Cardiovascular disease is a severe threat to human health and life. Among many risk factors of cardiovascular disease, genetic or gene-based ones are drawing more and more attention in recent years. Accumulated evidence has demonstrated that the loss or mutation of ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene can result in DNA damage repair dysfunctions, telomere shortening, decreased antioxidant capacity, insulin resistance, increased lipid levels, etc., and thus can promote the occurrence of cardiovascular risk factors, such as aging, atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome. In this review, we discusses the possible mechanisms between ATM gene and cardiovascular risk factors, which could be helpful to the related research and clinical application.
Aging ; Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins ; genetics ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; genetics ; DNA Damage ; DNA Repair ; Humans ; Mutation ; Risk Factors

Ultrasonic thrombus ablation is a newly-developed technology for percutaneous arterial recanalization. An ultrasound angioplasty device is described here in detail. The device has an adjustable power output range and distal tip longitudinal displacement range. Experimental data suggest that this ultrasound device is significantly effective in ablating fresh thrombi.
Catheter Ablation ; instrumentation ; Equipment Design ; Expert Systems ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Transducers ; Ultrasonography, Interventional ; Vibration

OBJECTIVETo explore effectiveness and safety of segmental anterior cervical decompression in treating multi-level cervical myelopathy.

METHODSTwenty-four patients with four levels of cervical myelopathy were treated with segmental anterior cervical decompression (reservation of middle vertebrae, bone graft and plate-screws fixation). Among patients, there were 15 males and 9 females aged from 47 to 75 (averaged 57.9) years old. Preoperative, postoperative at 1 week and the latest following-up AP and lateral X-rays were used to observe bone union, displacement of implant, adjacent segment degeneration, changes of Cobb angle of fusion segment. JOA scoring were applied for evaluate recovery of nerve function.

RESULTSAll operations were completed successfully, 2 cases ocurred hoarseness, and improved after treated symptomatically. Nineteen patients were followed up from 3.1 to 5.3 years with an average of 3.9 years. Bone union time ranged from 3 to 7 (averaged 4.5) months. No screw loosening and displacement occurred. Nine patients occurred titanium mesh subsidence in different degrees, and 4 of them subside >3 mm; four patients ocurred adjacent segment degeneration. Postoperative Cobb angle of fusion segment at 1 week (10.40±2.94)° was improved from preoperative (5.76±4.16)°, but decreased at the latest follow-up (8.57±2.82)°, and had significant meaning compared with preoperative (P<0.01). JOA score at the latest follow-up (14.6±1.1) was higher than that of before operation (8.2±1.9), and had siginificant differences (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSegmental anterior cervical decompression for the treatment of multilevel cervical myelopathy has a high clinical operability, and plays an important role in recovering cervical curvature and nerve function based on completely decompression.

Aged ; Cervical Vertebrae ; surgery ; Decompression, Surgical ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Spinal Fusion ; methods ; Spondylosis ; surgery

Aristolochic Acids ; adverse effects ; Child ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Nephrosis ; chemically induced

OBJECTIVEThe aim of the present study was designed to explore the effect of (+/-) -3-n-butylphthalide (NBP) on ATPase, anti-oxidant enzymes activities and lipid peroxidation of mitochondria and cerebral cortex in rats subjected to 24 hours of reperfusion following 2 hours of cerebral ischemia (tMCAO).

METHODSActivities of SOD (Superoxide Dismutase), GSH-Px (glutathione Peroxidase,) and CAT (Catalase), and MDA level of mitochondria or cortex were measured by using biochemical methods in tMCAO rats.

RESULTS(1) The activities of mitochondrial Na+K(+)-ATPase, Ca(2+)-ATPase and Mg2+ ATPase were found to decrease significantly in the vehicle group (ischemia + saline). Pre-treatment with NBP (5, 10, 20 mg/kg, i.p.) 10 min before tMCAO markedly enhanced the activities of Na+K(+)-ATPase and Ca(2+)-ATPase, compared with vehicle group. (2) The activities of SOD and mitochondrial GSH-Px were decreased and MDA level increased in vehicle groups as compared with that in sham group (non-ischemia + saline). NBP (20 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly enhanced total mitochondrial SOD activity, and also enhanced cerebral cortex total SOD activity (in 5, 10, 20 mg/kg groups). However, it had no obvious effect on CuZn-SOD activity. NBP (20 mg/kg i.p.) markedly increased mitochondrial (but not in cerebral cortex) GSH-Px activity; NBP 10, 20 mg/kg markedly decreased mitochondrial MDA level compared with that in vehicle group (P < 0.05). (3) The action of raceme NBP on the increase of the activities of ATPase and antioxidative enzymes seemed to be beneficial than that of (-) -NBP or (+) NBP.

CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that NBP improves energy pump and subsides oxidative injury which may contribute to its anti-neuronal apoptotic effect.

Adenosine Triphosphatases ; metabolism ; Animals ; Benzofurans ; pharmacology ; Cerebral Cortex ; enzymology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; metabolism ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; enzymology ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Male ; Mitochondria ; enzymology ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reperfusion Injury ; enzymology ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism

Cell Membrane ; metabolism ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit ; analysis

The effect of morphine and naloxone on release of the excitatory amino acids (EAAs) of spinal astrocytes induced by TNF-α was studied. Astrocytes were purified from 2- to 3-day old SD rats and divided into 8 groups: group 1 (without any stimulatants); group 2 (10 ng/ml TNF-α);group3 (10 ng/ml TNF-α+0.5 μmol/L morphine); group 4 (10 ng/ml TNF-α+1. 0 μmol/L morphine); group 5 (10 ng/ml TNF-α+ 2. 0 μmol/L morphine) ; group 6 (10 ng/ml TNF-α+ 0. 5 μmol/L naloxone); group 7 (10 ng/ml TNF-α+ 1.0 μmol/L naloxone) ; group 8 (10 ng/ml TNF-α+2.0 μmol/L naloxone). In group 2, 3, 4 and 5, 0, 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 μmol/Lmorphine was added to the cells cultured with serum-free Neurobasal/B27 medium containing 10 ng/ml TNF-α respec-tively, while in group 6, 7 and 8, 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 μmol/Lnaloxone was added respectively to the cells cultured with serum-free Neurobasal/B27 medium containing 10 ng/ml TNF-α. After 30 min incubation, high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to measure the levels of EAAs in all cultured cells. The results showed the level of EAAs in group 2 was significant higher than in group 1 (P＜0.01). As compared with group 2, the levels of EAAs in group 3, 4 and 5 were decreased with the difference being significant between group 5 and group 2 (P＜0.01) or between group 4 and group 2 (P＜0.05). The levels of EAAs in group 6, 7 and group 8 was significantly lower than in group 2 (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01). It was concluded that TNF-α could promote the release of glutamate and aspartate from astrocytes, and morphine and naloxone might reduce the release of EAAs in cultured spinal astrocytes induced by TNF-α.

Objective: To analyze the long-term prognosis of re-operation in patients with functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) after left sided valve replacement (LSVR) and hence evaluate the optimal timing of mentioned re-operation. Methods: A total of 59 FTR patients who had re-operation after their prior LSVR in our hospital from 1999-01 to 2013-01 were analyzed. The clinical information and post-operative follow-up results were recorded in all patients. Results: There were 5/59 (8.5%) patients died in peri-operative period and the overall post-operative mortality was 11.9% (7/59). The follow-up data of 54 survivors were available for the mean time of 51.1 (21-188) months. There were 19/54 (35.2%) patients suffered from MACE and 30 (55.6%) were beneifted by improved cardiac function. Uni-variable analysis indicated that pre-operative NYHA class IV (P=0.008), pre-operative right ventricular (RV) dysfunction (P=0.037), concomitant left-sided redo-operation (P=0.017) and TVR operation (P=0.002) were associated with all cause mortality of tricuspid re-operation. Multi-variable Cox regression analysis showed that pre-operative RV dysfunction was the only independent risk factor of long term MACE-free accumulating survival rate (HR=3.0, 95% CI 1.11-8.2,P=0.031); while TVR operation (HR=12.8, 95% CI 1.53-107.02,P=0.019) and pre-operative NYHA class IV (HR=5.3, 95% CI 1.20-24.51,P=0.032) were the independent risk factors for long-term mortality in patients after tricuspid re-operation. Conclusion: Patients with compensatory RV function showed better long term prognosis after secondary tricuspid operation. Aggressive re-operation before the occurrence of right ventricular dysfunction could be beneficial for relevant patients.

Objective To study the mechanism of mast cell increase in cellular leiomyoma of uterus.Methods Tissue sections from 30 cases of cellular leiomyoma of uterus,15 cases of leiomyosarcoma and 30 cases of ordinary leiomyoma were studied using immunohistochemical double labeling techniques.The expression of mast cell tryptase ahd Ki-67 as well as mast cell tryptase and chemotactic factors RANTES,Eotaxin,monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1),transforming growth factor-? (TGF-?)were double immunostained.Results Ki-67 in mast cells was rarely expressed in each group. Expressions of regulate upon activation normal T cell expressed and secreted(RANTES),Eotaxin and TGF-? in cellular leiomyoma were 78%,89%,91%,respectively.They were all higher than those in ordinary leiomyoma and leiomyosarcoma(P

AIM: To observe the effect of Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation intravitreal bevacizumab in the treatment of neovascular glaucoma ( NVG) .
METHODS:Twenty-two cases (22 eyes) who presented with NVG were first treated with intravitreal bevacizumab 0. 1mL ( 2. 5mg ), then with Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation after regression of iris neovessels. Cases were followed - up for 6 - 36 ( mean 24 ) mo with observation on visual acuity, IOP control, regression of iris neovessels, and complications during or after surgery.
RESULTS: Iris neovessels was regressed in different degree after injection within 1wk in 22 eyes. At final follow-up, the IOP of 18 eyes were all less than 21mmHg without any drugs and of 3 eyes with 1-3 kinds of anti-glaucoma drugs after combined Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation. The IOP of one eye was controlled after cryotherapy. The mean IOP dropped from 45. 36 ±8.13mmHg preoperatively to 15. 59 ± 3. 21mmHg postoperatively. IOP reduction was statistically significance between preoperative and postoperative ( P<0. 05) at final follow-up. Visual acuity was improved in 9 eyes (41%) and was no changed in 13 eyes. No serious complications were observed during or after intravitreous bevacizumab injection and Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation.
CONCLUSION: Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation and intravitreal bevacizumab in the treatment of NVG is useful and safe. It improves the success rate of surgery and preserves visual function, furthermore its complications are less.