Blood Gas Analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Newborn, Diseases ; therapy ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Male ; Respiration, Artificial

ObjectiveTo study the relevant effect of proinflammatory cytokines interelenkin-17(IL-17), -6 and endothelin-1 (ET-1) on statins attenuating no-reflow phenomenon after myocardial ischemia-reperfusion in rats.MethodsEighteen healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups according to body weight: sham operation, injury, preconditioning groups. The preconditioning group was given atorvastatin 2 mg·kg-1 ·d-1 and the other two groups were given the same volume of saline once. After 7 days, the rats were anesthetized with an intraperitoneal injection of chloral hydrate, and then the thoracic cavity was opened. The coronary artery of injury group and preconditioning group were ligated for 60 minutes, and then opened for 15 minutes, to establish the rat acute myocardial ischemia-reperfusion model. The sham operation group was was treated with a seam through the coronary artery without ligation. Eleetrocardiogram was checked before ligation, and ligation was carried out for 15, 30, 45 minutes and then reperfusion for 15 minutes. After reperfusion for 15 minutes, the thioflavine S and Even's were injected from femoral venous, then the heart and blood were obtained(keeping left ventricular only). Hearts were flushed with saline and sliced transversely into five to seven sections. Finally, observed at 365 nm wave length the existence of non-fluorescent areas, which was no-reflow zone. The level of serum IL-17, IL-6 and ET-1 was detected by ELISA. Results The electrocardiogram confirmed that the sham operation group had no ischemic damage and the model of myocardial ischemia- reperfusion was established in preconditioning group and injury group. The noreflow phenomenon could be observed under 365 nm wave length in preconditioning group and injury group. The ligated area[LA％, (57.34 ± 11.49)％, (53.08 ± 8.66)％] of injury group and preconditioning group was higher than that of sham operation group(0, all P ＜ 0.05); the area of no-reflow[ANF％, (48.96 ± 6.94)％, (21.37 ±3.35)％] of injury group and preconditioning group was higher than that of sham operation group(0, all P ＜ 0.05),and the ANF％ of preconditioning group was lower than that of injury group(P ＜ 0.05) ; the level of serum IL-17,IL-6 and ET-1[(151.67 ± 11.19) × 10-9, (167.89 ± 5.13) × 10-9, (322.37 ± 19.08) × 10-9 g/L] of injury group was higher than those of sham group and preconditioning operation group[(49.75 ± 14.06) × 10-9, (59.32 ± 5.26) ×10-9, (109.9 ± 12.12) × 10-9, (90.45 ± 11.63) × 10-9, (112.47 ± 10.40) × 10-9 and(198.91 ± 27.88) × 10-9 g/L,P ＜ 0.05], the level of serum IL-17, IL-6 and ET-1 of preconditioning group was higher than those of sham operation group(P＜ 0.05). Conclusionsno-reflow phenomenon is related with IL-17 and ET-1 which can promote the expression of IL-6, statins decreases the expression of IL-17 and ET-1, and then decreases the on-reflow phenomenon.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical significance of umbilical activin A in preterm infants.

METHODSForty-one preterm infants (gestation 28 to 36 weeks) were enrolled. Fetal membranes, umbilical cords and blood samples from umbilical vein were obtained. Umbilical activin A level was measured using ELISA. The histological examinations of fetal membranes and umbilical cords were performed.

RESULTSThe umbilical level of activin A averaged 2069 pg/mL in the 41 preterm infants. The umbilical activin A level in the 5 infants with intrauterine infection was higher than in those without intrauterine infection (2510 pg/mL vs 1975 pg/mL; P<0.01). Umbilical activin A level at cutoff of 2490 pg/mL showed a sensitivity of 80.0% and a specificity of 90.6% as a marker of intrauterine infection. There were no significant differences in the umbilical activin A level between the infants with and without respiratory distress syndrome. Umbilical activin A level was positively correlated with the duration of postnatal oxygen therapy (r=0.326, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSUmbilical activin A may serve a marker of intrauterine infection in preterm infants. The umbilical activin A level is correlated with the duration of postnatal oxygen therapy.

Activins ; blood ; Chorioamnionitis ; blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; chemistry ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; blood ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; blood

OBJECTIVETo explore the correlation among prevertebral hyperintensity (PVH), sagittal canal diameter on MRI and neurologic function of patients after cervical vertebral hyperextension injury without fracture and dislocation.

METHODSThe clinical data of 100 patients with cervical vertebral hyperextension injury without fracture and dislocation were retrospectively analyzed from September 2010 to December 2013. The patients were divided into PVH group and non-PVH group according to the presence of PVH on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. There were 39 patients in PVH group, including 31 males and 8 females, aged from 21 to 83 years old with an average of (58.10 ± 14.78) years; and the other 69 patients in non-PVH group, including 49 males and 12 females, aged from 32 to 77 years old with an average of (55.05 ± 10.36) years. The sagittal disc level canal diameters of subaxial cervical spine were measured on mid-sagittal magnetic resonance imaging. The age, sex, cause of injury, and the segments of spinal stenosis were recorded. American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale and motor score were used to evaluate the neurological status.

RESULTSThe ASIA motor score of the group with PVH was 52.56 ± 31.97 while the ASIA motor score was 67.70 ± 22.83 in non-PVH group (P = 0.013). More patients with intramedullary hyperintensity signal on MRI were observed in the PVH group than in non-PVH group (P = 0.006). There was a significant positive correlation between ASIA motor score and sagittal disc level canal diameter of injury segment (P = 0.003). The neurological status was worse in patients with multi-level sagittal canal diameters below 8 mm.

CONCLUSIONThe PVH and the disc-level canal sagittal diameter of the injury segment are associated with neurological status. The patients with multi-level sagittal canal stenosis are vulnerable to severe cervical spinal cord injury.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cervical Vertebrae ; injuries ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Canal ; pathology ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; pathology ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and the results of losartan intervention on platelet-aggregation in spontaneous hypertensive rats. METHODS: Spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR) were randomly assigned into 3 groups: SHR control group, L-arginine treatment group (L-arg) and losartan (los) treatment group, each group consisting of 16 rats. Another 16 Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) served as normal control group. The L-arginine and losartan treatment groups received 1.0 g/kg L-arginine or 30 mg/kg losartan in 10 mL/kg distilled water daily through gastric tube for 2 weeks respectively, while the SHR and WKY groups received distilled water alone. All the rats took tap water and standard feed freely during the experimental period. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was monitored by the tail-cuff method. At the end of the 2-week intervention, all the rats were sacrificed and the blood samples were collected from the carotid artery. The platelet-aggregation-rate, NO levels, eNOS activity, and ADMA levels both in the plasma and the platelets were measured. We got other platelet samples from the SD rats and incubated the platelets with blood vascular endothelium from the above 4 groups of experimental rats and the platelet-aggregation-rate was monitored as well. RESULTS: (1) Systolic blood pressure of the SHR was significantly higher, compared with that of the WKY (P<0.01), which were significantly reduced both in the L-arginine and losartan groups (P<0.01). (2) Platelet-aggregation-rate of the SHR was significantly higher, compared with that of WKY (P<0.01), which was significantly reduced both in the L-arginine and losartan groups (P<0.01). (3) NO levels both in the plasma and the platelets of the SHR were lower, compared with those of the WKY (P<0.05); and were elevated significantly both in the L-arginine and losartan groups,compared with those of the SHR (P<0.05); (4) Both the plasma and the platelet eNOS activities of SHR followed the same pattern of the NO levels in these groups (P<0.01). (5) In contrast, the plasma and platelet ADMA levels showed a reverse pattern (P<0.05). (6) Platelets from the SD rats incubated with vascular endothelium of WKY exhibited lower platelet-aggregation-rate,compared with the platelets incubated with SHR vascular endothelium (P<0.05); Platelet-aggregation-rate of the SHR group increased, compared with that of the WKY group (P<0.05); Platelet-aggregation-rate both of L-arginine and losartan groups reduced, compared with that of the SHR group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION High levels of ADMA both in the plasma and in the platelets of SHR are associated with the decline of eNOS activity and NO levels, which might be an important reason for the increased platelet-aggregation-rate. Intervention with Losartan can reduce the platelet-aggregation-rate simultaneously with its known anti-hypertensive effect. The possible mechanism might be that losartan can enhance the eNOS activity and elevate NO levels through the suppression of ADMA.
Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Antihypertensive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Arginine ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; Hypertension ; blood ; drug therapy ; Losartan ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Platelet Aggregation ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Rats, Inbred WKY

OBJECTIVETo evaluate whether garlicin can prevent reperfusion no-reflow in a catheter-based porcine model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

METHODSTwenty-two male Chinese mini swines were randomized into 3 groups: sham-operation group (n=6), control group (n=8), and garlicin group (n=8). The distal part of left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) in swines of the latter two groups was completely occluded by dilated balloon for 2 h and a successful AMI model was confirmed by coronary angiography (CAG) and electrocardiograph (ECG), which was then reperfused for 3 h. In the sham-operation group, balloon was placed in LAD without dilatation. Garlicin at a dosage of 1.88 mg/kg was injected 10 min before LAD occlusion until reperfusion for 1 h in the garlicin group. To assess serial cardiac function, hemodynamic data were examined by catheter method before AMI, 2 h after occlusion and 1, 2, and 3 h after reperfusion. Myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) and double staining with Evans blue and thioflavin-S were performed to evaluate myocardial no-reflow area (NRA) and risk area (RA).

RESULTSLeft ventricular systolic pressure and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure significantly improved in the garlicin group after reperfusion compared with the control group P<0.05) and 2 h after AMI (P<0.05). MCE showed garlicin decreased reperfusion NRA after AMI compared with the control group (P <0.05). In double staining, NRA/RA in the garlicin group was 18.78%, significantly lower than that of the control group (49.84%, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSGarlicin has a preventive effect on the porcine model of myocardial infarction reperfusion no-reflow by improving hemodynamics and decreasing NRA.

Allyl Compounds ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Cardiotonic Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Contrast Media ; Disease Models, Animal ; Disulfides ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Hemodynamics ; drug effects ; Male ; Myocardial Infarction ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Myocardial Reperfusion ; No-Reflow Phenomenon ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature ; Thiazoles ; metabolism ; Ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: Few studies investigated serum uric acid levels in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The study was to assess the clinical value of serum uric acid levels in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS: Totally 502 consecutive patients with STEMI were retrospectively studied from January 2005 to December 2010. The level of serum lipid, echocardiographic data and in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with hyperuricemia (n=119) were compared with those in patients without hyperuricemia (n=383). The relationship between the level of serum uric acid and the degree of diseased coronary artery was analyzed. All data were analyzed with SPSS version 17.0 software for Student's t test, the Chi-square test and Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis. RESULTS: Serum uric acid level was positively correlated with serum triglyceride level. Hyperlipidemia was more common in hyperuricemia patients than in non-hyperuricemia patients (43.7％ vs. 33.7％, P=0.047), and serum triglyceride level was significantly higher in hyperuricemia patients (2.11±1.24 vs. 1.78±1.38, P=0.014). But no significant association was observed between serum uric acid level and one or more diseased vessels (P>0.05). Left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd) was larger in hyperuricemia patients than in non-hyperuricemia patients (53.52±6.19 vs. 52.18±4.89, P=0.041). The higher rate of left systolic dysfunction and diastolic dysfunction was discovered in hyperuricemia patients (36.4％ vs. 15.1％, P<0.001; 68.2％ vs. 55.8％, P=0.023). Also, hyperuricemia patients were more likely to have in-hospital MACE (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Serum uric acid level is positively correlated with serum triglyceride level, but not with the severity of coronary artery disease. Hyperuricemia patients with STEMI tend to have a higher rate of left systolic dysfunction and diastolic dysfunction and more likely to have more in-hospital MACE.

OBJECTIVEThis study aimed to explore the effects of hyperoxia on the development of fetal lung by investigating the changes of morphological and cell proliferation induced by hyperoxia in cultured fetal lungs as well as the effects of dexamethasone on hyperoxia-exposed lungs.

METHODSHuman fetal lung explants at the pseudoglandular stage of development were cultured randomly either in normoxia (21% O2/5% CO2) or hyperoxia (95% O2/5% CO2) for 72 hrs. Dexamethasone was added into the feeding medium at the concentration of 10(-6)M. Harvested tissues were stained for pancytokeratin to identify epithelial cells, with Ki-67 as a marker of proliferation. The effects of lung morphometry were analyzed using computer assisted image analysis. The mean airway thickness, the proportion of the surface area occupied by airways, the mean airway surface area and the index of the epithelium proliferation were measured.

RESULTSThe lung architectures remained unchanged after 72 hrs normoxia culture, whereas hyperoxia culture resulted in significant dilation of airways and thinning of epithelium, with the surface area of airways of 6662 microm(2) vs 2728 microm(2) and the thickness of airways of 7.8 microm vs 8.1 microm (P < 0.05). Hyperoxia culture also resulted in an increase in the proportion of the surface area occupied by airways than normoxia culture (35.2% vs 23.4%; P < 0.05). The surface area of airways (3174 microm(2)) and the proportion of the surface area occupied by airways (23.9%) decreased significantly in hyperoxia-cultured lungs after dexamethasone administration (P < 0.05). The epithelium proliferation index in hyperoxia-cultured lungs (21.8%) was higher than that in normoxia-cultured lungs (5.1%) and dexamethasone-treated hyperoxia-cultured lungs (7.4%) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe exposure of pseudoglandular lungs to hyperoxia modulates the lung architecture to resemble saccular lungs with higher epithelium proliferation index. Dexamethasone may inhibit the effects induced by hyperoxia.

Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Dexamethasone ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperoxia ; pathology ; Lung ; drug effects ; embryology ; pathology ; Pregnancy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the birth information of newborn infants from obstetric departments in the Central South Region of China.

METHODSA retrospective investigation was carried out in 15582 newborns from obstetric departments of 23 hospitals in the Central South Region of China between January 1 and December 31 of 2005.

RESULTSThe sex ratio (male/female) of neonates was 1.16∶1. The proportion of preterm infants was 8.11%. The very low birth weight infants accounted for 0.73%. The neonates born by spontaneous labor accounted for 57.52%. Cesarean sections accounted for 40.82% (social factor of cesarean section: 29.91%). The incidence of neonatal asphyxia was 3.78%, in which 0.75% of the cases were severe asphyxia. The mortality of newborn infants was 0.55%, in which the mortality of preterm infants was 5.56%.

CONCLUSIONSThe proportion of preterm infants and the incidence of neonatal asphyxia is high in the Central South Region of China. The proportion of births delivered by cesarean section is high, and social factors are probably responsible for the high rate.

Asphyxia Neonatorum ; epidemiology ; Cesarean Section ; statistics & numerical data ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant Mortality ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Retrospective Studies

The purpose of this study was to detect the expression levels of geminin and cdt1 in peripheral blood and bone marrow from patients with newly diagnosed acute leukemia (AL), and further explore effects of them in the pathogenesis of AL. mRNA expression of geminin and cdt1 in peripheral blood and bone marrow of newly diagnosed AL patients was detected by SYBR Green real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(SYBR-RT-PCR). The results showed that mRNA expressions of both geminin and cdt1 in peripheral blood were positive in 10 out of 13 newly diagnosed ALL patients (76.92%) and in 9 out of 14 newly diagnosed AML patients (64.29%), while no positive expression of these 2 genes was detected in 10 normal controls; mRNA expression levels of geminin and cdt1 in bone marrow of newly diagnosed ALL and AML patients were 108.06 ± 67.34 and 52.37 ± 35.16, 62.66 ± 58.69 and 26.68 ± 22.29, respectively, which were higher than those in normal controls (11.81 ± 2.83 and 7.32 ± 5.77), there were significant differences (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05). mRNA expression of geminin was significantly positive related to mRNA expression of cdt1 in bone marrow of 34 newly diagnosed AL patients (r = 0.55, p < 0.01). It is concluded that mRNA expressions of geminin and cdt1 are enhanced and significantly positively related between them in bone marrow of AL patients. The over-expression of geminin and cdt1 mRNA may play an important role in pathogenesis of AL.
Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Cycle Proteins ; genetics ; Female ; Geminin ; Humans ; Leukemia ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Young Adult