Objective To investigate the clinical significance of velocity vector imaging(VVI)in evaluating the left ventricular(LV)segmental longitudinal systolic function in patients with coronary artery disease(CAD).Methods In 25 patients with myocardial ischemia,28 patients with myocardial infarction,26 patients with coronary lumen stenosis＜50%,according to coronary arteriography and electrocardiogram,the myocardial segments of LV were divided into 4 groups:ischemic segments group,infarcted segments group,non-ischemic segments group and normal segments group.Twenty-eight healthy subjects were selected as control group.Dynamic imaging of all subjects were collected,the systolic peak strain(Smax)and strain rate(SRmax),the time to peak strain(PTs)and the time to peak strain rate(PTsr)were measured respectively.Results Smax and SRmax of the ischemic segments and infracted segments were significantly lower than those of the control group respectively,PTs and PTsr of the ischemic segments and infracted segments were significantly longer than those of the control group respectively.Smax and SRmax of infarcted segments were significantly lower than those of the ischemic segments,there were no differences of PTs and PTsr between ischemic segments and infracted segments.Smax and SRmax cutoff of -14.08%,-0.83 s-1 for detecting ischemic segments and cutoff of -6.65%,-0.38 s-1 for detecting infracted segments,respectively,gave an optimal sensitivity and specificity.Conclusions VVI is a kind of novel noninvasive-tool to quantitatively assess LV regional systolic function in CAD patients.It is competent to differentiate between the ischemic segments and infarcted segments.

OBJECTIVETo establish a new rat model of chronic cyclosporine A nephrotoxicity and explore its features.

METHODSTotally 24 male SD rats were equally randomized divided into 3 groups: sham-adrenalectomized (sham-ADX) group, ADX group and ADX plus cyclosporine A (CsA) group. Rats in ADX and CsA group first underwent adrenalectomy, followed by the administration of placebo or dexamethasone, respectively. Rats in sham-ADX group received sham adrenalectomy and distilled water as control. Six weeks later, all rats were sacrificed and the following indicators were evaluated: urine protein excretion, creatinine clearance, aldosterone level in serum and urine, aldosterone level and its synthase CYP11B2 gene expression in kidney, serum natrium and potassium, urine natrium and potassium excretion, and tubulointerstitial fibrosis by masson trichrome stain.

RESULTSIn ADX and CsA group, serum and urine aldosterone were undetectable on the second post-operative day, with other observations including natriuresis, hyponatremia, decreased urine potassium excretion, and hyperpotassemia, suggesting that adrenals were removed intact and the adrenalectomy was successful. Rats in CsA group showed increased urine protein, decreased creatinine clearance and tubulointerstitial fibrosis, suggesting that a model of chronic CsA nephrotoxicity was successfully established. At the endpoint, serum potassium, serum aldosterone, urine potassium and urine aldosterone excretion partially retrieved. Natrium in serum and urine was not significant different between ADX group/CsA group and sham-ADX group. Local renal aldosterone and its gene expression were remarkably upregulated.

CONCLUSIONSWe successfully established a new rat model of chronic CsA nephrotoxicity by adrenalectomy without low sodium diet. After adrenalectomy, local renal aldosterone in kidney may compensate for circulatory aldosterone deficit to maintain electrolyte balance.

Acute Kidney Injury ; chemically induced ; Adrenalectomy ; Aldosterone ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cyclosporine ; toxicity ; Disease Models, Animal ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; toxicity ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Aristolochic Acids ; adverse effects ; Child ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Nephrosis ; chemically induced

Biopsy ; Biopsy, Needle ; Bone Marrow ; pathology ; Bone Marrow Examination ; methods ; Bone Marrow Neoplasms ; pathology ; secondary ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; Cytological Techniques ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology

Objective To explore the relationship of polymorphisms of D17S1878, D17S932 sites and essential hypertension.Methods Sixty-seven pedigrees were collected at the region with high prevalence of hypertension. The polymorphisms of D17S1878 and D17S932 sites were genotyped using Genetic Analyzer and GeneScan Software. Case-control study in sibs with different phenotype was carried out and logistic analysis was used for multivariate analysis. Results There were significant differences on the distributions of age, male, drinking, average systolic pressure, average diastolic pressure, the characteristics of rash, body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol amount, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein(LDL) between the hypertensive-affected sibs and the normotensive sibs (P＜0.05). There was significant difference between the affected hypertensive and normotensive sibs in the D17S1878 site (P＜0.05), while there was no significant difference in D17S932 (P＞0.05 ). After non-conditional logistic analysis, data showed that both sites were not included in the model, while age( OR = 1.044,95%CI:1. 019-1. 069), drinking ( OR = 2. 644,95% CI : 1. 778-3. 932), the characteristics of rash ( OR = 3. 078,95%CI:1.721-5.504), triglyceride (OR= 1.305,95%CI: 1.016-1.676), LDL-C (OR= 1.787,95% CI:1. 296-2. 646), as risk factors, were included in the model. Conclusion The polymorphisms of D17S1878 and D17S932 possibly were not associated with essential hypertension.

BACKGROUNDShen song Yang xin (SSYX) is a compound of Chinese medicine with the effect of increasing heart rate (HR). This study aimed to evaluate its electrophysiological properties at heart and cellular levels.

METHODSThe Chinese miniature swines were randomly assigned to two groups, administered with SSYX or placebo for 4 weeks (n = 8 per group). Cardiac electrophysiological study (EPS) was performed before and after drug administration. The guinea pig ventricular myocytes were enzymatically isolated and whole cell voltage-clamp technique was used to evaluate the effect of SSYX on cardiac action potential (AP).

RESULTSSSYX treatment accelerated the HR from (141.8 +/- 36.0) beats per minute to (163.0 +/- 38.0) beats per minute (P = 0.013) without changing the other parameters in surface electrocardiogram. After blockage of the autonomic nervous system with metoprolol and atropin, SSYX had no effect on intrinsic HR (IHR), but decreased corrected sinus node recovery time (CSNRT) and sinus atrium conducting time (SACT). Intra cardiac EPS showed that SSYX significantly decreased the A-H and A-V intervals as well as shortened the atrial (A), atrioventricular node (AVN) and ventricular (V) effective refractory period (ERP). In isolated guinea pig ventricular myocytes, the most obvious effect of SSYX on action potential was a shortening of the action potential duration (APD) without change in shape of action potential. The shortening rates of APD(30), APD(50) and APD(90) were 19.5%, 17.8% and 15.3%, respectively. The resting potential (Em) and the interval between the end of APD(30) and APD(90) did not significantly change.

CONCLUSIONSThe present study demonstrates that SSYX increases the HR and enhances the conducting capacity of the heart in the condition of the intact autonomic nervous system. SSYX homogenously decreases the ERP of the heart and shortens the APD of the myocytes, suggesting its antiarrhythmic effect without proarrhythmia.

Action Potentials ; drug effects ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Heart ; drug effects ; physiology ; Heart Rate ; drug effects ; Heart Ventricles ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; physiology ; Sinoatrial Node ; drug effects ; physiology ; Swine ; Swine, Miniature

OBJECTIVETo study the characteristics of spectra on proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) and its value in patients with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS).

METHODSSeven clinically diagnosed patients with MELAS underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 1H-MRS examinations. The 1H-MRS techniques, characteristics of the spectra, and its correlation with the laboratory tests were analyzed.

RESULTSCerebral abnormalities were revealed in all 7 patients on conventional MR images, and most abnormal signals were observed in bilateral occipital, parietal, and temporal lobes. We found 4 cases with basal ganglia involvement, 2 cases with mild frontal lobe lesions, and 1 case with involvement of lateral cerebral peduncles and thalami. Additionally, 1 patient was involved with left insular lobe. Spectra from prominent lesions in brain parenchyma showed lactate doublet peak in 6 patients, 3 of whom were also noted lactate peak in ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

CONCLUSION1H-MRS may provide more direct information about the metabolism changes, which aids to affirm the diagnosis, and may replace the conventional invasive method of quantifying lactate in CSF.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Basal Ganglia ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Cerebral Cortex ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Lactic Acid ; metabolism ; MELAS Syndrome ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Male ; Parietal Lobe ; pathology ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo explore methods of treatment for adenoid cystic carcinoma of external auditory canal, and discuss the correlating factors that effect prognosis.

METHODSA retrospective analysis of 19 cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma of external auditory canal treated from 1988 to 2004 was carried out. Based on University of Pittsburgh TNM staging system of external auditory canal carcinoma, 19 cases were classified into groups as 5 cases in T1, 2 in T2, 6 in T3, and 6 in T4. Local resection was performed in cases in stage T1 and T2, while radical mastoidectomy or temporal bone resection was performed in stage T3 and T4. Radiotherapy was applied after operation. Relapsed cases with isolated metastasis were treated by surgery. Multiple metastasis were treated with radiotherapy.

RESULTSThe follow-up time is from 6 months to 19 years, and the median is 44 months. There're 8 cases with more than 5 years' follow-up. Twelve patients relapsed and 7 had metastasis but 4 died. The cases with positive incisal edge after first operation relapsed even treated with radiotherapy. In recurrent cases, 9 cases received more than 2 operations, 8 more than 3, and 4 received 4 operations.

CONCLUSIONSThe adenoid cystic carcinoma of external auditory canal grows insidiously, and relapses frequently. But the patients can live long with neoplasm implanted. A wide surgical excision combined with post operative radiotherapy was proposed, and negative incision edge should be confirmed. Recurrent cases can be treated with several operations to elongate survival. Multiple relapses will cause metastasis more frequently. Metastasis is the main reason to cause death.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic ; pathology ; surgery ; Ear Canal ; Ear Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study the diversity of HIV-1 tat gene in CNS and peripheral tissue of a patient with ADC and a patient with non-ADC, so as to research HIV evolution, the mechanism of CNS invasion and the pathogenesis of ADC.

METHODSThe tat gene was amplified with nested PCR from genomic DNA which was extracted from spleen and basal ganglia of one non-ADC patient with a wide range of cerebral artery atherosclerosis and one ADC patient. PCR products were cloned into the PGEM-T vector, after transformation and selection by ampicillin and blue/white spotting. Five of positive clones were sequenced. HIV-1 tat sequences were processed with BioEdit and MEGA4. With the softwares, neighbor-joining tree, p-distances, values of ds/dn, and analysis of amino acid motifs were all done, so as to research the diversity of HIV-1 tat gene in CNS and peripheral tissue.

RESULTSGene mutation of HIV-1 tat exist in the two patients, the mutation process of tat isolated from ADC patient suffered more compartmentalization than tat isolated from non-ADC patient, the differences of tat genes between CNS and peripheral tissue in ADC patient were greater than the non-ADC patient. Ds/dn showed that the virus gene mutation played a major role, the body intend to remove harmful non-synonymous mutations.

CONCLUSIONSThe compartmentation of tat gene in CNS and peripheral tissue of the two patients was different, the reason may be related to the pathway of HIV into the CNS, the relationship between HIV gene mutation in CNS and ADC still need more investigation.

AIDS Dementia Complex ; virology ; Adult ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Central Nervous System ; virology ; Female ; Genetic Variation ; HIV-1 ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Peripheral Nervous System ; virology ; tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus ; genetics

Cell Line ; Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Cation Channels ; drug effects ; genetics ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Electrophysiology ; Humans ; Hyperpolarization-Activated Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels ; Muscle Proteins ; drug effects ; genetics ; metabolism ; Potassium Channels ; Transfection