Objective To summarize the experience in application of the bovine jugular vein valved conduct in right ventricular outflow tract (ROVT) reconstruction. Methods Totally 14 patients [6 male, (6.3?5.4) years old] underwent ROVT reconstruction from February 2004 to March 2005 was recorded, and the function of the implanted bovine jugular vein valved conduit was evaluated by Doppler echocardiography one month later after operation. Results There was no perioperative morbidity related to the bovine jugular vein valved conduit. 14 patients were discharged well. One month after operation, echocardiography showed that reconstructed ROVT was patent, and only four implanted conduits had mild regurgition. Conclusion The bovine jugular vein valved conduit provides the favorable hemodynamic performance and thus could be an excellent substitute for the homograft in the reconstruction of ROVT. The mid- and long-term outcomes required further study.

The aerolysin genes (aerA) of BZ and NK isolates were cloned and sequenced. The sequence analysis showed that the partial aerA of BZ and NK isolates consisted of 1393 bp, encoding a protein of 464 amino acids. The similarity of nucleotide and amino acid sequences of aerA between BZ and NK isolates was 97.6% and 98.3% respectively. The nucleotide sequence of aerA of BZ strain exhibited 71.6% to 97.5% homology with other Aeromonas isolates, and the amino acid sequence exhibited 68.0% to 98.9% homology. The phylogenetic tree based on aerA nucleotide sequences from Aeromonas isolates was constructed with neighbor-joining method. It showed that there were three branches of aerolysin genes, and a close relation- ship among Aeromonas hydrophila isolates which were clustered into the same branch.

In this paper, the number of rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere microbial organisms of fusarium wilt resistant and susceptible watermelon under soil culture and soilless substrate culture was studied by traditional culture methods. The results showed that, the number of rhizoshpere microorganisms was significantly higher than non-rhizosphere, and the number was changed with the stage of watermelon grow, the number was the lowest in seedling stage and increased with the watermelon grow, and achieved highest at the flowering and fruiting stage, decreased with the watermelon ageing. The fusarium wilt resistant of watermelon was correspondence with number of rhizosphere bacteria; the number of rhizosphere bacteria of resistant watermelon was higher than that of susceptible watermelon in each stage under soil culture and soilless culture. The fusarium wilt resistant of watermelon is no correspondence with number of rhizosphere fungi and actinomycete. The number of non-rhizosphere microbial organisms was changed in a small range in the whole growing stage. The non-rhizosphere bacteria have no significant change in the whole stage under soil culture and increased quickly under soilless substrate culture and decreased at the later stage. The non-rhizosphere fungi and actinomycete reached highest at the later stage under soil culture or soilless sub-strate culture.

The traditional culture methods and the molecular biology methods were used to study the rhizosphere bacterial diversity between fusarium wilt resistant and susceptible watermelon. The results showed that the diversity and the equality of cultured rhizosphere bacteria of resistant watermelon were higher than those of the susceptible watermelon. The reason was that the cultured rhizosphere bacterial di- versity index H′ and 1/D of the resistant watermelon were higher than those of the susceptible watermelon and that the cultured rhizosphere bacterial equality index E of the resistant watermelon were higher than those of the susceptible watermelon. The dominant cultured bacterial genotypes were different between re- sistant and susceptible watermelon. The genotype 1 is the dominant genotype of resistant watermelon, con- sists 51.1%. The genotype 7 is the dominant genotype of susceptible watermelon, consists 58.7%.

OBJECTIVEFor heart functional parameters, we commonly used normal range. The reference values and predict formulas of heart functional parameters and their relationships with individual characteristics are still lack.

METHODSLeft ventricular (LV) volumes (end-diastolic volume and end-systolic volume), stroke volume (SV), ejection fraction (EF) and cardiac output (CO) were measured by cardiac CT angiography (CAT) in 1 200 healthy Caucasian volunteers, men 807 and women 393, and age 20-90yr. The results are analyzed by high-accuracy three-dimensional imaging technology, and then measured the dynamic changes of the volumes of each atriam and ventricule during their contractions and relaxations. The gender, age, height and weight were analyzed by multiple linear regression to predict LV functional parameters.

RESULTSExcept the LVEF was lower in man than in women (P < 0.001), all other LV functional parameters of EDV, ESV, SV, FE and CO were higher in man (P < 0.001). Multiple linear regression indicated that age, gender, height and weight are all independent factors of EDV, ESV and SV (P < 0.001). CO could be significantly predicted by age, gender and weight (P < 0.001), but not height (P > 0.05). The predict equation for CO (L x min(-1)) = 6.963+0.446 (Male) -0.037 x age (yr) +0.013 x weight (kg).

CONCLUSIONAge, gender, height and weight are predictors of heart functions. The reference values and predict equations are important for noninvasive and accurate evaluation of cardiovascular disease and individualized treatment.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Body Height ; Body Weight ; Cardiac Output ; Female ; Heart ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reference Values ; Sex Factors ; Stroke Volume ; Ventricular Function, Left ; Young Adult

Animals ; Arecoline ; pharmacology ; Cholinergic Agonists ; pharmacology ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; In Vitro Techniques ; Male ; Muscle Contraction ; drug effects ; Muscle, Smooth ; physiology ; Pyloric Antrum ; physiology ; Receptor, Muscarinic M3 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVEA hybrid operation is a joint procedure involving the interventional cardiologist and the cardiac surgeon concomitantly to optimize surgical management for complex congenital heart disease. We analyzed the feasibility and efficacy of this procedure in 20 patients with congenital heart disease.

METHODSData from 20 patients who underwent intraoperative hybrid procedures from March to October 2005 were analyzed. Two groups were identified: (1) Balloon valvuloplasty group: pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum in neonate (n = 3) and severe pulmonary stenosis in infants (n = 4); (2) Device closure group: atrial septum defects (ASD) in child (n = 7), adult ASD (n = 3) and multiple ventricular septum defect (VSD, n = 3). Pulmonary balloon dilation under the guidance of echocardiography together with modified Blalock-Taussig shunt procedure and PDA ligation were applied to patients in balloon valvuloplasty group. For ASD patients, the occluder was placed via right atria after opening the chest either with median sternotomy (4 case) or with submaxillary minimally invasive incision (6 cases), PDA ligation was performed in 1 patient and 2 coronary artery bypass surgeries were performed in 2 adult ASD patients complicating CHD. For multiple VSD, perimembranous VSD was closed surgically and muscular VSD closed by occluder via tricuspid valve approach under cardiopulmonary bypass.

RESULTSAll operations were successful and 1 infant received another conventional valvuloplasty due to the pulmonary restenosis after initial balloon valvuloplasty and 1 patient's muscular VSD was closed by conventional procedure after unsuccessful device closure. No device-related complications were found during follow-up (1-6 months).

CONCLUSIONOur results showed that intraoperative hybrid procedure was feasible and effective in selected patients with congenital heart disease.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; Cardiac Surgical Procedures ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; surgery ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Objective To analyze the MRI findings and study the correlations between pathologic, clinical and MRI findings of demyelinating pseudotumor in brain. Methods Pathologic,clinical and MRI findings in 8 cases proved pathologically with demyelinating pseudotumor in brain were retrospectively analyzed. Results The clinical manifestations comprised mostly dyskinesia and/or limb sensory disability, as well as epilepsy in few cases. MRI showed a single focal lesion mainly invading subcortical white matter in every case, and most lesions were showed round or nearly round with clear boundary, homogenous low signal on T1WI and high signal on T2WI, and marked enhancement. Pathological examination showed demyelinating, perivascular inflammatory infiltration consisting predominantly of lymphocytes, and glial cell proliferation. Conclusions MRI can well mirror the pathological and clinical changes of demyelinating pseudotumor in brain, so MRI plays an important role in its diagnosis. It is easy to make a differential diagnosis between glioma and supratentorial demyelinating pseudotumor, but it is difficult for those lesions in cerebellum. For such cases, both clinical and MRI diagnosis are necessary. Trial treatment of corticoids or even biopsy is available for those cases that are difficult to diagnose by clinical and MRI methods.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of CD147, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, Transforming growth factor (TGFbeta1) and TGFbetaRI proteins and their relationships to breast cancer.

METHODSThe expression of CD147, MMP-2, MMP-9, TGFbeta1 and TGFbetaRI proteins was examined on tissue chips containing 160 cases of breast carcinomas by S-P immunohistochemical method.

RESULTSThe positive rates of CD147, MMP-2, MMP-9, TGFbeta1 and TGFbetaRI proteins were 87.5% (140/160), 96.9% (155/160), 95.0% (152/160), 73.7% (118/160) and 60.6% (97/160), respectively. The expression of CD147 was positively correlated with axillary lymph node metastasis, TNM staging and HER2 over expression (P < 0.01, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively), and inversely correlated with PR expression (P < 0.05). The patients' relapse-free survival was shorter in TGFbeta1-positive group than in TGFbeta1 negative group (P < 0.05). Both the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were positively correlated with CD147 expression; and both the expression of TGFbeta1 and TGFbetaRI were positively correlated with CD147 expression (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of CD147 is considered closely correlated with tumor invasion, metastasis and prognosis in breast cancer, and has also a close correlation with MMP-2, MMP-9, TGFbeta1 and TGFbetaRI expression.

Adult ; Aged ; Basigin ; metabolism ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Fibroadenoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Staging ; Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases ; metabolism ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; metabolism ; Receptors, Progesterone ; metabolism ; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta ; metabolism ; Survival Rate ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the operative technique and therapeutic effect of free anterolateral thigh adipofascial flap in the correction of facial depression.

METHODSFrom Oct. 1996 to Jan. 2007, 32 patients with facial depression deformities were treated with free anterolateral thigh adipofascial flaps. The bone defects in 8 cases were corrected with Medpor implants at the same stage.

RESULTS33 free anterolateral thigh adipofascial flaps were used in 32 patients. 2 flaps were used bilaterally in one patient. The size of the flaps ranged from 12 cm x 8 cm to 20 cm x 11 cm (average, 16.5 cm x 10.5 cm). 30 flaps survived completely. Flap edge resorption happened in 3 flaps within half a year postoperatively. Satisfactory results were achieved in 23 patients after one-stage treatment. Another 9 patients underwent secondary operation 6 months postoperatively. Among them, 6 patients underwent flap liposuction because of fatty appearance, 3 patients underwent fat transplantation because of flap edge resorption. The patients were followed up for 6 months to 2.5 years. All the deformities were improved greatly, and the faces were almost symmetrical. The wounds at the donor sites were primarily healed with no functional morbidity.

CONCLUSIONSFree anterolateral thigh adipofascial flap is a large size flap. The flap thickness can be adjusted for three-dimensional reconstruction. The vascular anatomy is relatively stable. The bone defects can also be corrected at the same stage.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Facial Hemiatrophy ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Thigh ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult