OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of chronic hypoxia on left and right ventricular function and the expression of cardiac transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels in rats.

METHODSForty eight SD male rats were randomly divided into control group (CON) and chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension model group (CH) (n = 24). In CH group, rats were exposed in chronic hypoxia environment (10% +/- 0.2% O2) to induce myocardial hypertrophy. After 3 weeks, mean systemic arterial pressure (mSAP), right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP), left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left or right ventricular pressure maximum rate of rise (LV/RV + dp/dt(max)), left or right ventricular pressure maximum rate of descent (LV/RV-dp/dt(max)), right ventricular hypertrophy index (RVMI) and left ventricular hypertrophy index (LVMI) were measured. Left and right ventricular myocardium tissue sections were stained by HE and observed under light microscope. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time-PCR) and Western blot were performed to detect the expression of TRPC subfamily.

RESULTSRVSP, RVMI, RV + dp/dt(max) and RV-dp/dt(max) were markedly elevated in CH group (P < 0.01) in comparison to CON group. LVMI was markedly reduced in CH group in comparison to CON group (P < 0.01). LVSP, LV + dp/dt(max) and LV- dp/dt(max) had no significant changes in CH group in comparison to CON group. Right ventricular myocardial cells of CH group became thick, the nuclei stained deeply, the shape of nuclei became not regularity. Left ventricular myocardial fibers did not change significantly. There was significant difference in the levels of mRNA and protein of TRPC1 between CON and CH groups.

CONCLUSIONFor three weeks exposed to chronic hypoxia induced right ventricular hypertrophy specifically, raised the mRNA and protein expression of TRPC1 on right ventricular myocardial cells . TRPC1 might be involved in the development of cardiac hypertrophy.

The electrospray ionization-ion mobility spectrometric (ESI-IMS) technique has the potential as an analytical separation tool in analyzing polypeptides and amino acids for fast screening unknown samples in anti-chemical and biological terror attacks. A method for detecting several polypeptides and amino acids was developed based on ESI-IMS using air as drift gas at room temperature. The ion mobility of four amino acids and two polypeptides dissolved in methanol was determined on the system at elution rate of 2 mL/ min. The spectra of these compounds had characteristics of finger-printing maps. The limit of detection of this instrument for Substance P could reach 855 ng / mL in 1 min. The results showed that a small, self-contained ESI-IMS instrument with reservoirs of air could be used to quickly detect and accurately identify polypeptides and amino acids.

To study the usefulness of JPEG2000 compression for nuclear medicine (NM) image, normal and abnormal static images were compressed using a JPEG2000 plug-in. For lossless algorithm, the compressing ratio (CR) was calculated. For lossy algorithm, images were visually analyzed by NM physicians and ROC curves were generated. The area under ROC curve (AUC) was used as the index of image diagnostic quality. Paired sample t tests were performed to compare the AUCs. It was found that the lossless CR was (1.34+/-0.05) : 1. For lossy algorithm, the AUC decreased with the increase of CR. Comparison between the original and the compressed images revealed no significant difference for 10:1 CR but significant difference for bigger CRs. It was concluded that lossless compression has little usefulness for NM image because of very low CR. While lossy compression isused, the diagnostic quality of static NM images is preserved at CRs 50 : 1,40 : 1, 30 : 1,20 : 1 up to 10 : 1. For other types of NM image, CR should be increased or decreased according to their characteristics, especially the level of intrinsic statistical noise of NM image.
Algorithms ; Area Under Curve ; Artifacts ; Data Compression ; methods ; standards ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Nuclear Medicine ; methods ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Thyroid Gland ; diagnostic imaging

OBJECTIVETo investigate the possible risk factors of congenital malformations in cities of Guangxi.

METHODSA case-control study was carried out on 281 cases of congenital malformations and 730 controls. Analysis of simple factor and multiple factors unconditional logistic regression were done.

RESULTSThe analysis of simple factor and multiple factors showed that main risk factors of congenital malformations as multiple pregnancies (OR = 2.6), pregnancy complications (OR = 3.2), exposure to chemical substances before or during pregnancy (OR = 3.0), taking sedatives (OR = 10.2), hormone drug (OR = 9.4) or Chinese herbal medicines (OR = 2.5) during the early stage of pregnancy, mothers' blood type as AB (OR = 3.5) or A (OR = 2.2), mothers' emotion being nervous and melancholy (OR = 2.6), mothers' occupation being workers (OR = 3.8) or peasants (OR = 3.0), fathers' exposure to noise (OR = 5.7) or suffering from chronic diseases (OR = 2.8).

CONCLUSIONSSome risk factors were identified as having important effect on perinatal congenital malformations, including taking sedatives, hormone drug or Chinese herbal medicines during the early stage of pregnancy, mothers' emotion being nervous and melancholy, multiple pregnancies, pregnancy complications, exposure to chemical substances before or during pregnancies, mothers' blood type as AB or A, mothers' occupation being workers or peasants, fathers' exposure to noise or suffering from chronic diseases.

OBJECTIVETo establish a suitable protocol for activating mouse somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos with strontium chloride (SrCl2).

METHODSWe constructed and identified mouse nuclear transfer (NT) embryos. After nuclear injection, we activated the NT embryos using the following chemical activation methods: exposing the NT embryos to 5 and 10 mmol/L SrCl2 strontium for 1 -8 h, activating the NT embryos with 1-20 mmol/L SrCl2 strontium at 4 and 6 h, treating the NT embryos with 10 mmol/L SrCl2 strontium in different activating media, and exposing the NT embryos to 10 mmol/L SrCl2 strontium combined with 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP) and cytochalasin B (CB). After activation, the NT embryos were cultured in vitro in the cleavage medium.

RESULTSWhen the NT embryos were treated with SrCl2 at the concentration of 5 mmol/L, the cleavage rate was remarkably higher at 6 h (38.9%) than at 1 h (6.7%), 2 h (22.8%), 3 h (22.8%) and 4 h (25.6%) (P < 0.05), but with no significant differences from those at 5 h (28.9%), 7 h (34.4%) and 8 h (28.9%) (P > 0.05). When the NT embryos were treated with SrCl2 for 6 h, the rates of cleavage and blastulation were 68.9% and 7.2% at 10 mmol/L, markedly higher than at 1 mmol/L (28.3% and 0%), 2.5 mmol/L (35.6% and 0%), 5 mmol/L (37.8% and 1.1%), 7.5 mmol/L (60.6% and 2.2%), 15 mmol/L (51.7% and 1.1%), and 20 mmol/L (41.7% and 1.1%) (P < 0.05). The cleavage rate of the NT embryos cultured in the Ca2+ and Mg2+ KSOM medium was 27.8%, significantly lower than in the Ca(2+)-free KSOM (69.4%), Ca2+/Mg(2+)-free KSOM (66.1%), and Ca2+/Mg(2+)-free + EDTA KSOM (68.3%) (P < 0.05). The total cell blastocyst number was significantly larger in the NT embryos treated with SrCl2 + CB (45.40 +/- 2.23) than in those treated with SrCl2 (30.15 +/- 1.12), 6-DMAP (34.95 +/- 1.38), and 6-DMAP + CB (37.45 +/- 1.43) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSix-hour treatment with 10 mmol/L SrCl2 in Ca2+ alone or in combination with CB can well activate NT embryos in mice.

Objective:To discusses effectiveness of CTA in the classification of first plantar metatarsal artery and its application value in thumb reconstruction.Methods:Thirty-six cases who underwent thumb reconstruction with free second toe or hallucis flap between December, 2015 and December, 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Among these cases, 22 cases were injured by machine stranding, 7 cases by heavy objects, and 7 cases were injured by rolling. Exact first plantar metatarsal arteries of all these cases were evaluated by using CTA preoperatively. And compared with intraoperative findings at the donor sites. Free first or second toe flap for thumb reconstruction were designed preoperatively based on branching pattern of first plantar metatarsal arteries.Results:The origin, course, 3-dimensional (3D) anatomical relationship with surrounding tissues and branching pattern of all these feet first plantar metatarsal arteries of 35 cases (70 feet)were well displayed in CTA images, and 1 case (2 feet) were showed poor vascular continuity and artifacts in CTA (2.78%). According to the branching pattern of first plantar metatarsal arteries, 29 cases (58 feet, 80.56%) were ramifying type, 5 cases (10 feet, 13.88%) were main trunk type, and 1 case (2 feet, 2.78%) were tiny branch type. Preoperative CTA images and intraoperative findings at the donor site of 35 cases were remarkably consistent. According to CTA images, 27 cases underwent thumb reconstruction with hallucis flap, 8 cases underwent thumb reconstruction with second toe, and 1 case of poor vascular continuity and artifacts in CTA underwent thumb reconstruction with hallucis flap eventually. All these cases were followed-up for 6-24 (average 12) months, and all reconstructed thumbs survived. The clinical outcomes of all these reconstructed thumbs were good with satisfactory appearance, sensory recovery, excellent motion. The donor feet of all cases recovered well.Conclusion:High-quality 3D images of first plantar metatarsal arteries could be obtained by CTA, allowing preoperative assessment of blood supply and planning of donor site. Therefore, success rate of reconstructed operation could be improved with low disability rate of donor site.

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of compound Huanggen granules combined with Entecavir tablets for patients with chronic hepatitis B with syndrome of collateral retardation due to blood stasis. Method:The 130 patients with chronic hepatitis B with syndrome of collateral retardation due to blood stasis were randomly divided into observation group and control group by using random number table method. The 65 patients in observation group were treated with compound Huanggen granules combined with Entecavir tablets， and 65 patients in control group were treated with Entecavir tablets orally. The changes of liver function ［alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， total bilirubin（TBIL）， albumin（Alb）］ ， coagulation function ［prothrombin time（PT）， activated partial thromboplastin time（APTT）， thrombin time（TT）， fibrinogen（FIB）］， serum Hepatitis B Virus DNA（HBV DNA） levels， hepatitis B e antigen quantification（HBeAg）， stiffness of the liver， liver imaging （portal vein width， spleen thickness）， liver histopathology knodell HAI classification for chronic hepatitis， and changes in ishak fibrosis score at 24，48 weeks were observed in both groups. Result:After 48 weeks， the indexes of the two groups were improved to different degrees （P<0.05，P<0.01）， serum HBV DNA negative conversion rate， liver function， coagulation index， liver stiffness， portal vein diameter， Knodell HAI grade portal inflammation， interface activity， hepatic lobular activity， and Ishak fibrosis score in observation group were better than those in the control group （P<0.05）. Patients in the control group had no significant improvement in liver lobular activity after treatment in the Knodell HAI classification of chronic hepatitis. Conclusion:Compound Huanggen granules combined with Entecavir tablets are more effective in treating patients with chronic hepatitis B with syndrome of collateral retardation due to blood stasis than Entecavir tablets alone. The combination of two drugs helps to improve the rapid response rate of HBV DNA， and has a better effect on improving liver function， controlling the development of liver fibrosis and preventing related complications.