Objective:To examine the relationship between brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after successful electrical cardioversion (EC) by a meta analysis approach.Methods:Based on PubMed,Medline and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases,related literatures,published from 1980-2008,were searched; a manual search was also performed.The included trials were analyzed by RevMan4.2 software for meta analysis.Results:Totally seven studies were finally included.The analysis revealed that the baseline BNP level were greater in patients with AF recurrence than those without AF recurrence,with the standardized mean difference in the BNP levels being 0.82 units (95% confidence interval 0.12 to 1.52).The test for overall effect Z-score was 2.30,with a P value of 0.02; there was significant difference.Conclusion:It is suggested that the higher BNP level after successful electrical cardioversion is associated with greater risk of AF recurrence.The level of BNP may serve as an indicator for AF recurrence after successful EC.

AIM:To study the effect of panax notoginseng saponins on the left atrial appendage(LAA)of the guinea pigs.METHODS:Standard microelectrode intracellular recording technique was used to record the LAA action potential(AP)and the effective refractory period(ERP)in the guinea pigs during the pouring with different density of PNS.RESULTS:The effect of PNS in concentration of 0.7,7,70,700 mg/L was significant at 20 min,the APD50 and APD80 of the pouring at 20 min,30 min,40 min of the 70 mg/L was longer than the reference group(P

From the perspectives of the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of cardiac graft vasculopathy(CGV), this review summarized the current understanding and cognition of its pathology, monitoring, diagnosis and treatment to provide rationales for better survivals of CGV.

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is the most prevalent congenital heart disease, often accompanied by neurological symptoms as migraine, unexplained dizziness, and even anxiety and depression. Recent research findings indicate that the pathogenesis of neurological complications related to PFO involves abnormal embolism hypothesis, vasoactive substance hypothesis, impaired cerebral blood flow regulation and genetic inheritance. Treatments include primarily encompass pharmacological intervention and foramen ovale occlusion. This article summarizes the aforementioned research progress in order to provide clinical guidance for managing nervous system complications related to PFO.

Aluminum is a light metal which is rich in the earth's crust and widely used. Recently, the adverse health effects of environmental and occupational aluminum exposure on human have attracted more and more attention. Aluminum exposure has toxic effects on the central nervous system and is believed to be closely related to the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease. The neurotoxic mechanism of aluminum is complex, especially the role of regulated cell death (RCD) in aluminum-induced neuronal death remains to be further studied. RCD refers to all modes of cell death regulated by multiple intracellular signal transduction pathways under physiological and pathological conditions, including apoptosis, necroptosis, autophagy, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis. This review summarized the morphological characteristics and mechanisms of each RCD mode in the process of aluminum-induced neuronal death, and discussed the relationship and transformation between different RCD modes, providing a new scientific basis for future studies on the treatment and intervention of neurotoxicity induced by aluminum exposure.