OBJECTIVETo explore the alterations of after depolarization and triggered activity in myocardiac muscle during progression of mouse aortic stenosis.

METHODSAfter the establishment of mouse aortic stenosis model, the heart was collected and intracellular potential was recorded using standard glass microelectrode. After the recording, the action potential (AP), early after depolarization (EAD), delayed after depolarization (DAD) in papillary muscles were analysed.

RESULTS(1) Compared with that of time-matched control mice, there were no changes of the action potoutial duration at 90% repolarization(APD90) in model mice at 2 and 5 weeks, whereas the APD90 was progressively prolonged at 9 and 13 weeks. (2) During the 30 minites of the experiment, spontaneous EADs and DADs were frequently present in medel mice at 9 and 13 weeks, were not in control and model mice at 2 and 5 weeks. (3) Compared with those of control group, EADs and DADs triggered by hypokalaemia or isoproterenol were increased significantly. The incidence rate of triggering EADs and DADs was progressively increased over time.

CONCLUSIONEAD, DAD and trigger activities increase gradually during the process of aortic stenosis, and it suggests that the myocardium electrical-instability is markedly increased in the insult hearts.

Action Potentials ; physiology ; Animals ; Aortic Valve Stenosis ; physiopathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Mice ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo find the characteristic parameters from electrocardiogram (ECG) which is most related to pathological progress, surface ECG was performed in mice at 2, 5, 9 and 13 week post surgery.

METHODSElectrocardiogram recordings: The mice were anaesthetized with tribromoethanol (250 mg/kg, i.p.). Lead II surface ECG were acquired by using the Biopac System MP150 at a rate of 5 kHz.

RESULTS(1) No arrhythmia was observed in Sham and 2-week Band mice. Spontaneous arrhythmias were observed in ECG recordings, with an incidence of 15%, 28% and 63% in 5-, 9- and 13-week Band mice, respectively. Tachyarrhythmias, such as frequent premature ventricular extrasystole, bigeminy, trigeminy, and paroxysmal tachycardia were found. (2) Analysis of ECG recordings revealed a significant prolongation of QT and QTc intervals. Compared with age-matched Sham mice, the increment in QT and QTc intervals was 20.4%, 32.7%, 49.7%, 61.0% and 27.1%, 32.1%, 43.9%, 59.1% at 2, 5, 9 and 13 week, respectively (P < 0.01). (3) The characteristic change in electrocardiogram was on the J wave. The amplitude of J wave was upward in Sham mice, and it was significantly flattened or inverted in Band mice. (4) Except that RR interval at 2 week showed a slight decrease, there was no significant change in PR interval and RR interval in Band mice.

CONCLUSIONIn the present study, we found that the increase incidence of spontaneous arrhythmias, prologation of QT interval and changes in the amplitude of the J wave in the surface ECG during progression of mouse cardiac hypertrophy and failure, and the progressive pattern indicated that a gradual aggravation of the ventricular repolarization delay in this mouse model.

Animals ; Cardiomegaly ; physiopathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Electrocardiography ; Male ; Mice

A cross-sectional study of 92 women with polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS) was performed.The patients were composed of 4 groups according to the Rotterdam criteria and were also divided into 2 groups according to body mass index and divided into 2 groups according to insulin-releasing test.Anthropometric measurements were recorded,and hormonal profile was assessed by measuring FSH,LH,prolactin,and testosterone.The metabolic profile was investigated by measuring glucose and insulin level during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT),then calculating the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA).Serum lipid levels,including total cholesterol,triglycerides,high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol,and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol were determirned.The result suggests that the classification according to the revised 2003 Rotterdam consensus on diagnosis does not reflect dyslipidemia in PCOS.Dyslipidemia in hyperinsulinemic group and obesity group were more severe than that in non-hyperinsulinemic group and non-obese group ; this finding needs our attention in early treatment and prevention of late complications of PCOS.

Objective To explore the clinical application of the expression of LOXL2 mRNA and Tenascin-C mRNA in tissues for the disease with the bile duct cancer.Methods The serum and clinical data in 35 cases of patients with the bile duct cancer (cancer group) and 28 cases of patients with normal bile duct tissue (control group) were collected,used the real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (real-time-PCR,RT-PCR) technology to detect the expression of LOXL2 mRNA and TenascinC mRNA in tissues toobserve the relationship between the changes and the bile duct cancer for the two markers.Results The expression of LOXL2 mRNA and Tenascin-C mRNA in tissues in the cancer group were 1.27±0.18 and 1.39±0.19,which of ones in the control group were 0.20±0.06 and 0.23±0.06.In the cancer group,the expression of LOXL2 mRNA and Tenascin-C mRNA in tissues respectively with comparision to those in the control group were significantly higher,the differences had statistical significance(t=52.18,56.87,P＜0.01),which of ones in the cancer group was positively related (r=0.687,P＜0.01).Conclution The expression of LOXL2 mRNA and Tenascin-C mRNA in tissues may be a molecular targets for the disease with the bile duct cancer in the early diagnosis and judgment of progression in the courses of this disease.

Objective: To explore the effect of KangXin oral solution on brain mitochondrial DNA(mtDNA) deletion mutation in aged Balb/c mice.Methods: The Balb/c mice were divided into the young group(6weeks),middle-aged group(6months) and aged group(14 months),each group has 10 mice.Brain mtDNA were obtained and polymerase chain reaction(PCR) technique was used to examine the fragment deletion of brain mtDNA,thus,to confi rm there was deletion of mtDNA in aged mice,s brain.The aged Balb/c mice were divided into two groups: the aged blank control group being given 0.9% normal sodium,KangXin oral solution group.After being treated for four months,the brain mtDNA were obtained and polymerase chain reaction(PCR) technique was used to amplify wild-type and deletion from of mtDNA.Gel imaging meter was used to detect optical density,then,to compare the optical density ratios of deletion from mtDNA/ wide type mtDNA in two groups.Results: There were 304bp mtDNA deletion in brain mitochondrial of aged Balb/c mice,but same mtDNA deletions were not detected in brain mitochondrial of young and middle-aged mice.Compared with aged blank control group,the mtDNA deletion of aged Balb/c mice in KangXin oral solution group decreased obviously(P〈0.001).Conclusion: mtDNA deletion mutation accumulates with the increase of age.KangXin oral solution can inhibit mtDNA deletion of aged mice.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has attracted wide attention due to its unique advantages such as minimal invasiveness, high efficiency and high selectivity, and its ability to induce anti-tumor immune response. However, the treatment process is heavily dependent on the oxygen content of the treatment site, and the widespread oxygen deficiency in malignant tumors severely limits its efficacy. In addition, PDT-mediated oxygen depletion exacerbates tumor hypoxia, which further reduces its therapeutic effect. In recent years, many researches have been devoted to overcoming this problem. This paper summarized various strategies based on tumor hypoxic PDT in recent years, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of these strategies, and analyzing the main challenges and future directions of PDT in the treatment of tumors, so as to provide references for the in-depth study of photodynamic therapy of tumors.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Gene Frequency ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Staging ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the effect of leflunomide on the superficial costimulatory molecules expression of T lymphocytes in patients with lupus nephritis ( LN ). Methods The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of female active LN patients and healthy female were separated by density gradient centrifugation, and cultured by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or leflunomide active metabolites(A771726).The CD28, CD40L, CTLA-4 and LFA-1a expressions on the peripheral blood T lymphocytes were detected by double-colored flow cytometry. The differences of the means were tested by analysis of variance( ANOVA ) and SNK q test. Results Comparing with healthy controls, there were significantly higher expressions of CD28,CD40L, LFA-1a and CTLA-4 on the peripheral blood T cells in active LN patients (CD28:33.4±6.5 vs14.4±3.2; CD40L: 13.2±3.2 vs 5.4±2.3; LFA-1a: 8.5±2.3 vs2.2±1.1; CTLA-4:4.6±1.5 all P＜0.01) as well as CD28 and CD40L expression on the peripheral blood T cells from healthy controls induced by PHA (CD28:26.8±6.7 vs14.4±3.2; CD40L: 13.9±4.9 vs 5.4±2.3 all P＜0.01 ), but not CTLA-4 and LFA-1a expression.However, CD28, CD40L, LFA-1a and CTLA-4 expressions on T cells stimulated by PHA increased in active LN patients(all P＜0.05 ). A771726 could significantly inhibit over-expression of LFA-1a and CD40L on the T cells from active LN patients (CD40L:8.2±2.0 vs13.3±3.2;LFA-1a:5.1±1.3 vs8.5±2.3 all P＜0.01 ), but not CD28 and CTLA-4 expression. A771726 did not inhibit CD28, CD40L, LFA-1a and CTLA-4 expression on the T cells in healthy controls. Furthermore, A771726 could markedly inhibit the over-expression of all of the above molecules induced by PHA on the T cells of active LN patients (all P＜0.05). Conclusion One of the major mechanisms for LEF treatment of LN is that LEF can down-regulate CD40L and LFA-1a expression but not CD28 and CTLA-4 expression on the peripheral blood T cells in active LN patients.

BACKGROUND:Bone marrow is the main source of mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)at present,but its application has been limited,because of some reasons such as inconvenience of isolation,and the quantity of cells decreases with human increased age.Umbilical cord as a new source of MSCs has been widespread concerned recently.OBJECTIVE:To explore the approach of isolating and culturing MSCs from Wharton's jelly of human umbilical cord,and the methods of identifying the surface antigens and the differentiation potential.METHODS:MSCs were isolated and amplified via tissue-cultivation,and cultured by FasGrow medium.Morphology of MSCs from Wharton's jelly of human umbilical cord was observed under the optical microscope.Its immunophenotypes were detected using immunohistochemistry.The differentiation of MSCs into the osteoblasts was determined utilizing Gomori calcium-cobalt alkaline phosphatase staining,von Kossa calcium node staining,and tetracyclinefluorescence labeling.The differentiation of MSCs into the adipocytes was detected using oil red O staining.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:MSCs were easily obtained from Wharton's jelly of human umbilical cord via the proposed approach.The primary cells grew up to 70%-80% confluence after 12-16 days of culture,and meanwhile the undifferentiated state was maintained and proliferation was stabilized after passage.The cell cycle of double increase was about 2 days,and proliferation in vitro reached twenty generation above.Surface antigen analysis showed that CD44,CD105,CD133,MHC-I were positively expressed,while CD34,CD45 were negatively expressed.Experiments of differentiation in vitro indicated that the obtained cells were capable of differentiating into fat,osteoblast and nerve-like cells.