Atrial Fibrillation ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Primary Prevention

Coronary Disease ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Nitrates ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Prognosis ; Vasodilator Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Atrial Fibrillation ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Renin-Angiotensin System

Objective To investigate the effectiveness and safety of endovascular embolization for the treatment of middle cerebral artery aneurysms. Methods From March 2007 to May 2015,the clinical data of 170 patients with 173 middle cerebral artery aneurysms treated with endovascular embolization at the Department of Neurosurgery,Nanjing Jinling Hospital were analyzed retrospectively,including 120 (69.4%)ruptured aneurysms and 53 (30. 6%)unruptured aneurysms. The incidence of complications and prognosis were compared between the 2 groups. Results (1)A total of 170 patients who could perform endovascular embolization after preoperative evaluation successfully completed the interventional procedure. None of the patients died. (2)18 patients (10. 6%)had intraoperative and postoperative complications,including 4 (7. 5%,4/53)in the unruptured aneurysm group and 14 (11. 7%,14/120)in the ruptured aneurysm group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications between the two groups. (3)101 patients were followed up for 3-48 months. No new nervous system symptoms and reruptured aneurysm were observed. One patient had recurrence in the unruptured aneurysm group and 4 had recurrence in the ruptured aneurysm group. Conclusion Endovascular treatment of middle cerebral artery aneurysms is a safe,effective,and feasible technique.

Objective Toinvestigatetheapplicativevalueof3D-DSAandheadMRIorCTfusion technology for guiding the individualized treatment of intracranial arteriovenous malformation (AVM ). Methods Twenty-onepatientswithAVMdiagnosedwithDSAattheDepartmentofNeurosurgery,Nanjing General Hospital of Nanjing Military Command from January 2015 to May 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. All patients performed DSA,MRI,and CT scan respectively before procedure,and they also performed 3 D-DSA and MRI or CT fusion. Of the 21 patients,15 performed MRI and 3D-DSA fusion,6 performed CT and 3D-DSA fusion. According to the image fusion results of the patients,the individualized treatment regimens were further developed,including microsurgical resection,endovascular embolization,and stereotactic radiotherapy (alone or combined treatment). The patients were followed up and observed for 2 to 6 months after procedure.Results Fromthe3D-DSAwithheadMRIorCTfusionimagesofthepatientsbeforetheprocedure not only could observe the vascular architecture of AVM,the relationship between the niduses and the surrounding nerve structures,but also could precisely locate the positions of AVM with small aneurysms or tiny AVMs. According to the results of image fusion,17 patients with AVM were treated with microsurgical resection,2 were treated with interventional embolization and stereotactic radiotherapy,and 2 were treated with stereotactic radiotherapy only. Of the 17 patients with AVM underwent microsurgical resection, none experienced intracranial rebleeding during the follow-up period. The last Glasgow outcome scale (GOS)score was 5 in 13 cases,and 4 in 4 cases. One patient with AVM underwent combined stereotactic radiotherapy had intracranial rebleeding during the follow-up period,and their last GOS score was 4. The other remaining 3 patients did not have new neurological deficits or rebleeding during the follow-up period,and theirGOSscorewas5.Conclusions 3D-DSA,headMRI,andCTfusiontechnologyarenovel, the operative method is simple,and the fusion image is accurate. They can effectively develop the individualized treatment regimens for patients with AVM.

Objective To investigate the preoperative and intraoperative assessed values of the color-coded digital subtraction angiography (DSA ) for intracranial arteriovenous malformation (AVM). Methods Fifteen patients with AVM performed preoperative routine whole brain DSA were analyzed retrospectively,and the iFlow software was used to perform color-coded DSA of image post-processing. A comprehensive analysis such as the range of lesions,vascular architecture and hemodynamics of AVM was conducted on the two-dimensional DSA images and color-coded DSA. Results Of the 15 patients with AVM,9 were small-sized (including 4 nidi showed diffuse type),3 were medium-sized,and 3 were large-sized;8 patients had single feeding artery,and 7 had multiple feeding arteries;11 had single draining vein,and 4 had multiple draining veins. When showing the size of AVM nidus,particularly diffuse type nidus, the color-coded DSA was clearer than the two-dimensional image. The color-coded DSA could visually display the traveling of the superficial and deep draining veins,at the same time,the primary and secondary draining veins could be identified according to the size of the area under the curve and the full width at half maximum,and intuitively reflected the complete cycle of cerebral blood flow. Conclusion The color-coded DSA can quickly and accurately depict the range of AVM,angioarchitecture features and intraoperative hemodynamic changes.

OBJECTIVETo observe the risk factor stratification and prevalence of target organ damage in hypertensive patients before therapy and blood pressure control rate after 4 or 12 weeks antihypertensive drug therapy.

METHODSIn this prospective survey, data on cardiovascular risk factors, target organ damage and concomitant disease were collected in 26 655 hypertensive patients. Among them 26 325 and 3457 patients were recruited for antihypertensive drug therapy for 4 and 12 weeks, respectively and blood pressure control rate was determined.

RESULTSThe sedentary lifestyle, smoking, high body mass index, dyslipidemia were found in 52.5%, 34.4%, 31.8%, 24.5%, and microproteinuria, left ventricular hypertrophy, coronary artery disease and diabetes in 21.0%, 23.6%, 20.1%, 26.7% hypertensive patients, respectively. The average systolic and diastolic pressures were 158 +/- 14 mm Hg and 94 +/- 11 mm Hg and 3.2%, 22.2%, 21.1% and 53.3% patients were defined as low, medium, high and very high risk patients in risk stratification to quantify prognosis. There were 77.2%, 20.4% and 2.4% systolic and diastolic, isolated systolic and isolated diastolic hypertensive patients respectively. The goal blood pressure control rate was 50.2% and 56.7% respectively after 4 and 12 weeks antihypertensive drug therapy. The control rate in patients complicated with diabetes and renal disease was significantly lower than patients without them and systolic pressure control rate was remarkably lower than diastolic pressure control rate. Majority patients required 2 or more antihypertensive drugs for effective pressure control (1.5 drug per patients in average in both 4 or 12 weeks groups).

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of risk factors, target organ damage and concomitant disease were high in Chinese patients with hypertension and comprehensive interventions were indicated. To reach goal blood pressure control in patients with hypertension, follow up intensifying and drug therapy guidance are required within the context of usual medical care.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

AIMTo investigate the change of NMDAR1 (zeta 1) subunit expression in temple cortex, frontal lobe, hippocampus and cerebellum of three different group rat after 98 dB wide frequency noise exposure.

METHODSWestern Blot and RT-PCR technique, combined with auditory brainstem response (ABR) measurement.

RESULTS(1) Expressions of NMDAR1 (zeta 1) subunit in frontal cortex, temple cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum have no difference, but AD model rat is much weaker than the control group. (2) Expression of NMDAR2A (epsilon 1) in temple cortex for physiological saline groups rat have a mostly increase (plus noise), moreover, those are weakest expression in hippocampus. NMDAR1 (zeta 1) subunit in cerebellum have highest expression, moreover, it is weakest in temple cortex. (3) NMDAR1 (zeta1), NMDAR2A (epsilon 1) subunit expression in hippocampus for three groups rat have a down-regulation after adding noise. (4) NMDAR1 (zeta 1), NMDAR2A (epsilon 1) subunit mRNA expression in control group have no remarkable difference in different cortex. (5) Expressions of NMDAR2A (epsilon 1) in frontal temple cortex, hippocampus for AD model rat are less than that of other groups, weakest in cerebellum, weaker in frontal.

CONCLUSIONWide band frequency noise can reduce the expression of NMDAR1 (zeta 1) subunit in hippocampus and cerebellum of AD model rat, however, the way of regulation is not in the mRNA level. Wide band frequency noise can inhibit the expression of NMDAR2A (epsilon 1) in hippocampus, temple cortex of AD model rat, which has been regulated by mRNA level and have cortex area difference.

Animals ; Brain ; metabolism ; Cerebral Cortex ; metabolism ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; Glutamic Acid ; poisoning ; Noise ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate ; metabolism

BACKGROUNDAlthough flunarizine has been widely used for migraine prophylaxis with clear success, the mechanisms of its actions in migraine prophylaxis are not completely understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of flunarizine on tetrodotoxin-resistant Na(+) channels and high-voltage activated Ca(2+) channels of acutely isolated mouse trigeminal ganglion neurons.

METHODSSodium currents and calcium currents in trigeminal ganglion neurons were monitored using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings. Paired Student's t test was used as appropriate to evaluate the statistical significance of differences between two group means.

RESULTSBoth tetrodotoxin-resistant sodium currents and high-voltage activated calcium currents were blocked by flunarizine in a concentration-dependent manner with the concentration producing half-maximal current block values of 2.89 µmol/L and 2.73 µmol/L, respectively. The steady-state inactivation curves of tetrodotoxin-resistant sodium currents and high-voltage activated calcium currents were shifted towards more hyperpolarizing potentials after exposure to flunarizine. Furthermore, the actions of flunarizine in blocking tetrodotoxin-resistant sodium currents and high-voltage activated calcium currents were use-dependent, with effects enhanced at higher rates of channel activation.

CONCLUSIONBlockades of these currents might help explain the peripheral mechanism underlying the preventive effect of flunarizine on migraine attacks.

Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Flunarizine ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mice ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Sensory Receptor Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Sodium ; metabolism ; Trigeminal Ganglion ; cytology ; drug effects ; metabolism

Objective　To investigate the expression of IGF-1 and TGF-β1 at different stages of hypertension in the spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and their relationship with ventricular hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis in the left ventricle. Methods　The expression of IGF-1 and TGF-β1 mRNA were measured with RT-PCR. Dynamic changes of the left ventricular hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis were examined by biochemical assay and image analysis. Results　Increased expression of IGF-1 was observed from the 14 th to the 24 th week which coincided with the progress of the left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), but not with that of myocardial fibrosis (MF). No significant change was observed in the expression of TGF-β1 in SHR group when compared with that of control. Conclusion　Increased expression of IGF-1 in the left ventricle of SHR is probably associated with the progress of LVH.