Objective To evaluate the value of CTA in assessing congenital heart disease and related heterotaxy syndrome.Methods A total of 20 patients with congenital heart disease and heterotexy syndrome underwent CTA and 3-dimensional reconstructions.And intracardiac and extracardiac abnormalities were assessed.Results Three cases were left isomerism,two of which were bi-lobed left lungs and trilobed right lungs,and another one was bi-lobed lungs.The most common associated cardiovascular anomalies included single ventricle (n=2),atrial septal defect (n=2),ventricular septal defect (n=1),transposition of the great arteries (n=2),pulmonary artery stenosis (n=2),atresia (n=1),persistent left superior vena (n=1),no hepatic segment of inferior vena cava (n=1).The rest 17 cases were right isomerism.All of them were trilobed lungs.Associated cardiovascular anomalies included single ventricle (n=9),double outlet of right ventricle (n=2),endocardial cushion defect (n=6),atrial septal defect (n=10),patent foramen ovale (n=1),ventricular septal defect (n =8),transposition of the great arteries (n =14),pulmonary artery stenosis (n =16),atresia (n =1),pulmonary venous drainage (n=6),persistent left superior vena (n=7),no hepatic segment of inferior vena cava (n=2).Conclusion CTA can clearly show the structure of heart,great vessels,chest and abdomen which is a useful tool to accurately assess congenital heart disease and related heterotaxy syndrome for medical or surgical management.

Objective To investigate the effect of electrical stimulation of S_3 nerve root on improvement of intestinal mucosal barrier function in rabbits with acute complete spinal cord injury. Methods Model of paraplegia was built by injuring spinal cord in rabbits. Then, the rabbits with electrical stimulation of S_3 nerve root were set as experimental group and those without set as control group. Normal rabbits were set as normal group. Under aseptic condition, portal vein blood was collected for quantitative determination of endotoxin and bacterial culture ; and liver, spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes were collected for bacterial culture and strain identification. Liver, spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes and small intestines were collected from experimental group and control group for pathological HE staining; while small intestine were observed by light and electron microscopes. Results In control group, the intestinal mueosal barrier and the other organs were destroyed obviously, with higher level of Serum endotoxin and higher rate intestinal flora translocation than that in experimental group and normal group. In the experimental group, the electrical stimulation of S_3 nerve root could improve motility of the denervated intestine, with more defecation content, less destruction of the intestinal mucosa and lighter other organ damage compared with control group, serum endotoxin level was significantly reduced compared with control group but showed no statistical difference compared with normal group, with obvious decrease of bacterial translocation rate. Conclusions After spinal cord injury in rabbits, electrical stimulation of S_3 nerve root can facilitate intestinal tract motility, improve intestinal mucosal barrier function and hence alleviate endotoxemia and intestinal bacterial translocation, as is beneficial to reducing SIRS and MOBS.

Objective To identify the candidate genes in the vicinity of a susceptibility locus (urinary albumin 1,UA-1) contributing to the development of albuminuria in type 2 diabetic KK/Ta mice. Methods Total RNA was extracted from the kidneys of KK/Ta (n=3) and BALB/c (n=2) mice at 20 weeks of age.The gene expression profile in kidney was investigated using the Affymetrix Murine Genome U74Av2 array.Competitive RT-PCR was used to confirm the differential expression of syndecan-4 which located in the vicinity of UA-1.Genome DNA was extracted from KK/Ta and BALB/c mice.DNA sequence analysis of the coding and promotor region of syndecan-4 gene was conducted. Results In the vicinity of the susceptibility locus (UA-1)contributing to the development of albuminuria in type 2 diabetic KK/Ta mice,10 candidate genes that showed differential expression were identified.Among them,the gene expression of syndecan-4in KK/Ta kidneys at 20 weeks of age was up-regulated by 26.1 times of age-matched BALB/c kidneys.Sequence analysis revealed two synonymous polymorphisms in the coding region (A93C and T216C) and three polymorphisms in the promoter region (-T263C,-T396C and -G669A) of the syndecan-4 gene.The TATA box was found at 321 bp upstream from the transcription start site,and the T263C polymorphism was located in the binding site of transcription factor Clox.Conclusions Syndecan-4 gene is mapped in the vicinity of the susceptibility locus contributing to the development of albuminuria in type 2 diabetes.The gene expression of syndecan-4 in KK/Ta kidneys is up-regulated than that in age-matched BALB/c kidneys at 20 weeks of age.Thus syndecan-4 may be one of the potential candidate genes responsible for diabetic nephropathy.Sequence differences in the promoter region influence the expression levels of syndecan-4 genes in KK/Ta kidneys.