Objective To apply 12-leads HOLTER monitoring and analysis to observe paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) and its related atrial arrhythmias so as to explore the triggering factors of PAF. Methods 47 patients with PAF, including 20 male patients and 27 female patients, were given 12-HOLTER monitoring and analysis. Their average age was 64.89 ±12.70 years-old.PAF patients were subdivided into 2 subgroups: the triggered PAF subgroup and the untriggered PAF subgroup. Patients with atrial premature beats but without PAF were selected into the control group. The PAF and its related atrial arrhythmias were detected and analyzed by 12-HOLTER.Results (1) 9 events of PAF were found in 47 patients by 12-HOLTER monitoring and analysis, among them 72 events of PAF were triggered by atrial premature (AP) (91.1%, 72/79), 6 events of PAF occurred automatically and suddenly (7.6%, 6/79);and only 1 events of PAF was triggered by atrial flutter (1.3%,1/79) . (2) The coupling interval of AP in the triggered PAF subgroup was significantly shorter than that of the untriggered PAF subgroup and control group (490 ±90ms vs. 590 ±140 ms and 630 ±90ms, <0.05);The index of AP was smaller significantly in the PAF group than that of the untriggered PAF subgroup and controll group (0.52±0.12 vs. 0.62±0.09 and 0.71±0.06, <0.05);TheP' on Tof AP was significantly higher in the PAF group than that of the untriggered PAF subgroup and control group (84.72%vs. 26.73%and 2.78%, <0.017);The interval before the AP in PAF group was prolonged more significantly than that of controlled group (990±280 ms vs. 940±210 ms, <0.05) . (3) During 2 min~30 s before the PAF occurrence control as total times,the AP appeared more frequently (from 0.43 beats/min to 3.5~6.00 beats/min, <0.017) . (4) Most of the AP which triggered PAF was originated from the upper part of the left atrium (61/72,84.7%) .Conclusions Most events of PAF are triggered by AP, the AP which can trigger PAF may be of some of the features such as a shorter coupling interval,a smaller AP index,P' on Tand a longer interval before the AP,PAF more occurrence while the AP may take place more frequently.Most of the AP which triggered PAF are originated from the upper part of left atrium.

Objective To investigate whether the signaling pathway of PI3K-AKT is involved in Ang II-induced apoptosis in rat renal tubular epithelial cells (NRK-52E).Methods Cultured cells were incubated in media containing either buffer (control) or different concentrations of Ang II (10-9 to 10-6 mol/L) for 24 h. Cells were stained by Annexin V-F1TC/PI Kit and apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometer. Western blotting was performed to assess the levels of PI3K, total- and phosphor-AKT. Results Ang II induced tubular epithelial cell apoplosis in a dose dependent manner. Ang II significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of AKT. The level of AKT phosphorylation was negatively correlated with apoptosis in Ang II-stimulated cells(r=-0.90 ,P

Objective To investigate the renoprotective effect of irbesartan on tubulointerstitial fibrosis in rats with adriamycin-induced nephropathy and its possible mechanism. Methods Rats received twice-intravenous injections of adriamycin(ADR) after the right kidney was removed. Those rats were randomly assigned to irbesartan treatment group and nephropathy group. Treatment group received 50 mg? kg-1 ? d-1 irbesartan for 4 weeks. Rats with sham operation served as normal control. Proteinuria and serum creatinine of were measured after 4 weeks. Renal histopathological changes were evaluated as well. Immunohistochemistry was used to examine the protein expression of TGF-?1, MMP-9 and TIMP-1. The mRNA levels of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were detected by in situ hybridization. Results Proteinuria of treatment group decreased significantly as compared to nephropathy group. TGF-?1, TIMP-1 and MMP-9 were significantly lower than that of nephropathy group in tubulointerstitium and consistently associated with tubular degeneration and interstitial fibrosis progressed. Conclusion Irbesartan has a renoprotective effect on tubulointerstitial fibrosis by modulating the ECM degradation.

BACKGROUND: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells are prospective used in cartilage tissue engineering due to easy acquire and plentiful amplification in vitro in a short term.OBJECTIVE: To summarize the application of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in repairing cartilage defect.RETRIEVAL STRATEGY: A computer-based online search was conducted in Pubmed for English language publications containing the key words of "marrow; mesenchymal stem cells; cartilage defect" from October 1982 to December 2006, Relevant data were also searched in China Scientific and Technological Achievement Database for Chinese language publications containing the key words of "marrow; mesenchymai stem cells; cartilage defect" from October 1982 to December 2006. There were 126Exclusion criteria: duplicated articles.LITERATURE EVALUATION: Literatures including reviews and experimental studies were mainly derived from Pubmed database and China Scientific and Technological Achievement Database.DATA SYNTHESIS: It has been proved that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells could differentiate into cartilage in vivo.However, differentiation of cartilage phenotype in vitro was restricted by multiple factors, and the controlling mechanism is still unclear up to now. Animal experiments demonstrated that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells could repair bone and cartilage defect. Although studies on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and cartilage tissue engineering have developed to a certain degree, clinical applications and evaluations, including cell marks of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in different differentiated stages, controls of proliferation and differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, and gene transfection technique, still need a further study.CONCLUSION: Animal experiments indicate that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can significantly repair bone and cartilage defect. Although studies on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and cartilage tissue engineering have developed to a certain degree, problems of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in basic and clinical researches still need to be solved further.

Objective To evaluate the effects of different treatments to middle turbinate by endo-scopic sinus surgery (ESS) on olfaction in patients with chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps. Methods ESS was performed on 74 cases of chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps. Proper treatments divided into the group of retaining middle turbinate, the group of forming middle turbinate and the group of partial endonasal middle turbinectomy which were applied to different pathological changes of middle turbinates. The olfactory function of the 74 patients was tested through the CCCRC olfactory testing method pre-operation and twenty-four weeks post-operation. The results were analyzed by analysis of variance. Results The olfaction after treat-ment of the three groups was significantly better than that of pre-operation (P < 0.05), but there was no sig-nificant difference among the three groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Different treatments to middle turbinate by ESS is no obvious effects on olfaction.

To observe the effects of vitamin E (Vit E) on mercuric chloride (HgCl2)-induced renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) in rats and discuss its antioxidative mechanism.

Objective To study the expressions of TGF-?1 and p21WAF1 in middle ear cholesteatoma and discuses their effects on cholesteatoma.Methods The expressions of TGF-?1 and p21WAF1 were determined by immunohistochemical S-P technology and computer image analysis in 20 specimens of cholesteatoma epithelium and 10 specimens of normal external canal skin.Results ① p21WAF1 and TGF-?1 could be detected in middle ear cholesteatoma and in normal ear canal skin.p21WAF1 was located at karyon,taking on yellow-brown pellet;TGF-?1 was located at cytoplasmic,taking on yellow-brown pellet.②The p21WAF1 positive rate in middle ear cholesteatoma was 65%;and there were almost no positive cells in normal external ear canal skin.p21WAF1 positive cells were detected in each layers,its LI was 28.9%?6.7%.Compared with normal ear canal skin,the expression level of p21WAF1 in middle ear cholesteatoma epithelium was higher than that in normal ear canal skin(P

AIM: To study the molecular mechanism of reproduction dysfunction in pubertal diabetic rat, the level of 5?-reductase (type 2) mRNA in testis, epididymis and prostate in diabetic rat was detected. METHODS: The gene expression of 5?-reductase (type 2) was detected by Northern blot. RESULTS: In the caput of the epididymis, the expression of 5?-reductase (type 2) mRNA of D and ID groups was less than that of C group. CONCLUSION: The decreased expression of 5?-reductase (type 2) results in the decreased production of dihydrotestosterone, which influences the development and function of reproduction system in pubertal rats. [

In recent years, with the development of sequencing technology and research on molecular changes in different races of prostate cancer, it has been found that the pathogenesis of prostate cancer showed obvious ethnic differences. This article reviewed the research progress of ETS fusion genes, FOXA1, SPOP, IDH1 and other driver genes in prostate cancer. And the research of molecular typing of prostate cancer showed different patterns of molecular changes in Chinese and western populations. The molecular changes of prostate cancer in western populations were dominated by ETS fusion gene, while those in Chinese populations were dominated by gene mutations, mainly FOXA1 and SPOP mutations. Moreover, the dominant fusion gene in Chinese prostate cancer was not ETS fusion gene, but SCHLAP1-UBE2E3.

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes and their elements in patients with posthepatitic cirrhosis by analyzing the relationships between signs and symptoms and biochemical parameters. Methods: A total of 440 patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis treated in Shanghai Public Health Center and Shuguang Hospital, Longhua Hospital and Central Hospital of Putuo District Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine during January 2002 to January 2006 were enrolled in this study. Signs and symptoms and biochemical information of patients were collected by using a self-designed questionnaire regarding the four examinations of TCM. Signs and symptoms were firstly analyzed to find the frequency of occurrence. Then, the patients were divided into two groups according to non-existent or existent sign and symptom and the correlations between the signs and symptoms which occurred most frequently and their biochemical parameters were analyzed. Results: Sixteen symptoms which occurred most frequently were fatigue, colored urine, liver palms, opaque complexion, string-like pulse, weakness at waist and knees, dry month and bitter taste in the mouth, profuse dreaminess and poor sleepiness, heaviness of limbs, abdominal distention, yellow eyes, fine pulse, impetuosity and susceptibility to rage, splenomegaly, poor appetite, and distension and fullness in the chest and hypochondrium. A previous study on syndrome differentiation of 900 patients with posthepatitic cirrhosis showed 4 syndrome patterns: internal accumulation of dampness-heat, liver-kidney yin deficiency, internal accumulation of blood stasis-heat, and liver depression and spleen deficiency. Further analysis showed that internal accumulation of dampness-heat syndrome was characterized by obvious hepatic inflammation, poor synthesis function and more asctites. Liver-kidney yin deficiency syndrome was characterized by low-level hepatic inflammation, poor synthesis function and more ascites. Internal accumulation of blood stasis-heat syndrome was characterized by low-level hepatic inflammation, poorer synthesis function, ascites and splenomegalia, and liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome was characterized by slight hepatic inflammation, synthesis function injury, decreased internal portal vein diameter and less ascites. Conclusion: Different syndrome patterns have different pathological features, showing the complexity and polymorphism of syndrome construction.