OBJECTIVETo explore the perioperative cardiovascular dysfunction and its relevance to age in patients with silent coronary heart disease (or silent myocardial ischemia), and explore the clinical treatment and recovery of perioperative arrhythmias.

METHODSOne hundred and eighty cases were selected from selective surgery patients with silent myocardial ischemia (SMI). Among the cases, 130 patients older than 51 years old were divided into 51 - 60 year-old group, 61- 70 year-old group and 71 - 80 year-old group. Control group was set up by other 50 patients younger than 51 years old. Electrocardiogram data of 24 h before the operation, 24 h after the operation and 48 h after the operation were continuously monitored by dynamic electrocardiogram (DCG). The electrocardiogram data of ST shifting, arrhythmia incidences of different type and at different time were analyzed by professional doctors. At the same time, the treatment and recovery of perioperative arrhythmia were recorded.

RESULTSAs the age increase, the magnitude and duration of ST shifting appeared upward trend compared to the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The incidence of ST elevation in 71 - 80 year-old group was higher than the control group (P < 0.05). The ST depression duration in 61 - 70 and 71 - 80 year-old group and ST elevation magnitude in 71 - 80 year-old group were higher than 51 - 60 year-old group (P < 0.05). Compared to the control group, the incidence of accelerated idioventricular rhythm (AIR) in 61 - 70 year-old group and the incidence of sinus bradycardia (SB), ventricular premature beat (VPB), ventricular tachycardia (VT) in 71 - 80 year-old group were higher (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Compared to the 51 - 60 year-old group, the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in 61 - 70 year-old group and the incidence of VP, VT, AF in 71 - 80 year-old group were higher (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The arrhythmia incidences in 24 h after operation were higher than 48 h after operation and 24 h before operation (P < 0.01). As the age increase, the recovery incidence by removing inducement was decreased, but the recovery incidences by drug and electric-shock treatment were increased (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONOld SMI patients have high levels of perioperative myocardial ischemia and arrhythmia, and 24 h after operation is the period of high incidence.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cardiovascular System ; physiopathology ; Coronary Disease ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Perioperative Period

To study the chemical components and the antifungal activity of extraction from conidia of Trichoderma viride LTR-2.The extraction were obtained by distilling with Methylene dichloride from conidia of Trichoderma viride LTR-2 cultured on wheat bran solid matrix.Antifungal activity were determined by mycelium growth method.The chemical components of the extraction were analysed by GC-MS,the relative components in the extraction were determined by area normalization.The extraction not only have broad-spectrum control,showed antibiosis against eleven different plant fungal pathogens in PDA dish,such as Rhizoctonia solani,Alternaria brassica,Verticillium dahliae,Macrophoma kawatsukai,Fusarium moniliforme,Botrytis cinerea,Rhizoctonia cerealis,Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.vasinfectum,Bipolaris sorokinana,Fusarium graminearum,Alternaria.mali,but also have high inhibitory effect,and had 89.3% suppressive rate to Rhizoctonia cerealis.About sixty components were separated and identified by GC-MS,majority components were Hydrocarbon,the number of the Hydrocarbon were fourty-three kinds.Ergosterol was the major chemical components of the extract,and has 41.90% content.Other components comprised:Ketone,Organic acid,Alcohol,Ene,et al.Conclusion:The extraction from conidia of Trichoderma viride LTR-2 have antifungal activity.The extration comprised 2H-Pyran-2-one,5,6-dihydro-6-pentyl,it has 2.35% content.reference others literature,2H-Pyran-2-one,5,6-dihydro-6-pentyl may be the suppressive component of the extration.

Multiple epitopes from one or more viruses can be lined up and co-expressed in one vector to generate multi-epitopes DNA vaccines. In the study, four recombinant plasmids were constructed based on HA and NP gene of avian influenza virus (AIV) (H5N1): (1) pIRES/HA, carrying the complete HA gene; (2) pIRES/tHA, carrying a truncated HA gene fragment of major neutralizing antigenic epitopes; (3) pIRES/tHA-NPep, in which three CTL epitopes of NP gene of AIV were fused to the truncated HA from the C-terminal; and (4) pIRES/tHA-NPep-IFN-gamma, which was constructed by replacing neo gene in pIRES/ tHA-NPep with IFN-y of chicken. Fifty five SPF chickens were randomly divided into five groups and immunized with the above four constructs and control plasmid. Each chicken was intramuscally immunized with 200 microg plasmid DNA three times in a two-week interval. Two weeks after the third immunization, chickens were injected with H5N1 subtype avian influenza virus. Before the virus loading no detectable antibodies to HA were found in the chicken serum; but high levels of HI antibodies were detected in the serum of the survived chickens. The percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte in peripheral blood of immunized chickens increased steadily after the vaccination. After virus loading all chickens in the control group died within three to eight days, and the survival rates of the four DNA vaccine groups were as follows: pIRES/HA, 54.5%; pIRES/tHA, 30%, pIRES/ tHA-NPep, 36.3%, pIRES/tHA-NPep-IFN-gamma, 50%. These results indicated that multi-epitopes DNA immunization can induce immune response and protect chickens from homologous virus loading.
Animals ; Chickens ; Epitopes ; immunology ; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; immunology ; pathogenicity ; Influenza in Birds ; immunology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Vaccines, DNA ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effect of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (tadalafil) on the testis following testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

METHODSEighty-four healthy adult male SD rats were randomly and equally divided into groups A (sham operation), B (testicular torsion + low-dose tadalafil), C (testicular torsion + high-dose tadalafil), and D (testicular torsion + placebo). Models were established in the latter three groups by 7200 torsion of the right testis for 2 hours. The animals in groups A and B were treated by gavage with tadalafil at the dose of 0. 5 mg per kg per day, those in group C at 2 mg per kg per day, and those in group D with saline at the same dose. After 3, 7, and 14 days of treatment, the torsioned testes were harvested for evaluation of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the testis tissue. The pathological changes in the testis were observed under the light microscope.

RESULTSAt 3, 7, and 14 days, the SOD activity was (254.46 +/- 7.43), (278.49 +/- 8.33), and (317.99 +/- 3.31) nU/mg prot in group B, and (277.12 +/- 8.80), (309.40 +/- 2.14), and (320.39 +/- 4.72) nU/mg prot in group C, all obviously higher than in D ([223.21 +/- 4.65], [231.45 +/- 4.16] and [248.28 +/- 5.74] nU/mg prot), while the MDA content was lower in the former two groups than in the latter. At 3 and 7 days, the SOD activity was significantly higher and the MDA level significantly lower in group C than in B (both P < 0.01) , while at 14 days, neither showed any remarkable differences between the two groups (P > 0.05). No obvious histopathological change was observed in the testis tissue of group A. At 3 and 7 days, pathological examination of the testis tissue revealed significant differences in the number of seminiferous epithelial layers, testicular histological score, and seminiferous tubule diameter in group B (P < 0.01), but the three indexes at 14 days in group B and at 7 days in group C exhibited no remarkable differences from those at 14 days in group A.

CONCLUSIONTadalafil can alleviate testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury following testis torsion/detorsion in a time- and dose-dependent manner.

Animals ; Biomarkers ; metabolism ; Carbolines ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; metabolism ; Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion Injury ; prevention & control ; Seminiferous Tubules ; pathology ; Spermatic Cord Torsion ; complications ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; Tadalafil ; Testis ; blood supply ; metabolism ; pathology ; Time Factors

Objective To summarize our experience with endovascular treatment of vertibrobasilar aneurysms. Methods The clinical data of 21 patients with vertibrobasilar aneurysms admitted between October, 2003 and July, 2007 were retrospectively analyzed. All the 21 patients received endovascular embolization, of whom 11 patients had embolization with Guglielmi detachable coils (GDC), 9 had GDC embolization with Neuroform stent placement, and 1 patient was managed with covered stent placement in the parent artery. Results After the operations, 19 patients were clinically cured with good prognosis, 1 patient was severely disabled, and 1 died due to heart failure. Four patients underwent ventriculo-peritoneal shunting for postoperative hydrocephalus. Conclusions Endovascular embolization with GDC and placement of Neuroform stent and covered stent are effective options for management of vertibrobasilar aneurysms, and most of the vertibrobasilar aneurysms can be treated effectively by these approaches.

Objective To determine the normal value of right ventricle using one beat full-volume real-time three-dimensional echocardiography ( RT-3 DE) and assess the feasibility of this technique.Methods One beat full volume images were acquired at the apical 4 chamber view in 129 healthy volunteers.The right and left ventricular volumes were examined with the eSie LVA and RVA.The subjects were divided into 2 gender groups (male and female) and 3 age groups (20 -39 years old,40 -59years old,60 years old and above).Results Adequate data were obtained in 129 subjects.The RV-EDV was (92.4±21.3)ml,RV-ESV (34.6 ±9.2) ml,RV-SV (57.8 ±13.9) ml,RV-EF (62.5 ±5.0) ml.EDV,ESV,and EF were significant different while SV was similar between RV and LV ( all P ＜ 0.05 ).RVEDV(r=0.517,P=0.001),RV-ESV(r=0.588,P=0.001) and RV-SV(r=0.409,P=0.001)were correlated well with BSA.RV-EDV,RV-ESV and RV-SV were significantly higher in males than in females (all P ＜ 0.001 ).RV-EDV.RV-SV and RV-EF decreased with aging ( P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions Right ventricle function can be measured noninvasively by RT-3DE with high feasibility. This novel method contributes to the detailed study of right heart function in various cardiovascular diseases.

OBJECTIVETo quantitatively characterize vortex flow in patients with early myocardial ischemia by echocardiography using vector flow mapping (VFM) and explore a new diagnostic index of early myocardial ischemia.

METHODSThis study was conducted among 105 patients with suspected angina pectoris, who were free of a previous cardiac history with a normal ejection fraction. Patients without significant coronary artery stenoses constituted the control group (n=49) and those with significant coronary artery stenoses (n=56) constituted the early myocardial ischemia group. All the patients underwent conventional ultrasonic inspection and VFM. The velocity vector and vorticity were estimated by VFM. The vortex parameters including vortex flow, radius, diameter, area and vortex relative strength index were measured.

RESULTSNo significant differences were found in the vortex parameters including the vortex flow, radius, diameter or area between the two groups (P>0.05), but vortex relative strength index was significantly lower in early myocardial ischemia group (23.68∓11.66 vs 20.20∓6.29, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONVFM is feasible for quantitative evaluation of left ventricular vorticity in healthy individuals and patients with early myocardial ischemia, and the vortex relative strength index may serve as a novel index for the diagnosis of early myocardial ischemia.

Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Ischemia ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Stroke Volume ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology

BACKGROUNDThe aim of this study is to explore the treatment and outcome of epileptogenic temporal lobe cavernous malformations (CMs).

METHODSWe analyzed retrospectively the profiles of 52 patients diagnosed as temporal lobe CMs associated with epilepsy. Among the 52 cases, 11 underwent a direct resection of CM along with the adjacent zone of hemosiderin rim without electrocorticogram (ECoG) monitoring while the other 41 cases had operations under the guidance of ECoG. Forty-six patients were treated by lesionectomy + hemosiderin rim while the other six were treated by lesionectomy + hemosiderin rim along with extended epileptogenic zone resection. The locations of lesions, the duration of illness, the manifestation, the excision ranges and the outcomes of postoperative follow-up were analyzed, respectively.

RESULTSAll of the 52 patients were treated by microsurgery. There was no neurological deficit through the long-term follow-up. Outcomes of seizure control are as follows: 42 patients (80.8%) belong to Engel Class I, 5 patients (9.6%) belong to Engel Class II, 3 patients (5.8%) belong to Engel Class III and 2 patients (3.8%) belong to Engel Class IV.

CONCLUSIONPatients with epilepsy caused by temporal CMs should be treated as early as possible. Resection of the lesion and the surrounding hemosiderin zone is necessary. Moreover, an extended excision of epileptogenic cortex or cerebral lobes is needed to achieve a better prognosis if the ECoG indicates the existence of an extra epilepsy onset origin outside the lesion itself.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; surgery ; Female ; Hemangioma, Cavernous, Central Nervous System ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Temporal Lobe ; pathology ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Apoptotic protease activating factor-1 (Apaf1) is an essential factor in intrinsic mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis activation. Apaf1 leads to the formation of apoptosome, which then proteolytically activates caspase-9. The activated caspase-9 opens the downstream signal of caspases to execute programmed cell death. Apaf-1 is important for tumor suppression and drug resistance because it plays a central role in DNA damage-induced apoptosis. Inactivation of the Apaf-1 gene is implicated in disease progression and chemoresistance of some malignancies. Further research on the Apaf-1 will contribute to develop a new type of approach to anti-cancer drugs, which might have good prospect in clinical practice. In this paper, the structure and function of Apaf-1, the mechanism involved in Apaf-1 signaling pathway, and application of Apaf-1 in tumor therapy were reviewed.
Apoptosis ; Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1 ; metabolism ; Caspase 9 ; metabolism ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; therapy ; Signal Transduction

We have shown previously that a Semliki Forest virus (SFV) replicon vectored DNA vaccine (pSFV1CS-E2) expressing the E2 glycoprotein of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) conferred full protection for pigs immunized three times with 600 microg of the vaccine. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of the DNA vaccine with lower dosage and fewer inoculations. Pigs were immunized twice with 100 microg pSFV1CS-E2 (n = 5) or control plasmid pSFV1CS (n = 3), respectively. Pigs immunized with pSFV1CS-E2 developed high titers of specific neutralizing antibodies against CSFV after the booster, and the antibody titers increased rapidly upon challenge. The immunized animals showed no clinical symptoms except short-term fever and low-level viremia, whereas the control pigs immunized with the control plasmid produced no detectable antibody before challenge and showed obvious clinical signs following challenge, and 2 pigs died on 10 or 11 days post-challenge. All control animals developed extended viremia as detected by nested RT-PCR and real-time RT-PCR. Severe pathologic lesions typical of CSFV infection were observed at necropsy. We conclude that the alphavirus replicon-vectored DNA-based vaccine can be potential marker vaccine against CSFV.
Animals ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; blood ; immunology ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; immunology ; Body Temperature ; immunology ; Classical Swine Fever ; blood ; immunology ; prevention & control ; Classical swine fever virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Immunization ; Plasmids ; genetics ; Replicon ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Semliki forest virus ; genetics ; Swine ; virology ; Time Factors ; Vaccines, DNA ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Viremia ; genetics ; immunology