Objective To investigate the spatiotemporal expression patterns and the relationship of α-sarcomeric actin(α-SCA) ,α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA) and intermediate filament protein desmin with the maturation of the prenatal and the neonatal mouse hearts. Methods Serial sections of the embryo mouse and the neonatal mouse hearts were immunostained with antibodies against α-SCA, α-SMA and desmin. Results Ventricle and outflow tract of embryonic day(ED) 9 heart showed stronger expression of α-SCA and α-SMA, but desmin expression was lower. In the atrium, the expressions of α-SCA and α-SMA were restricted to the dorsal and ventral walls. In the sinus venosus, only a few weakly stained α-SCA positive cells were detected. No desmin expression was found in the atrium and sinus venosus. The expressions of α-SCA, α-SMA and desmin were increased to their highest level at ED 12. The higher expression of α-SCA remained to the postnatal stages. After ED 12, the expressions of α-SMA and desmin gradually decreased in different parts of the heart, but their expressions in the right ventricle persisted longer. After birth,desmin expression was mainly concentrated in the Z lines of I bands and intercalated disks. Conclusion The presence of spatiotemporal differences in the expression of α-SMA and desmin reveals regional differences in cardiomyocyte maturation in various parts of the embryonic mouse heart. The right ventricle shows a relatively slow pace of maturation. The α-SMA may contribute to a peristaltoid contraction pattern of the embryonic myocardium with a slow shortening speed, and a relatively higher level of desmin is required for the maturation of the sarcomere.

Objective To investigate the early development of the sinus venosus and the cardiac conduction system (CCS) of human embryonic hearts. Methods Serial transverse sections of 29 human embryonic hearts from Carnegie stage 10 to Carnegie stage 16 (C10-C16) were stained immunohistochemically with antibodies against α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),α-sarcomeric actin(α-SCA) and desmin ( DES ). Results During C12 and C13, the sinus venosus formed by confluence of systematic veins at the caudal end of the pericardial cavity could be recognized in the mesenchyme of primitive transverse septum. The mesenchymal cells of the sinus venosus gradually differentiated into α-SCA positive cardiocyocytes. At C14, the sinus venosus was within the pericardial cavity due to expansion of the pericardial cavity and incorporated into the right atrium. Differentiation of DES positive conductive cardiomyocyte was initiated in the right wall of atrio-ventricular canal of C10 embryonic heart and with the development, extended towards the myocardium of the interventricular sulcus to form His bundle, left and right bundle branches as well as the ventricular trabecular myocardium. In the atium, the strong expression of DES was first detected in the dorsal wall of C11 atrium. At C13, unique myocardial band showing α-SCA, α-SMA and DES expression in the left dorsal wall of the sinus venosus were found to be continuous with the basal wall of left atium and the dorsal wall of the atrio-ventricular canal, this band might be related to the development of conduction system from sinoatrial node to atrio-ventricular canal. During C14 to C16, primary conduction pathway of atria with strong DES expression was formed that extended from sinoatrial node along venous valves, DES positive myocardium in the dorsal and ventral walls of the atria to the right atrio-ventricular canal, respectively. Conclusions The mesenchyme of the primitive transverse septum is the heart forming field of human embryos responsible for formation of sinus venosus myocardium, cardiomyocytes are differentiated from mesenchymal cells in the primitive transverse septum and progressively added to the venous pole of the heart tube to form myocardial sinus venosus. The differentiation of CCS of the early human embryo initiates in the atrio-ventricular canal and develops gradually towards the arterial and venous poles of the heart tube. By C16, DES positive embryonic CCS can be clearly recognized morphologically.

Child ; Humans ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; complications ; Panniculitis ; etiology ; Subcutaneous Tissue

Objective To investigate the prevalence and incidence of Keshan disease (KD) and the selenium concentration of food and hair in residents of Yongjin Village, Fuyu County, Heilongjiang Province, national monitoring site, in 2007. Methods According to the Standard of Keshan Disease Surveillance and the Standard of Diagnosis of Keshan Disease(GB 17021-1997), the residents living in the monitoring site were surveyed by clinical examination and electrocardiography. For individuals whose hearts showed abnormalities, a chest X-ray photograph was taken. The selenium concentrations of the residents' food (flour) and hair were assayed by flowing injection hydride generation atomic fluoremetric method(FI-HG-AFM). Results Nineteen KD patients were found from 282 residents in 2007 KD surveillance. The prevalence of KD, latent KD and chronic KD were 6.7%(19/282), 2.8%(8/282) and 3.9%(11/282), respectively. Five of the 8 latent KD cases were newly found. In addition, there were 5 the suspected KD cases, including 2 suspected chronic KD cases. No acute KD or sub-acute KD patients were found in Yongjin Village at this monitoring site this year. The average selenium concentration of children hair and residents food were (0.3197±0.0586)mg/kg and (0.0210±0.0062)mg/kg, respectively. Conclusions New cases of KD continued to emerge, indicating that etiological factors still exist. Therefore, the emphasis of monitoring KD in furore is founding the consummate report of infectious disease system and training the personnel to increase the reliability of monitoring.

Most drugs need to interact with cell membrane to reach the biological target, so that membrane affinity assay is an important early screening step in drug discovery. However, at present, the traditional oil-water distribution method is still used, a new, simple and accurate method for membrane affinity assay is urgently needed. In this study, according to the colorimetric principle, a new assay model based on polydiacetylene vesicles was optimized through a series of experiments including different concentrations of vesicle solution, temperature, or pH reaction environment. On this basis, tetracaine hydrochloride, 2-methylimidazole and histamine were used as model drugs to measure the membrane affinity constants and verify the between-batch precision of the optimized assay model (relative standard deviation less than 5%). In addition, polydiacetylene vesicles were stable for up to 180 days, demonstrating the potential application of the assay model. This strategy is simple, stable, reliable, with high reproducibility, low cost and easy to promote, which provided a new tool and a new direction for the high-throughput assay of membrane affinity.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Myxoma ; pathology ; surgery ; Vulvar Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery

BACKGROUNDSerum tumor markers have always been of clinical importance in the diagnosis, monitoring disease progression and therapy efficacy for patients with malignant diseases. However, elevated serum tumor markers are found in some benign conditions, especially in chronic kidney disease (CKD). The elevation of them in CKD might cause confusion and misuse of these tumor markers. We conducted this retrospective study to investigate which of the five widely used tumor markers including carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), cytokeratin 19 fragment antigen 21-1 (Cyfra21-1), squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) and neuron specific enolase (NSE) are affected markedly by CKD, in order to use them more effectively.

METHODSSerum tumor marker concentrations, biochemical, hematological parameters, and urinalysis were measured in CKD patients and healthy controls. The positive rate and median tumor markers' level in CKD patients and controls, and those in CKD patients stratified by CKD grade were compared using nonparametric rank tests. Correlation analysis of serum tumor markers and other parameters in CKD patients were performed using the Spearman correlation coefficient. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the important variables that caused elevated serum concentrations of these markers in CKD patients.

RESULTSThe overall positive rates and serum concentrations of Cyfra21-1, SCC, CEA in CKD group were significantly higher than those in control group. Positive rate and serum concentrations of those tumor markers increased as kidney function decreased. Both univariate analysis and multivariate regression analysis showed that the elevations of those tumor markers were not only associated with kidney function, but also with nutritional status.

CONCLUSIONSSerum concentrations of Cyfra21-1, SCC, CEA are significantly influenced by kidney function, as well as nutritional status. Therefore, in clinical work, the indices of kidney function and nutritional status could be simultaneously measured to improve interpretation of the results of those tumor marker concentrations.

Adult ; Aged ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; blood ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; blood ; Female ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Humans ; Keratin-19 ; blood ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nutritional Status ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; blood ; Retrospective Studies ; Serpins ; blood ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; analysis

BACKGROUNDCartoMerge has been widely used in guiding circumferential pulmonary vein isolation (CPVI) for the treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). However, the procedure of landmarks selection varies among operators according to their experience. Techniques have to be established to standardize this procedure. We propose that Overlay Ref could facilitate this procedure. This paper aimed to report our initial experience with CPVI guided by Overlay Ref and CartoMerge for the treatment of PAF.

METHODSFifty-nine patients with PAF were enrolled in this study. Using Overlay Ref technique, a reference image (inverted) was faded into the live fluoroscopic image. Landmarks of CartoMerge were selected from anatomic points of the top of superior pulmonary veins (PVs) and the bottom of inferior PVs guided by Overlay Ref image. Overlay Ref images were also used to guide the ablation procedure combining with CartoMerge.

RESULTSAll patients were successfully mapped by CartoMerge guided by Overlay Ref. The distance between the mapping points and the CT surfaces was (1.42 +/- 0.67) mm for the patients as a whole. This led to a successful rate of 96% for isolation of pulmonary veins. Duration of ablation procedure was (92 +/- 17) minutes. And the total duration of procedure was (139 +/- 32) minutes. CartoMerge could also be performed just with 3 paries to 4 paries selected landmarks guided by Overlay Ref without a full anatomic model constructed by Carto. Then, the total duration of procedure could be shortened to (115 +/- 38) minutes.

CONCLUSIONSOverlay Ref technique can facilitate the catheter ablation of PAF and can help to standardize the procedure of landmarks selection.

Aged ; Atrial Fibrillation ; surgery ; Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Veins ; surgery

OBJECTIVETo compare the mRNA expression of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in human subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissues.

METHODSTotal RNA was extracted from 12 human subcutaneous adipose tissues, 12 perirenal adipose tissue and 9 periadrenal adipose tissues. The expressions of angiotensinogen ( AGT) , renin, angiotensin converting enzyme ( ACE) , angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), angiotensin I1 receptor type 1 (AT1), angiotensin II receptor type 2 (AT2 ), CYP11 B2, and their internal reference glyceraldehyde phosphate (GAPDH) were studied by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The ratios of each target genes were used to evaluate the expression levels of AGT, renin, ACE, ACE2, AT1, AT2, and CYP11B2 in different adipose tissues.

RESULTSThe mRNA expressions of AGT, ACE, ACE2, AT1, and AT2 were detected in human subcutaneous, perirenal, and periadrenal adipose tissues. However, CYPI B2 mRNA expression was not found in these three adipose tissues. The mRNA expressions of renin was only detected in perirenal and periadrenal adipose tissues, which was significantly higher in perirenal adipose tissues than in periadrenal adipose tissues ( P < 0. 05 ). The mRNA expressions of ACE and ACE2 in perirenal adipose tissues were significantly higher than that in subcutaneous adipose tissues ( P < 0. 05). The mRNA expressions of ACE were significantly higher than that of ACE2 in subcutaneous, perirenal, and periadrenal adipose tissues (P <0. 05). The mRNA expressions of AT1 were significantly lower than that of AT2 in periadrenal adipose tissues (P < 0. 05).

CONCLUSIONLocal renin-angiotensin system exists in the adipose tissues; however, aldosterone is not synthesized in the adipose tissues.

Adipose Tissue ; metabolism ; Adult ; Aged ; Aldosterone ; physiology ; Angiotensinogen ; biosynthesis ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP11B2 ; biosynthesis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; biosynthesis ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 ; biosynthesis ; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2 ; biosynthesis ; Renin ; biosynthesis ; Renin-Angiotensin System ; physiology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Bone Marrow Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; CD28 Antigens ; blood ; metabolism ; CD4 Antigens ; blood ; metabolism ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; metabolism ; Dendritic Cells, Follicular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy ; metabolism ; pathology ; Immunophenotyping ; methods ; Lymphoma, T-Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neprilysin ; blood ; metabolism ; Receptors, Complement 3d ; blood ; metabolism ; fas Receptor ; blood ; metabolism