Objective: To explore the relationship between strain rate parameter and left ventricular diastolic function (LVDF) in patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE).
Methods: A total of 70 heart failure (HF) patients with CRT were studied. The early left ventricular diastolic strain rate was obtained by 2D-STE technology, the differences of left ventricular diastolic functional parameters to various CRT echocardiographic responses were observed. The area of relevant parameters under ROC curve was calculated by early left ventricular diastolic strain rate for predicting CRT echocardiographic response.
Results: There were 41 patients presented as CRT echocardiographic responders at 12 months of follow-up period, 29 patients were non-responders. The most parameters of LVDF were signiifcantly improved than the base line in 41 responders. The maximum area of 2D-STE derived parameters under ROC curve was obtained by LSRE predicted CRT echocardiographic response
Conclusion: LSRE had greater value for predicting CRT echocardiographic response, it might be used as a sensitive index for evaluating LVDF in HF patients.

This study aims to construct the recombinant lentivirus vector containing specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting rat CREB binding protein(CBP)gene and to identify its function of inhibiting the expressions of acetylated histone in primarily cultured hippocampal neurons. Firstly, we constructed four kinds of recombinant lentivirus siCBP. And then we used them to infect the primarily cultured hippocampal neurons, and performed real-time PCR, western blot respectively to detect the expressions of CBP. Afterwards, the most effective lentivirus siCBP was used to infect the primarily cultured hippocampal neurons, and then the HAT activity and protein expressions of acetylated histone Ac-H3, Ac-H4 of the neurons were examined. By using PCR, endonuclease cutting and gene sequencing, we confirmed that the target genes were correctly cloned in lentivirus vector. Besides, CBP mRNA and protein expressions in neurons were found to be with varying degrees of decreases after infections of the four kinds of lentivirus siCBP. Furthermore, the representative and most effective lentivirus GR806 could effectively inhibit the HAT activity and the protein expressions of Ac-H3, Ac-H4 in neurons. It provides the experimental basis for the subsequent application of siCBP to clarify the effects and corresponding molecular mechanism of the CBP-dependent histone acetylation on learning and memory function in hippocampus.
Acetylation ; Animals ; CREB-Binding Protein ; metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; Hippocampus ; cytology ; Histones ; metabolism ; Lentivirus ; Memory ; Neurons ; metabolism ; Primary Cell Culture ; RNA, Messenger ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Rats ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Objective To observe the value of transesophageal echocardiography(TEE)for guiding left atrial appendage closure(LAAC)with LAmbre occluder.Methods Data of 40 non-valvular atrial fibrillation(NVAF)patients who underwent LA AC with LAmbre occluder were retrospectively analyzed.CT angiography(CTA)before treatment,TEE and digital subtraction angiography(DSA)findings during LAAC were comparatively observed,and the correlations of the anchor area diameter and left atrial appendage opening diameter measured with the above three as well as occluder size were analyzed,and TEE and DSA for evaluating peri-device leak(PDL)were compared.Results LAAC were successfully performed with LAmbre occlude in all 40 cases.The diameter of the fixed umbrella was positively correlated with anchor area diameter measured with CTA,TEE and DSA(r=0.79,0.82,0.91,all P＜0.01),of occlusion umbrella was positively correlated with left atrial appendage opening diameter measured with CTA,TEE and DSA(r=0.56,0.89,0.86,all P＜0.01).Immediately after the release of occluder in LAAC,PDL occurred in 16 cases and were detected with both TEE and DSA,while in the rest 24 cases no PDL was found with neither TEE nor DSA.Conclusion TEE had comparable value to DSA for guiding LAAC using LAmbre occluder.

Tissue engineering has emerged as a promising approach for the repair and functional reconstruction of damaged tissues. The bionic and intelligentized scaffolds provide the structural support for cell growth and differentiation as well as tissue regeneration. The surface properties of the biological material implant, the nanotopology in particular, become key aspects in determining the success of the implant. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are widely favored by researchers as the seed cells in tissue engineering. Recently, it has been shown that nanotopographical characteristics of biomaterials regulate a wide range of MSC properties from their cellular behavior and differentiation potential. Herein, this review will provide an update on studies investigating the roles of nanotopography in the development of tissue engineering using MSC.

β-Catenin plays a critical role in cartilage formation and development. To further understand the role of β-catenin in osteoarthritis (OA) development in temporomandibular joint (TMJ), we have generated β-catenin conditional activation mice (β-cat(ex3) ) by breeding Agc1-CreER mice with β-catenin mice. Results of histologic analysis showed the progressive TMJ defects in 3- and 6-month-old β-cat(ex3) mice (tamoxifen induction was performed at 2 weeks of age), including decreased chondrocyte numbers in the superficial layer associated with less Alcian blue staining, increased numbers of hypertrophic chondrocytes in deep layers, and rough articular surface. Compared to the TMJ phenotype of β-cat(ex3) mice, β-cat(ex3) mice showed much severe morphological defects in the superficial layer of TMJ. This may reflect that Agc1-CreER mice could efficiently target cells in the superficial layer of TMJ. Results of immunostaining showed significantly increased expression of MMP13, Col-X, Adamts4, and Adamts5 in TMJ of β-cat(ex3) mice. Results of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Ki67, and terminal deoxinucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-fluorescein nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining further demonstrated that cell proliferation was decreased and cell apoptosis was increased in condylar cartilage of β-cat(ex3) mice. Our findings indicate that abnormal upregulation of β-catenin in TMJ leads to defects assembling to OA-like phenotype, further demonstrating that β-catenin plays a critical role in TMJ pathogenesis.
Aggrecans ; metabolism ; Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cartilage, Articular ; metabolism ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Disease Models, Animal ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Mice ; Osteoarthritis ; metabolism ; Phenotype ; Signal Transduction ; Surface Properties ; Temporomandibular Joint ; metabolism ; beta Catenin ; metabolism

This study aimed to obtain the first national estimate of the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Chinese children. We targeted the population of 6 to 12-year-old children for this prevalence study by multistage convenient cluster sampling. The Modified Chinese Autism Spectrum Rating Scale was used for the screening process. Of the target population of 142,086 children, 88.5% (n = 125,806) participated in the study. A total of 363 children were confirmed as having ASD. The observed ASD prevalence rate was 0.29% (95% CI: 0.26%-0.32%) for the overall population. After adjustment for response rates, the estimated number of ASD cases was 867 in the target population sample, thereby achieving an estimated prevalence of 0.70% (95% CI: 0.64%-0.74%). The prevalence was significantly higher in boys than in girls (0.95%; 95% CI: 0.87%-1.02% versus 0.30%; 95% CI: 0.26%-0.34%; P < 0.001). Of the 363 confirmed ASD cases, 43.3% were newly diagnosed, and most of those (90.4%) were attending regular schools, and 68.8% of the children with ASD had at least one neuropsychiatric comorbidity. Our findings provide reliable data on the estimated ASD prevalence and comorbidities in Chinese children.