Objective:To explore the efifcacy and safety for radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of left bundle branch guided by left bundle potential (LBP), X-ray image with EnSiteNavX System in canine model.
Methods:The RFCA of left bundle branch was conducted in 13 dogs. A mapping catheter was positioned in right atrium to record right-sided His-bundle (R-His) potential, and an ablation catheter via right femoral artery was retrograded to left ventriclefor LBP mapping and ablation. Meanwhile, EnSiteNavX System was used to identify R-His, L-His and LBP at the same time. The potential characteristics in dogs with successful ablation were observed, the PR interval, QRS shape and time limit, AH interval, HV interval, the A/V electro-gram ratio in ablationcatheter at before and after ablation were recorded. The procedural time and X-ray exposure time between LBP with X-ray image method and LBP, X-ray image with EnSiteNavX System method were compared.
Results: There were 9/13 dogs received successful left bundle branch ablation, 3 dogs failed and 1 suffered from complete A-V block. At the successful ablation target site, the LBP-V was (17.8 ± 2.6) ms with the range of (13-21) ms, and the A/V electro-gram ratio<1/10. The procedural time and X-ray expose time were signiifcantly decreased in LBP, X-ray image with EnSiteNavX System method than those in LBP with X-ray image method P=0.007 and P<0.001.
Conclusion:Under the LBP, X-ray image with EnSiteNavX System guidance method, left bundle branch could be safely and effectively ablated to establish left bundle branch block (LBBB) model in experimental canine.

AIM: This study was designed to investigate the effects of sodium restriction and sodium supplementation on the expression of angiotensinogen mRNA in myocardium of rats with congestive heart failure(CHF).METHODS: Radioimmunassay and in situ hybridization techniques were used to determine the angiotensin Ⅱ(AngⅡ)contents and the expression of angiotensinogen(ANG)mRNA in myocardium, respectively.RESULTS: In sodium restricted group, the plasma sodium was obviously lower than that in CHF group(P

AIM: To investigate the expression of angiotensinogen (ANG)mRNA and the changes of AngⅡ content in rat anterior pituitary during acute stress.METHODS: The expression of ANG mRNA was determined using in situ hybridization technique, and the AngⅡ content were determined by RIA.RESULTS: The ANG mRNA expression and AngⅡ content were significantly increased, and ANG mRNA was increased more significantly than AngⅡ content. CONCLUSION: The local renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in anterior pituitary is obviously activated during stress, which strongly supports the view that local RAS contributes to stress reaction.

OBJECTIVETo explore the effects of Ronggan Mixture (RGM) on cell apoptosis by observing the expressions of apoptosis-related genes (Fasl and Bcl-2) in transgenic mice with chronic liver immune injury induced by concanavalin A (ConA).

METHODSSeventy-four transgenic mice were divided into 6 groups, the model group, the normal group, and the treated groups treated respectively with biphenyldicarboxylate (DDB), oriental wormwood (OWW), Yinchenhao Decoction (YCHD) and RGM. Pathologic changes of liver tissue were observed by light microscopy, number of apoptotic cells were determined by TUNEL method, and expressions of apoptosis-related genes, Fasl and Bcl-2, in hepatic T lymphocyte were detected by flow cytometer.

RESULTSEvident pathological changes of liver appeared in the model mice, showed severely destroyed structure of hepatic lobules. As compared with the model group, the changes of liver fibrosis and cell necrosis were much lessened in the RGM group and the YCHD group (P < 0.05). The protein expression of apoptotic gene Fasl and the apoptotic index in the model group were higher than those in the normal group (P < 0.05), but that of the apoptotic inhibiting gene, Bcl-2, in model mice was similar to that in normal mice. As compared with the model group, apoptosis index decreased (P < 0.01), levels of Fasl expression was lower and Bcl-2 expression was higher in the RGM group and the YCHD group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and the effect of the two was similar, but significantly superior to that of OWW and DDB (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe Chinese compound, RGM and YCHD can not only relieve the hepatic pathological injury, but also reduce the cell apoptosis in chronic liver immune injury mice through regulating the expressions of Fasl and Bcl-2.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Concanavalin A ; adverse effects ; immunology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Fas Ligand Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Female ; Gene Expression ; drug effects ; Liver ; cytology ; drug effects ; immunology ; injuries ; Liver Diseases ; drug therapy ; genetics ; immunology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mice, Transgenic ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation

This study evaluated the clinical effect of impaction bone graft and distal press-fit fixation for the reconstruction of severe femoral bone defect in revision total hip arthroplasty. A total of 234 patients (involving 236 hips) with Paprosky III and IV femoral bone defects were treated with the revision total hip arthroplasty from June 1998 to Aug. 2006. Impaction bone graft technique was used for 112 hips, with allogeneic freeze-dried bone as bone graft and SPII as prosthesis. With 124 hips, modular distal press-fit fixation and tapered femoral stem (MP stem) were employed. After the operation, the subjects were followed up on regular basis and results were assessed by using the Harris Hip Score (HHS) and 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). Radiolucence, subsidence and loosening were observed and complications, including infection, fracture, dislocation etc. were recorded. A 6-14-year follow-up showed that prostheses failed, due to infection, in 4 patients of impaction bone graft group and that 6 patients in the press-fit fixation group experienced prosthesis failure, with the survival rates for the two techniques being 96.43% and 95.16%, respectively. One-way ANOVA showed that prosthesis survival was significantly associated with surgery-related complications (P<0.05) and was not related to the type of the bone defects (P>0.05). The rate of complications bore significant association with the type of bone defects in the two groups (P<0.05). Our study showed that the two revision methods could achieve satisfactory mid-term and long-term results for the reconstruction of severe bone defects. It is of great significance for attaining high prosthesis survival rate to select suitable operation on the basis of the type of bone defect. Careful operative manipulation and post-operative rehabilitation aimed at reducing complications are also important.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the oncological and functional outcomes in patients undergoing supracricoid partial laryngectomy (SCPL).

METHODSForty-three cases underwent supracricoid partial laryngectomy with functional reconstruction in stage T1b-T4. In these cases, 16 were supraglottic cancers, 21 were glottic cancers, and 2 were subglottic cancers. Three types of supracricoid partial laryngectomy (cricohyoidopexy CHP, cricohyoidoepiglottopexy CHEP and tracheocricohyoidoepiglottopexy TCHEP) were employed accordingly.

RESULTSThe 3- and 5-year accumulative survival rates were 90.7% and 83.7% respectively (Kaplan-Meier method). Median follow-up time was 57 months. Decannulation rate was 95.3% (41/43) in those. The mean time of decannulation was 14 days in patients preserved both cricoarytenoid units and 43 days in those only preserved one cricoarytenoid unit. The removal of epiglottis increased the risk of aspiration and prolonged time of decannulation (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSSupracricoid partial laryngectomy for selected laryngeal cancer is feasible. The patients can gain satisfied survival rate and quality of life.

Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; mortality ; surgery ; Cricoid Cartilage ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; mortality ; surgery ; Laryngectomy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy of a low dose Qinghuang Powder (QP) combined with Chinese drugs for Shen supplementing and Pi invigorating (CDSSPI) in treatment of hypocellular myelodysplastic syndromes (hypo-MDS).

METHODSTotally 33 hypo-MDS patients enrolled in this study came from outpatient clinics between November 2011 and December 2012. A self-control method was used in this study. Patients took QP (0.4 g per day) combined with CDSSPI (one dose per day), and Stanozolol Tablet (2 mg each time, three times per day), 3 months as one therapeutic course, a total of 2 courses. The clinical efficacy was evaluated timely at the end of each therapeutic course. The venous blood was withdrawn before treatment, at month 3 and 6 after treatment. Changes of neutrophils (ANC), hemoglobin (Hb), and platelet (PLT) were mainly observed.

RESULTSTotally 31 patients in this study finished the treatment. Three months after treatment ANC, Hb, and PLT increased more than before treatment (P < 0.05). Six months after treatment Hb and PLT increased (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), but with no statistical difference in ANC (P > 0.05). Hb increased higher at month 6 after treatment than at month 3 after treatment (P < 0.01), but with no statistical difference in ANC or PLT (P > 0.05). After 3-month treatment the number of hematologic progress, stability, disease progression were: 13 cases (41.9%), 15 cases (48.4%), and 3 cases (9.7%), respectively; after 6-month treatment the number of hematologic improvement, stability, and disease progression were: 18 cases (58.1%), 7 cases (22.6%), 6 cases (19.3%), respectively. There was no significant difference between 3-month efficacy and 6-month efficacy (P > 0.05). There was no correlation between the efficacy and ages of hypo-MDS patients or the efficacy and courses of hypo-MDS patients (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSA low dose QP combined with CDSSPI showed confirmative efficacy in treatment of hypo-MDS. But the efficacy had little correlation with ages and courses of hypo-MDS patients.

Arsenicals ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Hemoglobins ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; drug therapy ; Neutrophils ; Phytotherapy ; methods

OBJECTIVETo assess the improvements in the properties of nano-nacre artificial bone prepared on the basis of nacre/polylactide acid composite artificial bone and its potential for clinical use.

METHODSThe compound of nano-scale nacre powder and poly-D, L-lactide acid (PDLLA) was used to prepare the cylindrical hollow artificial bone, whose properties including raw material powder scale, pore size, porosity and biomechanical characteristics were compared with another artificial bone made of micron-scale nacre powder and PDLLA.

RESULTSScanning electron microscope showed that the average particle size of the nano-nacre powder was 50.4-/+12.4 nm, and the average pore size of the artificial bone prepared using nano-nacre powder was 215.7-/+77.5 microm, as compared with the particle size of the micron-scale nacre powder of 5.0-/+3.0 microm and the pore size of the resultant artificial bone of 205.1-/+72.0 microm. The porosities of nano-nacre artificial bone and the micron-nacre artificial bone were (65.4-/+2.9)% and (53.4-/+2.2)%, respectively, and the two artificial bones had comparable compressive strength and Young's modulus, but the flexural strength of the nano-nacre artificial bone was lower than that of the micro-nacre artificial bone.

CONCLUSIONSThe nano-nacre artificial bone allows better biodegradability and possesses appropriate pore size, porosity and biomechanical properties for use as a promising material in bone tissue engineering.

Absorbable Implants ; Animals ; Biocompatible Materials ; chemistry ; Bivalvia ; chemistry ; Bone Substitutes ; chemistry ; Calcium Carbonate ; chemistry ; Drug Compounding ; methods ; Humans ; Lactic Acid ; chemistry ; Materials Testing ; Nanoparticles ; chemistry ; Polyesters ; Polymers ; chemistry ; Porosity ; Tensile Strength

This study was aimed to observe the biological characteristics of cryopreserved bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) and to examine their abilities to support in vitro hematopoiesis. Bone marrow MSC were cryopreserved in -196 degrees C liquid nitrogen for 4 weeks (short term) and 9-15 months (medium term) with IMDM containing 10% DMSO, 40% fetal calf serum as cryoprotectant. The viability, proliferation, immunophenotype, in vitro differentiation and ability of supporting hematopoiesis of thawed MSC were investigated and compared with these of pre-cryopreserved MSC. The results showed that the cell viability were (93 +/- 2.51)% and (90 +/- 3.75)% for MSC cryopreserved as long as 4 weeks or 9-15 months respectively. However, there were no changes detected, as compared with pre-cryopreserved MSC in immunophenotype, abilities of proliferation and supporting colony forming of CFU-GM, CFU-E and CFU-GEMM. It is concluded that bone marrow-derived MSC can be stored in liquid nitrogen for short-term (4 weeks) or medium-term (9-15 months) without changes of abilities of proliferation, differentiation and hematopoiesis support.
Blood Preservation ; methods ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Colony-Forming Units Assay ; Cryopreservation ; methods ; Cryoprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; pharmacology ; Hematopoiesis ; physiology ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; physiology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinicopathological features, treatment outcomes and prognosis of patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

METHODSRetrospective review of 318 consecutive cases with OSCC treated from January 1999 to December 2011. Survival rates and prognostic factors were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate Cox model survival analysis respectively. There were 281 males and 37 females, with a median age of 56 years. Of the 318 cases, 163 carcinomas were from tonsil, 108 from tongue base and 47 from soft palate-uvula. The presenting symptoms were pharyngalgia (128 cases, 40.3%), neck masses (71 cases, 22.3%), foreign body sensation in the pharynx (63 cases, 19.8%) and dental ulcer (44 cases, 13.8%). The median time from onset of the first symptoms until diagnosis of OSCC was 3 months. Of the 318 OSCC, 75 were with high grade, 110 with intermediate grade and 133 with low grade, including 10 patients at stageI, 39 at stage II, 68 at stage III and 201 at stage IV.

RESULTSThe rates of lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and second primary carcinoma were 72.3%, 13.2% and 7.9%, respectively. Of 318 patients, 117 received radiotherapy alone, 66 underwent surgery plus postoperative radiotherapy, 59 underwent preoperative radiotherapy plus surgery, 33 received concomitant chemotherapy and radiotherapy, 20 received concomitant molecular targeted therapy and radiotherapy, 16 underwent surgery alone and 7 received induction chemotherapy plus radiotherapy. The 3-, 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 58.4%, 50.7%, respectively, and the median overall survival time was 60.1 months. Ages (P = 0.034), gender(P = 0.024), smoking and alcohol consumptions(P = 0.008), doses of radiotherapy(P = 0.046) and clinic stages(P = 0.001) were independent factors for OS.

CONCLUSIONSOSCC is poor in prognosis, with a high incidence of cervical lymph node metastasis. Radiotherapy and salvage surgery are the main treatments for OSCC.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; diagnosis ; Male ; Oropharyngeal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome