cases and 324 normal controls of Mongolian. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by unconditional logistic regression. The results were then compared with the reported data of the Han ethnic Chinese population.

RESULTSIn Mongolian, as compared with the STK15 31Ile/Ile genotype, the STK15 31Phe/Phe genotype carriers had an increased risk of esophageal cancer (adjusted OR = 2.20, 95% CI: 1.12-4.31), and the subjects with MMP-2 - 735TT genotype had an increased risk of esophageal cancer as compared with those with the MMP-2 - 735CC genotype (adjusted OR =4.82, 95% CI: 1.59 - 14.60). However, the rest of SNPs were not associated with the susceptibility to esophageal cancer. The allele frequencies of FASL - 844 T/C [0.264(171/648)/0.736 (477/648), 0.323(418/1296)/0.677(878/1296)], COX-2 - 1195G/A [0.431(279/648)/0.569(369/ 648), 0.492(1250/2540)/0.508(1290/2540)], MMP-2 - 1306C/T [0.869(563/648)/0.131(85/ 648), 0.835(1298/1554)/0.165(256/1554)] and MMP-2 - 735C/T [0.789(511/648)/0.211(137/ 648), 0.748(1163/1554)/0.252(391/1554)] were significantly different between the ethnic populations (chi2 = 7.03, 7.84, 3.94, 4.05, respectively, P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONThese findings suggested that STK15 Phe31Ile and MMP-2 -735C/T polymorphisms might be the genetic susceptibility factors for esophageal cancer in Mongolian and there should be some differences of genetic susceptibility to esophageal cancer in between Han ethnic Chinese and Mongolian population.

Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; Aurora Kinase A ; Aurora Kinases ; Case-Control Studies ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; genetics

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney Transplantation ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Living Donors ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nephrectomy ; methods