OBJECTIVETo evaluate variations of pulmonary venous drainage and venous ostium index (VOI) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) prior to radio-frequency catheter ablation (RFCA) by MDCT pulmonary venography.

METHODS16-detector row CT pulmonary venography was performed in 64 AF patients referred to RFCA from June, 2005 to May, 2006. Variations in pulmonary venous drainage were observed in volume render imagines. Anterior-posterior and superior-inferior diameters of pulmonary venous ostium were measured on maximum intensity projection images. VOI derived from left superior, left inferior, right superior, right inferior pulmonary veins and variations in pulmonary venous drainage were calculated.

RESULTSClassic pulmonary veins anatomy was found in 11 patients (17.18%), early branching veins in 45 patients (70.31%), left common ostium in 5 patients (7.81%), right common ostia in 1 patient, right accessory (middle) pulmonary vein in 5 patients (7.81%) and left accessory (middle) pulmonary vein in 1 patient (1.56%). VOI of homolateral pulmonary veins and bilateral superior pulmonary veins were similar (P > 0.05) while there was a significant difference on VOIs derived from left superior and right inferior; two inferior, left inferior versus right superior veins (P < 0.05). Right inferior pulmonary venous ostium was most rounded and had the highest index (0.88) and left inferior pulmonary venous ostium was most oval and had the lowest index (0.72).

CONCLUSIONMultidetector row CT pulmonary venography (MDCT-PV) could provide valuable informations on pulmonary venous anatomy in AF patients referred to RFCA and should be used as a routine examination prior to the operation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Atrial Fibrillation ; diagnostic imaging ; therapy ; Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Veins ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; Tomography, Spiral Computed ; methods ; Young Adult

This study was carried out to examine the effect of different donor cell type and micro-manipulation on the development of reconstituted embryos. Cultured mural cumulus cells or fibroblast cells from an adult transgenic goat expressing human erythropoietin(rhEPO) were used as the donor cells in nuclear transfer experiments. The reconstituted eggs were generated by transferring fibroblast cells or cumulus cells into the perivitelline space of enucleated M II oocytes and then followed by electrofusion and activation. After 6 days' incubation in vivo, the reconstructed embryos developed into morulae or blastocysts were transferred into 6 foster recipients. Two of the foster-mothers were pregnant and gave birth to two offspring, which were derived from the fibroblast cell and cumulus cell, respectively. Fingerprint analysis showed that the PCR-RFLP patterns of the two offspring were identical to that of donor goats. PCR results indicated that these cloned goats carried hEPO gene as same as their donor cells.
Animals ; Animals, Genetically Modified ; genetics ; Cell Fusion ; methods ; Cloning, Organism ; Embryo Transfer ; trends ; Erythropoietin ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; Goats ; embryology ; genetics ; Humans ; Microinjections ; methods ; Nuclear Transfer Techniques ; Oocytes ; cytology

OBJECTIVESTo investigate a new targeting mechanical arm for CT-based navigated percutaneous fixation of pelvic fractures, and to evaluate the safety and efficiency of the procedures.

METHODSUsing CT-based 3D navigation software combined with targeting mechanical arm, percutaneous insertion of pelvic models (3 dry human cadaver pelvic skeletons and 5 plastic Sybone pelvic models) were performed, 8 pelvic models allowed percutaneous cannulated screw insertion of both S-I joint (2 S-I screws placement for each side, total 32 screws in this experiment) and both superior ramus (1 ramus medullary screw placement for each side, total 16 screws in this experiment). Percutaneous insertion of pelvic models (4 dry human cadaver pelvic skeletons and 4 plastic Sybone pelvic models, 1 S-I screws and 1 ramus medullary scre placement for each side, 32 screws in this experiment) were performed using fluoro-navigation system (Stryker, USA). Time necessary for every screw insertion were recorded. Accuracy of screw placement was assessed using C-arm imaging and direct eyes inspecting. The time and accuracy of the two methods were compared.

RESULTSThe time required for the CT-based 3D navigation procedure (3.6 ± 1.2) min was significantly less than using the targeting mechanical arm compared to drilling freehand with navigation (9.1 ± 0.8) min (t = 2.50, P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in accuracy between the two methods.

CONCLUSIONCT-based 3D navigation software combined with targeting mechanical arm should be potential to apply percutaneous sacroiliac screwing for pelvic fractures with more accurate and more reliable.

Bone Screws ; Cadaver ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Models, Anatomic ; Pelvic Bones ; surgery ; Software ; Surgery, Computer-Assisted ; methods

OBJECTIVETo explore the experience and value of overlay tympanoplasty.

METHODSSixty-three ears with overlay tympanoplasty were reviewed and followed up for the external auditory canal, tympanic membrane and hearing.

RESULTSThe diseases of the patients included middle ear cholesteatoma in 25 ears and chronic suppurative otitis media in 38 ears. The surgical techniques involved three kinds: overlay tympanoplasty, overlay tympanoplasty with canal wall up mastoidectomy and overlay tympanoplasty with canal wall down mastoidectomy. In middle ear cholesteatoma and suppurative otitis media patients, the case received the three techniques are 4, 17, 4 ears and 19, 18, 1 ears respectively. All patients gained stage I incision cure. Followed up for 0.5 to 3.5 years respectively, the external auditory canal was wide and tympanic membrane gained a good shape. The hearing in all case kept intact or increased while hearing decrease did not occur. Complications were free in patients with punctual visit.

CONCLUSIONSOverlay tympanoplasty has positive significance in treating the chronic otitis media with the merits of standard procedure, sufficient operative field and thorough erosion elimination.

Adult ; Aged ; Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Otitis Media, Suppurative ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Tympanoplasty ; methods ; Young Adult

Chronic enteritis can produce an excess of reactive oxygen species resulting in cellular damage. Stanniocalcin-1(STC-1) reportedly possesses anti-oxidative activity, the aim of this study was to define more clearly the direct contribution of STC-1 to anti-oxidative stress in cattle. In this study, primary intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) were exposed to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for different time intervals to mimic chronic enteritis-induced cellular damage. Prior to treatment with 200 microM H2O2, the cells were transfected with a recombinant plasmid for 48 h to over-express STC-1. Acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) double staining and trypan blue exclusion assays were then performed to measure cell viability and apoptosis of the cells, respectively. The expression of STC-1 and apoptosis-related proteins in the cells was monitored by real-time PCR and Western blotting. The results indicated that both STC-1 mRNA and protein expression levels positively correlated with the duration of H2O2 treatment. H2O2 damaged the bovine IECs in a time-dependent manner, and this effect was attenuated by STC-1 over-expression. Furthermore, over-expression of STC-1 up-regulated Bcl-2 protein expression and slightly down-regulated caspase-3 production in the damaged cells. Findings from this study suggested that STC-1 plays a protective role in intestinal cells through an antioxidant mechanism.
Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Blotting, Western/veterinary ; Caspase 3/*genetics/metabolism ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/etiology/*genetics/metabolism ; Duodenum/metabolism ; Enteritis/etiology/genetics/metabolism/*veterinary ; Epithelial Cells/metabolism ; *Gene Expression Regulation ; Glycoproteins/*genetics/metabolism ; Hydrogen Peroxide/pharmacology ; Male ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/*genetics/metabolism ; RNA, Messenger/genetics/metabolism ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical characteristics of infective endocarditis in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

METHODSClinical characteristics from 5 patients with infective endocarditis and hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy hospitalized from January 2000 to December 2010 in our hospital were analyzed.

RESULTSFour patients were diagnosed with left ventricular outflow tract obstructive cardiomyopathy with outflow pressure gradient from 36 to 140 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa) and left atrial size 44 - 68 mm. Another patient was diagnosed as ventricular hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with significant right-ventricular outflow tract hypertrophy (30 mm), high pressure gradient (164 mm Hg) and enlarged right atrial (56 mm × 53 mm), there was a 17 mm × 8 mm vegetation on right-ventricular outflow tract in this patient. Blood cultures were positive for streptococcus viridans in all five patients, and enterococcus faecium was revealed in one aortic valve vegetation culture. Transthoracic echocardiogram was performed 2 - 4 times for each patient, the vegetations of two patients was detected only by transesophageal echocardiography. The mitral valve vegetation was detected in two patients, the aortic and mitral valve vegetations were detected in one patients, mitral and tricuspid vegetations in one patient and right ventricular outflow tract vegetation in one patient. The four hemodynamically stable patients were successfully treated with antibiotic therapy, one patient received urgent surgery (replacement of the aortic and mitral valve as well as septal myectomy). All patients recovered and follow-up (1 - 6 years) was available in 4 patients and no complication was observed.

CONCLUSIONThe risk of infective endocarditis complicating hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy is the highest in patients with both outflow obstruction and marked valve insufficiency, these patients should receive prophylactic antibiotic therapy during procedures that predispose to infective endocarditis.

Adult ; Aged ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic ; complications ; microbiology ; pathology ; Endocarditis, Bacterial ; complications ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUNDComputer-assisted procedures have recently been introduced for navigated femoral neck screw placement. Currently there is little information available regarding accuracy and efficiency of the different navigated procedures. The aim of this study was to compare two fluoroscopic navigation tracking technologies, a novel bi-planar robot navigation and standardized optoelectronic navigation, versus standard freehand fluoroscopic insertion in a Synbone hip model.

METHODSEighteen fixed Synbone hip models were divided into 3 groups. C-arm navigated cannulated screws (AO-ASIF, diameter 7.3 mm) were inserted using freehand targeting (control group). A novel bi-planar robot system (TINAV, GD2000) and an optoelectronic system (Stryker OTS Navigation System) were used for the navigated procedures (robot group and optoelectronic group). Accuracy was measured using radiographic evaluation including the measurement of screw parallelism and decentralization, and joint penetration. To evaluate the efficiency, the number of guidewire passes, operative time and fluoroscopic images taken were noted.

RESULTSThe two computer-assisted systems provided significantly improved accuracy compared to the freehand technique. Each of the parameters, including guidewire passes and number of fluoroscopy images, was significantly lower when using the computer-assisted systems than for freehand-unguided insertion (P <0.05), but operative time was significantly shorter when using freehand-unguided insertion than for the computer-assisted systems (P <0.05). Accuracy, operative time and number of fluoroscopy images taken were similar among the two navigated groups (P >0.05), but guidewire passes in the robot group were significantly less than in the optoelectronic group (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONSBoth bi-planar robot navigation and optoelectronic navigation were similarly accurate and have the potential to improve accuracy and reduce radiation for freehand fluoroscopic targeting for insertion of cannulated screws in femoral neck fractures. Guidewire passes in the robot group were significantly less than in the optoelectronic group. However, both navigated procedures were associated with time-consuming registration and high rates of failed matching procedures.

Bone Screws ; Femoral Neck Fractures ; surgery ; Hip ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Humans ; Radiography ; Surgery, Computer-Assisted ; methods

OBJECTIVETo explore the eukaryotic expression of arresten in CHO cells and to investigate its basic biological activities.

METHODSCHO cells were divided into three groups: transfected pSecTag-arresten group, transfected pSecTag group and control group without transfection. PSecTag-arresten was transfected into CHO cells by Lipofectamine 2000 method. The arresten mRNA in CHO cells was assayed by RT-PCR. The protein expression of arresten gene was examined by Western-Blot. The cells expressing arresten were screened out by Zeocin. The effect of arresten on huvec cell migration and anchoring to three-dimensional vascular structures was measured.

RESULTSThe result of RT-PCR and Western-blot showed that arresten gene has been successfully transfected into CHO cells and expressed in those cells. Arrssten inhibited huvec cell migration and anchoring to three-dimensional vascular structures.

CONCLUSIONCHO cells expressing arresten have been obtained successfully. Arresten can inhibit huvec cell migration and anchoring to three-dimensional vascular structures, indicating that it might be one of its anti-angiogenetic approaches.

Angiogenesis Inhibitors ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Blotting, Western ; CHO Cells ; Cell Line ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Collagen Type IV ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Cricetinae ; Cricetulus ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; physiology ; Humans ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transfection

OBJECTIVEExplore the serum of patients with CHB of HBV large envelope protein (HBV-LHBs) trans-activation function and antiviral therapy effect relationship.

METHODS60 cases of anti-viral treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B to take every 3 months HBVDNA, HBV-LHBs, as well as detection of hepatitis B immune markers to observe the changes in indexes.

RESULTSIncome group 60 cases of anti-virus group HBVDNA with HBV-LHBs have a higher detection rate of the consistency of the results found no statistical significance (P > 0.05), HBV-LHBs-positive rate and positive rate of HBeAg differences (chi2 = 4.08, P < 0.05). After 24 months of antiviral therapy HBV-LHBs expression always HBVDNA in 29 cases of which occurred 24 months after the negative reaction of the 20 cases, continuous positive were seven cases of non-negative. 60 cases of patients 24 months found no HBsAg seroconversion, four cases of emergence of HBeAg seroconversion.

CONCLUSION(1) detection of serum HBV-LHBs to reflect the hepatitis B virus replication with HBVDNA good correlation. (2) anti-viral treatment of dynamic observation of the process of HBV-LHBs expression can predict the effectiveness of anti-viral therapy.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; genetics ; Female ; Hepatitis B ; blood ; drug therapy ; virology ; Hepatitis B Antigens ; blood ; genetics ; Hepatitis B virus ; drug effects ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; blood ; genetics ; Virus Activation ; drug effects ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement in sheep up to 6 months post procedure.

METHODSFresh sheep pericardium treated with a 0.6% glutaraldehyde solution for 36 hours was sutured to a valvular ring and then fixed onto a newly designed nitinol self-expandable stent. Thoracotomy was performed in sheep (23.5 +/- 3.1) kg under general anesthesia and the device was delivered into the native pulmonary valve of the sheep via the anterior wall of right ventricle by catheter and fooled for 6 months.

RESULTSOne sheep died 4 months after the procedure due to in-stent thrombosis. Another 4 animals survived the 6-month observing period. Angiographic and hemodynamic measurements confirmed good positioning and function of the stents with a competent valve immediately post procedure and 6 months post the procedure in surviving animals.

CONCLUSIONImplantation of the nitinol self-expandable stent in the pulmonary valve position by a transcatheter approach is feasible and good function of transcatheter implanted memory nitinol valved stents was shown after 6 months of implantation in sheep.

Animals ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Heart Valve Prosthesis ; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation ; instrumentation ; methods ; Male ; Pulmonary Valve ; surgery ; Sheep ; Stents