[ ABSTRACT] AIM:To investigate the effect of atorvastatin on the development of heart failure after myocardial infarction and the association with sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX) expression.METHODS:The model of heart failure was established by ligation of the anterior descending coronary artery for 8 weeks.The rats were randomly divided into con-trol group, heart failure group, and atorvastatin group.Either atorvastatin (10 mg· kg-1· d-1) or vehicle was orally ad-ministered to the rats on the next day after the surgery .The left ventricular function and NCX expression were analyzed 8 weeks after ligation .Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were cultured to investigate the effect of atorvastatin on the changes of cal -cium concentration induced by hypoxemia .RESULTS: A decrease in left ventricular diastolic dimension , an increase in left ventricular fractional shortening , and reductions of BNP level and NCX expression were observed in atorvastatin group . The hypoxemia-induced calcium overload in cultured cardiomyocytes was inhibited by atorvastatin , and it was inhibited by the inhibitor of NCX .CONCLUSION:Atorvastatin treatment improves cardiac function , which may be related to the ex-pression and function of sodium calcium exchanger in heart failure .

Objective To investigate the imaging characteristics of both intra- and extrathoracic sarcoidosis on 18F-FDG PET/CT.Methods From 2007 Aug.to 2009 Nov.,22 patients( 10 males,12 females) with sarcoidosis,confirmed by pathological study and clinical follow-up,underwent 18 F-FDG PET/CT imaging.The imaging patterns of intrathoracic and extrathoracic lesions were analyzed.The patterns were classified as the typical or atypical ( symmetrical or asymmetrical FDG accumulation and enlargement of hilar lymph nodes) based on PET and CT separately.Nonparametric McNemar test,independent t-test and Fisher exact test were applied for statistical analysis.Results For typical pattern vs atypical pattem identification,PET was significantly different from CT ( 18 and 4 vs 12 and 10,P =0.031 ).In those with atypical pattern demonstrated by CT alone at hilar region,PET showed either symmetrical or asymmetrical accumulation of FDG.Except for mediastinal lymph nodes involvement,lung parenchyma was the second common site ( 19/22,86.4％ ),followed by lymph nodes at abdomen and (or) pelvis ( 12/22,54.5％ ).Conclusion The imaging characteristics of both intra- and extrathoracic sarcoidosis on 18F-FDG PET/CT may be helpful for the diagnosis of atypical sarcoidosis on CT image alone.

Objective To study the onset features and axiom of children disease in Duanguan region.Methods A statistic study was carried on 1 782 cases of children disease which confirmed by pathological examinations.The sex,age and pathology(congenital malformation,inflammatory disease,tumor-like lesions,benign tumors,malignant tumors)were registered.Results The inflammatory disease occupied the first place in incidence rate(44.61%),followed by tumor-like lesions(25.03%),benign tumors(23.34%),congenital malformation(5.22%)and malignant tumors(1.80%).Among inflammatory disease,appendicitis was the most common,the next was chronic tonsillitis and tuberculosis.Among tumor-like lesions,cystic disease was the most common;the next was polyps.Among benign tumors,vasculoma was the most common,the next was pilomatricoma,osteoid and chonodroid tumors.Among congenital malformation,ear fistula was the most common,the next was diverticulosis and intestineal duplicateion.Among the malignant tumors,the sarcoma of soft tissue was the most common,the next was the malignant peripheral nerve tumors and lymphoma.Conclusion Children's disease have its own characteristics which varied in age,sex and pathological types,and differ from those of adults.

Objective To investigate the intima-media thickness and cardiac remodeling in patients with prehypertension and impaired glucose tolerance.Method Three-hundred patients were divided into four groups:normal control ( NC,n = 61 ),prehypertension ( PH,n = 83 ),impaired glucose tolerance ( IGT,n = 91 ),prehypertension and impaired glucose tolerance ( PH + IGT,n = 65 ).Intima-media thickness (IMT) was measured by doppler ultrasonography.Left ventricle mess (LVMI),midwall fractional shortening (mFS),peakE/peakA ( E/A ) were measured by echocardiography.Results ( 1 ) IMT was significantly increased in PH,IGT and PH + IGT groups than in NC group [ (0.7 ± 0.1 ) mm,(0.7 ± 0.1 )mm and( 1.0 ±0.1 ) mm vs.(0.6 ±0.1 ) mm,all P ＜0.01 ],which was significantly high in PH + IGT group than in PH or IGT group.Regression analysis demonstrated that high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP),2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2hPBG),systolic pressure (SBP),diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were independent predictors to increased IMT.(2) LVMI was higher in PH and PH + IGT groups than in NC group [ (97.0 ± 3.3 ) g/m2,(97.1 ± 2.8 ) g/m2 vs.( 87.0 ± 2.0) g/m2,( 87.9 ± 1.5 ) g/m2,all P ＜ 0.01 ],and positively related with SBP,DBP.( 3 ) mFS was lower in PH and PH + IGT groups [(14.0±0.8)％,(14.0±0.8)％ vs.(18.3±1.0)％,(18.2±0.5)％,P＜0.01],negatively related with SBP and DBP.E/A was similar among groups and lower E/A was associated with higher SBP.Conclusion Vascular and left ventricular structure remodeling and systolic dysfunction could be detected in prehypertension patients.Impaired glucose tolerance could enhance vascular remodeling in prehypertension patients.

OBJECTIVETo reveal the sequence variations of the full coding region of the human alpha (1,beta/1,4) fucosyltransferase 5 gene (FUT5) in a Chinese Han population.

METHODSThe whole coding region of the FUT5 gene was amplified and sequenced in a total of 30 unrelated Chinese Han individuals. The PCR products containing the nucleotide variants observed in the study were subcloned into plasmid pcDNA to determine all potential haplotypes in the investigated population. Genetic polymorphisms of C560T (rs778970) and C484A loci were further analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RLFP) method.

RESULTSIn addition to seven previously reported base substitutions, two novel polymorphisms, namely C484A (Leu162Met) and T684C, were found in the coding region of the FUT5 gene in the 30 individuals. Seven haplotypes were identified by subcloning the variants into plasmid and subsequent DNA sequencing. The allele frequencies in the rs778970 locus in 160 Chinese Han individuals was 0.3031 for 560C and 0.6969 for 560T, while no polymorphism was detected in the C484A locus.

CONCLUSIONThe sequence of the coding region in the human FUT5 gene demonstrated high genetic diversity, and the allelic distribution of the rs778970 locus in the Chinese populations is polymorphic.

Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; ethnology ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; Fucosyltransferases ; genetics ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Variation ; genetics ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Open Reading Frames ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Population Groups ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of dexamethasone on the proliferation and apoptosis of embryonic palatal mesenchymal (EPM) cells, and chose a proper concentration of dexamethasone which can effect the ordinary growth of embryonic palatal mesenchymal cells.

METHODSThe primary EPM cells were isolated and cultured in vitro, then we did biological assay. EPM cells were treated with different concentration dexamethasone (1 x 10(-9), 1 x 10(-8), 1 x 10(-7) and 1 x 10(-6) mol x L(-1)) respectively. The proliferation of EPM cells was evaluated using MTT method. Apoptosis was examined quantitatively with fluorescein stain.

RESULTSIn the condition of blood serum's concentration at 10%, optical density step down following the raise of dexamethasone's concentration. The effect of dexamethasone got to a summit at 3 days. Inhibition rate of dexamethasone at 1 x 10(-6) mol x L(-1) was the highest.

CONCLUSIONDexamethasone at 1 x 10(-6) mol x L(-1) can not only inhibit the growth of the EPM cells, but also will not lead to a large number of cells death. Therefore, this concentration can be used as a reference standard in future research. The most significant drug action time of dexamethason appears at the third day after administration, then the effect became weaken following the drug metabolism.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Dexamethasone ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Mice

Objective To determine factors affecting postoperative survival of elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods A retrospective analysis of consecutive 54 elderly patients undergoing hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma from Jan 1995 to Dec 2002 was performed. The data were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression. Results Univariate analysis and Cox regression showed Child Pugh grading, vessel invasion, satellite nodule formation, Edmondson Steiner grading, intrahepatic recurrence and distant metastasis all related to postoperative overall survival or disease-free survival of the elderly with hepatocellular carcinoma (all P

The response rules of pressing pain on the back section in the Governor Vessel in patients with gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) were studied to provide references for the diagnosis and treatment of GERD. Seventy-six cases of GERD were included into an observation group while 30 healthy volunteers were recruited into a control group. A mechanical measurement device of pressing pain that could measure the pain threshold was adapted to observe the pressing pain on the back section in the Governor Vessel in GERD patients and healthy volunteers. The test area is from spinous process of the 1st thoracic vertebra to that of the 12th thoracic vertebra (T1 -T12), including acupoints and non-acupoints on the Governor Vessel. As a result, in the observation group the pain threshold of T5-T7 spinous process clearance, which was the location of Shendao (GV 11), Lingtai (GV 10) and Zhiyang (GV 9), was lower than that in the control group (all P < 0.05). This result indicated that there was significant pressing pain in T5-T7 spinous process clearance in patients with GERD, which could be taken as an important auxiliary diagnosis and a new thinking method in the treatment of GERD with acupuncture.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Meridians ; Middle Aged ; Pressure ; Sensation ; Thoracic Vertebrae ; physiopathology ; Young Adult

Objective To evaluate the effect of dynamic lung compliance ( Cydn)-guided positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) titration on lung injury in the patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. Methods Forty American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅱ or Ⅲ patients, aged 65-80 yr, with body mass index of 19-28 kg∕m2 , scheduled for elective robot-assisted radical prosta-tectomy under general anesthesia, were divided into 2 groups ( n=20 each) using a random number table method: control group (group C) and PEEP group (group P). Mechanical ventilation was performed ac-cording to preset parameters after tracheal intubation in group C, and PEEP was set by a double titration method after tracheal intubation and after pneumoperitoneum in group P. At 4 min after intubation (T1), 4 min, 1 h and 2 h after establishing pneumoperitoneum-Trendelenburg position ( T2-4 ) , and 1 and 30 min after extubation ( T5,6 ) in group C or at 4 min after completing the first PEEP titration ( T1 ) , 4 min, 1 h and 2 h after completing the second PEEP titration (T2-4) and T5,6 in group P, blood samples were collect-ed from the radial artery for determination of club cell protein 16, surfactant protein-D, tumor necrosis fac-tor-alpha and interleukin-6 concentrations in serum ( by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) . Results Compared with group C, the serum concentrations of club cell protein 16 at T2-6 and surfactant protein-D, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 at T3-6 were significantly decreased in group P (P<0. 05). Conclusion Cydn-guided PEEP titration can reduce the lung injury in patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

Objective To evaluate the effect of dynamic lung compliance ( Cdyn) -guided positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) titration on extravascular lung water in elderly patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. Methods Forty American Society of Anesthesiologists physical statusⅡ orⅢ patients, aged 65-80 yr, with body mass index of 19-28 kg∕m2 , scheduled for elective robot-assisted radical prostatectomy, were divided into 2 groups ( n=20 each) using a random number table method:control group (group C) and PEEP group (group P). In group P, immediately after endotracheal intuba-tion, immediately after establishing pneumoperitoneum-Trendelenburg position and after restoring the supine position, PEEP was set starting from the lowest PEEP allowed by the machine, increasing by 2 cmH2 O ev-ery 4 min until the maximum Cdyn was obtained. PEEP was not set in group C. Immediately after establis-hing the invasive blood pressure monitoring ( T1 ) , at 10 min after the first successful PEEP titration ( T2 ) , 10 min, 1 h and 2 h after the second successful PEEP titration ( T3-5 ) , 10 min after the third successful PEEP titration (T6), and 30 min after tracheal extubation (T7) in group P, or at T1, 10 min after intu-bation ( T2 ) , 10 min, 1 h and 2 h after establishing pneumoperitoneum-Trendelenburg position ( T3-5 ) , 10 min after restoring the supine position ( T6 ) and T7 in group C, blood samples were collected from the radial artery for blood gas analysis, and the oxygenation index was calculated. The B-line score was recor-ded at T1 and T7 . Results Compared with group C, the B-line score was significantly decreased at T7 , and the oxygenation index was increased at T5-7 in group P (P<0. 05). Conclusion Cdyn-guided PEEP titration can decrease the formation of extravascular lung water in elderly patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.