Animals ; Dendrobium ; chemistry ; Fatigue ; drug therapy ; Mice ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo determine whether preoperative contrast delay-enhanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (DE-CMR) could help predict long-term survival of patients with severe chronic aortic regurgitation and extremely dilated left ventricular chamber after aortic valve replacement.

METHODSTotally 37 patients enrolled between February 2008 and November 2010 with severe chronic aortic regurgitation and extremely dilated left ventricular chamber, who met the echo criteria, that was left ventricular end diastolic dimension > 70 mm or left ventricular end systolic dimension > 55 mm, and were scheduled to the surgery. The 2-dimensional echocardiographic examinations and CMR with late gadolinium-enhancement (LGE) were performed routinely preoperatively. According to the results of CMR, the patients were divided into 2 groups: the LGE positive(+) group and LGE negative(-) group. The association of LGE with event free survival, postoperative cardiac function and postoperative hospital stay time was investigated. Fifteen patients had significant LGE signals in CMR films, while the other twenty-two were silent. All of them received the operative procedures, including aortic valve replacement in 28 cases, Bentall procedure in 3 cases, aortic valve replacement and ascending aorta replacement in 6 cases, and concomitant mitral valve repair in 11 cases.

RESULTSOver a follow-up of 33.6 months, 1-year, 2-year and 3-year event free survival rates in LGE(-) group were 94.7%, 88.4%, and 72.6%, respectively, compared to 80.0%, 48.9%, and 32.6%, respectively in LGE(+) group (χ(2) = 7.244, P = 0.007). The postoperative hospital stay time of LGE(-) group was (9 ± 2) days, which of LGE(+) group was (10 ± 3) days (t = 1.175, P = 0.248).

CONCLUSIONSLGE positive signal in CMR films is a potential predictor of persistent cardiac failure after aortic valve replacement for patients with severe chronic aortic regurgitation and extremely dilated left ventricular chamber. It has intimate relationship with malignant arrhythmia and sudden death, which makes it a valuable technique in preoperative evaluation and risk stratification.

Aortic Valve Insufficiency ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Postoperative Period ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVETo explore clinical effects of suturing-assisted locking plate in treating elderly proximal humeral fractures.

METHODSFrom January 2005 to January 2013, 55 elderly patients with three- and four-part fractures of proximal humeral fractures were divided into treatment group and control group. In treatment group, there were 31 patients including 12 males, and 19 females aged from 65 to 85 with an average of (74.00±5.42) years old, and treated with suturing-assisted locking plates; 19 patients were Neer 3-part fractures, and 12 patients were Neer 4-part fractures of proximal humerus; 23 patients were suffered from low-energy injuries and 8 patients were caused by high-energy injuries. In control group, there were 24 patients including 7 males, and 17 females aged from 65 to 85 with an average of (72.79±5.34) years old, and treated with locking plates; 16 patients were Neer 3-part fractures, and 8 patients were Neer 4-part fractures of proximal humerus; 17 patients were suffered from low-energy injuries and 7 patients were caused by high-energy injuries. Operative time, blood loss during operation, and bone healing time between two groups were observed and compared. Postoperative Neer scoring were used to evaluate recovery of shoulder joint function.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up from 6 to 24 months with an average of 16.1 months. In treatment group, blood loss was (495.806±143.150) ml, function of Neer scoring was 22.645±2.443, range of action was 18.194±2.613, anatomy was 7.935±1.504 and total score of Neer scoring was 77.161±8.335; while in control group, blood loss was (641.667±169.851) ml, function of Neer scoring was 13.958±1.989, range of action was 13.083±2.165, anatomy was 5.500±1.978 and total score of Neer scoring was 58.792±7.313. There were sigificant difference between two groups in these indexes.

CONCLUSIONSuturing-assisted locking plate for the treatment of proximal humerus fractures in elderly, has advantages of less blood loss, simple fracture reduction and rapid recovery of shoulder joint, and is a effective method.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bone Plates ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Recovery of Function ; Shoulder Fractures ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Shoulder Joint ; physiopathology ; Sutures

Objective To evaluate the effects of different strategies on short-and long-term clinical outcomes of renal transplantation in Chinese subjects.Methods 2520 renal transplantations were retrospectively evaluated,including 2490 first renal transplantations and 30 second renal transplantations.Triple-immunosuppressant including cyclosporine A,azathioprine or myeophenolate mofetil(MMF)and prednisone(Pred)was adopted.Patients receiving kidney transplantation were given low dose immunosuppressants since 2000.Immunosuppressants including tacrolimus,MMF and Pred were adopted in some patients since 2000.Risk factors leading to graft loss and patients'death were analyzed.Results Until the cut date of June 30,2009,135 patients lost follow-up,and the follow-up rate was 94.6%.Incidence of acute(within 6 months post-transplantation) rejection was 18% among 2520 patients.Incidence of acute rejection (within 6 months post-transplantation) was 25.7% in panel reactive antibody (PRA) positive patients,significantly higher than 17.0% in PRA negative patients(P<0.05).Incidence of acute rejection within 6 months post-transplantation was 16.9% in HLA mismatches<4 patients,significantly lower than 23.7% in HLA≥4 patients (P<0.01).Total patient/death censored graft 1-,3-,5- and 1O-year survivals were 94.5%/96.0%,91.6%/93.1%,88.5%/90.1% and 81.7%/80.6%,respectively.Acute rejection and immunosuppressant regimen were independent risks for allograft loss.1mmunosuppressant regiment,pulmonary infection,cardio-brain-vessel accident, hepatic failure and tumor were independent risks for patients' death.Conclusion Renal allograft and patient survival appeared to be improved by optimal immunosuppressant regimen,strict HLA match and efficient post-transplant complication prophylaxis.

OBJECTIVETo study the molecular types of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from a severe food-poisoning and to trace the possible strains.

METHODSReal-time PCR was applied to detect nuc gene as a specific marker for S. aureus, mecA gene encoding methicillin resistance and 5 other genes encoding staphylococcal enterotoxins (sea, seb, see, sed, see). Isolates were also performed with 16S rRNA oligonucleotide sequence analyzing by DNAStar MegAlign 5.0 software and pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) by BioNumerics Version 4.0 software.

RESULTSThe nuc gene was detected from the 10 isolated strains, sea and seb genes were detected from 7 strains. There were 4 16 S rRNA types and 5 PFGE types found from all the strains.

CONCLUSIONSThree relative S. aureus strains were involved in the severe food-poisoning at least. Molecular subtyping might give a molecular epidemiological evidence and support the source tracing of an outbreak.

Bacterial Typing Techniques ; China ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field ; Enterotoxins ; Humans ; Staphylococcal Food Poisoning ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Staphylococcus aureus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo determine the optimal cytokine combinations with hepatic growth factor (HGF) that results in the most significant simultaneous in vitro expansion of cc-kit(+)Lin(-) cells derived from the bone marrow.

METHODSC-kit(+)Lin(-) cells were isolated from mouse bone marrow using a high-gradient magnetic cell sorting system (MACS) and expanded in the presence of stem cell factor (SCF), FLt-3 ligand (FL), leukemia inhibitor factor (LIF) thrombopoietin (TPO) and different concentrations of HGF for 7days in a liquid culture system. The total cell number and Annexin-V-positive cell number were counted, and the antigen expressions were studied with fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS).

RESULTSIn each group, c-kit(+)Lin(-) cells were expanded effectively and rapidly by 2 to 8 folds. Addition of 10 ng/ml HGF into SCF+FL+LIF+TPO resulted in the most significant expansion of c-kit(+)Lin(-) and total cells by 8.00 and 45.43 folds, respectively, with cell apoptosis rate of 17.42 %. But as the concentration of HGF increased, the c-kit(+)Lin(-) cells and the apoptosis rate decreased.

CONCLUSIONHGF at10 ng/ml shows optimal synergistic effect with SCF, FL, LIF and TPO in expansion of c-kit(+)Lin(-) cells, and excessive HGF may induce cell differentiation.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Cell Count ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Flow Cytometry ; Hepatocyte Growth Factor ; pharmacology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo provide a modern method for extraction and separation total flavonoids in Epimedium koreanum.

METHODUsing high pressure technology extracts total flavonoids in E. koreanum, and comparing with counter-current extraction with reflux. The total flavonoids contents is determined by UV-VIS.

RESULTThe extraction efficiency is 9.67% and taking 5 min by high pressure method, using reflux, is 6.14% and 4 h respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe method of high pressure is high efficiency and saving time, which have extensive application in the extraction of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Epimedium ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; isolation & purification ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

OBJECTIVETo crosslink bovine pericardial valves by phthalocyanine sensitized photooxidation reaction.

METHODSFresh bovine pericardial tissues were immersed in PBS solution containing 0.01% cupreous sulfonatophthalocyanine and exposed to a broad wavelength light source for 20-120 h. Using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyarylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to analyze the cross-linking extent of pericardial tissue. With the help of attenuated total reflection-fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), explained the change of protein structure after photooxidation reaction. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to measure the change of shrinkage temperature. Tissue water content experiment method was also used.

RESULTSPhotooxidized tissue was resistant to extraction when it was compared with untreated tissue and had similar crosslinking extent over glutaraldehyde-treated tissue. The three dimension structure of collagen were changed but not seriously destroyed and the model of photooxidation reaction was validated. Phthalocyanine-treated tissue was much more flexible than glutaraldehyde-treated tissue.

CONCLUSIONBovine pericardial tissue can be successfully crosslinked by phthalocyanine-mediated photooxidation reaction.

Animals ; Bioprosthesis ; Cattle ; Cross-Linking Reagents ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Heart Valve Prosthesis ; Indoles ; Pericardium ; chemistry ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared

The article gives a detailed introduction of the process of marking flat tube needle for vas deferens puncture and a brief explanation of its application. This kind of tube needle can be easily made of readily available material, convenient to be cleaned and sterilized, with high success rate of puncturing and good effect. Other tube needles can be made by imitating it.
Equipment Design ; Humans ; Male ; Needles ; Punctures ; instrumentation ; Sterilization, Reproductive ; instrumentation ; Vas Deferens

Objective To explore a kind of simple and high efficient approach to differentiate human embryonic stem cells(hESCs)into neural stem cells(NSCs).Methods hESCs were cultured in bacterial culture dish filled with serum free medium to gain embryoid bodies.Then the mature embryoid bodies grew in the special medium including B27 and noggin by adherent culture to differentiate into NSCs. Results The hESCs kept floating in the bacterial culture dish and growing all the time and then formed mature embryoid bodies 7 to 10 days later.The embryoid bodies could be differentiated into highly pure (96.4%)nestin positive cells.And these cells were differentiated into all kinds of neural cells if cultured further.Conclusions This kind of method is less time-consuming,cheaper,and more efficient than those of the results in literatures reported.It affords very good source of seed cells for cell transplantation therapy in the future.