BACKGROUND:Great saphenous vein is the most common vascular material in coronary artery bypass grafting, however, the graft neointimal hyperplasia and subsequent atherosclerosis result in angiostegnosis, which affect the long-term efficacy. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the pathophysiology and mechanism of the angiostenosis, additionally, to construct smooth muscle cell specific SM22a promoter and SMHC enhancer. METHODS: The database of PubMed, HighWire and CNKI were retrieved with key words of "SM22α promoter, SMHC enhancer, stenosis, Pi3k and RNAi/RNA interference". The language was confined to English and Chinese. The literatures correlated with angiostenosis, VSMC-specific SM22α promoter and enhancer were selected. The reviews and overlapped researches were excluded. In vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and apoptosis of graft neointimal hyperplasia, as well as the extent of graft thrombosis were considered as evaluation index. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: More than 8 730 literatures were searched by the computer. According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, the SM22α promoter and angiostenosis were analyzed. The neointimal hyperplasia and thrombosis had a strong impact on prospective efficacy after coronary artery bypass grafting. The PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway was a crucial signal passage which regulated cell proliferation and migration. RNA interference targeting Pik3cb can efficiently suppress the neointimal hyperplasia through down regulating the PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway. The shRNA eukaryon expression plasmid vectors targeting rat Pik3cb were constructed using VSMC-specific SM22α promoter. On the one hand, it can suppress the neointimal hyperplasia, and on the other, it can prevent the occurrence of thrombosis.SM22a is a specific gene in vascular smooth muscle cell. The studies that applied VSMC-specific SM22α promoter/enhancer to vascular grafting provide a new strategy to prevent angiostenosis and thrombosis.

In recent years,we have progressed in the treatment of coronary heart disease by a large margin,which improved the prognostic condition of coronary heart disease patients,conspicuously.Whereas,we have still harbored discordant reservations about what fuels in the theraputic stragety of the left main and/or three vessel disease which causes acute myocardial infarction and the sudden cardiac death,for the time being,internationally.EuroSCORE and SYNTAX Score are both widely accepted in probing in the theraputic stragetic credits,internationally.Hence,we are about to review the twin credits system on the optional directive meaning of the strategy of myocardial revasscularization in the left main and/or three vessel patients.

Objective To know the pollution level of phthalates in Jiulong River source water and the purification efficiency by conventional water treatment processes. Methods The samples of Jiulong River source water and treated water from two waterworks were collected and analyzed with GC-MS during Aug.-Sep.2006. Results Jiulong River had been polluted by phthalates. The prominent phthalates pollutants were dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and diethyl phthalate(DEP). The maximum concentrations reached 17.238 ?g/L and 11.701 ?g/L, respectively. PAEs content in tap-water was lower than the standard limits. Conclusion The conventional water treatment processes, preoxidation, coagulation, sedimentation, filtration and disinfection, could remove phthalates from the drinking water to a certain degree, but the risk of phthalates pollution in drinking water still exists.

The feasibility and safety of total arterial coronary revascularization with 2 arterial conduits in patients with impaired left ventricular function was evaluated. Data were prospectively collected on all patients with multiple vessel discase and moderately or severely impaired left ventricular function, who underwent coronary surgery with the intention of total arterial revascularization with 2 conduits between March 1995 and August 2002. One hundred and seventy-nine patients were included in the study. Acute coronary insufficiency was present in 3 patients and 43 had unstable angina. Severe left ventricular impairment was present in 29 patients. There were 17 redo operations including 3 redo-redo procedures. Eighty-two percent of patients had a Y graft configuration from the left internal mammary artery (right internal mammary artery 40.8%, radial artery 33.5%, other 7.8%). The perioperative mortality was 2.2%, myocardial infarction 1.7% and stroke 0.6%. Total arterial revascularization in patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction can be safely performed with 2 arterial conduits. The radial artery provides conduit length greater than the right internal mammary artery and allows full revascularization despite left ventricular dilatation.
Angina, Unstable/complications ; Angina, Unstable/*surgery ; *Coronary Artery Bypass/methods ; Prospective Studies ; Radial Artery/*transplantation ; Vascular Surgical Procedures/methods ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left/etiology ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left/*surgery

To investigate the clinical use of pi graft in total arterial revascularization and its outcomes, a retrospective analysis of 23 patients out of 1000 patients undergoing total arterial coronary bypass surgery with a pi graft between September 1994 and December 2004 was performed. In the selected patients for the management of triple vessel disease with middle diagonal/intermediate ramus disease such that a skip with the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) or radial artery (RA), the main stem of pi graft, to the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) will not work and the right internal mammary artery (RIMA) or right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA) cannot pick up the diagonal/intermediate ramus, hence the LAD and diagonal/intermediate ramus were grafted with a mini Y graft using the distal segment of LIMA, RIMA, RA or RGEA, together with the bilateral internal mammary artery (BIMA) or LIMA-RA T graft to compose pi graft. Twenty-three patients (18 males, 5 females) underwent the pi graft procedure. There were no deaths or episodes of myocardial infarction, stroke, and deep sternal wound infection. One patient required reopening for controlling bleeding. Until the end of 2004, during a mean follow-up of 81.0 +/- 28.4 months, no angina needing re-intervention or operative therapy or coronary related death occurred. In conclusion, in patients with specific coronary artery anatomy/stenosis, the BIMA (sometimes LIMA with RA or RGEA) pi graft can be successfully performed for total arterial revascularization with good midterm outcomes.
Cardiopulmonary Bypass ; Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures/methods ; Coronary Artery Bypass/*methods ; Coronary Disease/surgery ; Internal Mammary-Coronary Artery Anastomosis ; Myocardial Revascularization/*methods ; Radial Artery/*transplantation ; Retrospective Studies

Objective To investigate the expression and biological function of miRNA-449 a in lung cancer . Methods A case-control study was conducted in 58 patients diagnosed with lung cancer ( carcinoma and adeno-carcinoma) and normal tissue closely adjacent to tumor.MiRNA-449a simulation was designed and synthesized, was dissolved into two different concentrations as 10 and 20 mg/mL.The expression of miRNA-449a in lung cancer tissues and matched normal tissues were detected by Real time PCR .The expression of luciferase gene was detected by chemiluminescence technique.MiRNA-449a mimics on cell apoptosis was evaluated by MTT assay . Results The mean tissues expression levels of miRNA-449 a in squamous carcinoma group and adenocarcinoma group were 1.48 ±1.63 and 1.52 ±1.54 respectively, and were significantly lower than in control group (2.74 ± 1.55 ) ( P<0.01 ) .The average intensity of fluorescent protein in 10 mg/mL group and 20 mg/mL group were 2 115 ±168 and 1 352 ±159 respectively , and were significantly lower than that in control group ( 4 975 ±115 ) ( P<0.01 ) .Conclusions MiRNA-449 a was down-regulated expression in lung cancer and induced apoptosis .

Phrenic nerve injury after cardiac surgery increases postoperative pulmonary complications. The purpose of this study was to analyze the causes and effects of phrenic nerve injury after cardiac surgery. Prospectively collected data on 2084 consecutive patients who underwent cardiac surgery from Jan. 1995 to Feb. 2002 were analyzed. Twenty-eight preoperative and operation related variables were subjected to logistic analysis with the end point being phrenic nerve injury. Then phrenic nerve injury and 6 perioperative morbidities were included in the analysis as variables to determine their independent predictive value for perioperative pulmonary morbidity. An identical approach was used to identify the independent risk factors for perioperative mortality. There were 53 phrenic nerve injuries (2.5%). There was no phrenic nerve injury in non-coronary surgery or coronary surgery using conduits other than the internal mammary artery. The independent risk factors for phrenic nerve injury were the use of internal mammary artery (Odds ratio (OR) = 14.5) and thepresence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR = 2.9). Phrenic nerve injury was an independent risk factor (OR = 8.1) for perioperative pulmonary morbidities but not for perioperative mortality. Use of semi-skeletonized internal mammary artery harvesting technique and drawing attention to possible vascular or mechanical causes of phrenic nerve injury may reduce its occurrence. Unilateral phrenic nerve injury, although rarely life-threatening, is an independent risk factor for postoperative respiratory complications. When harvesting internal mammary arteries, it should be kept in mind avoiding stretching, compromising, or inadvertently dissecting phrenic nerve is as important as avoiding damage of internal mammary artery itself.

AIM: To investigate whether a pathological micro-environmental culture system consisting of cholestatic sera induces embryonic stem cells (ESC) to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells in vitro, and select hepatic stem cells from differentiating embryonic stem cells. METHODS: Mouse ESC, E14 cell line, were cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium containing 106 U/L recombinant mouse leukemia inhibitory factor (rmLIF) and 10% FCS. After embryonic bodies formed by the hanging drop culture method, they were exposed to fibroblast growth factor-4 (FGF-4) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) for one week, and then placed to a pathological micro-environmental culture system consisting of 5% cholestatic sera and cultured for 2 weeks. Morphological examination, immunocytochemical staining of albumin and CK8/18 were carried out, and mRNA level of albumin and transthyretin were detected by RT-PCR. Glycogen storage and urea synthesis of the cells were tested with PAS staining and colorimetric assay, respectively. RESULTS: The proliferation of cells was inhibited at the early stage when cultured in a pathological micro-environmental culture system consisting of 5% cholestatic sera, but 2 weeks later, a large number of epithelial-like cell colonies were observed, which exhibited hepatocellular phenotype, expressing albumin and CK8/18, transcribing mRNA of albumin and transthyretin and synthesizing glycogen and urea. CONCLUSION: A pathological micro- environmental culture system consisting of 5% cholestatic sera could not only induce embryonic stem cells to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells, but select hepatic stem cells from differentiating embryonic stem cells initially induced by FGF-4 and HGF in vitro as well.

Objective To investigate the effects of Blastocyst MHC gene transfection to coronary on the survival time of mouse heart grafts and the mechanism. Methods Inbred male Balb/c mice and C57BL/6 mice were selected as donors and recipients respectively, to construct mouse cervical heart transplantation models. In the control group, the donor hearts were perfused using the 0～4 ℃ St. ThomasⅡ solution; in the cyclosporine A (CsA) group, the donor hearts were perfused as same as the control's and received intraperitoneal injection of CsA (5 rng·g-1·d-1) after surgery; in the transfection group, the donor hearts were perfused using St. Thomas Ⅱ solution with Blastocyst MHC gene plasmid; in the combined treatment group, the donor hearts were perfused using St. Thomas Ⅱ solution with Blastocyst MHC gene plasmid and received intraperitoneal injection of CsA (5 mg·g-1·d-1) after surgery. The survival time of transplanted heart allografts were observed, and their histopathological changes and the degrees of coronary intimal hyperplasia were estimated.Blastocyst MHC gene mRNA expression levels were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR. Flow cytometry was applied in assessment of the levels of CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells (Treg) and CD3+ CD8+ T cells. Results The survival time in the CsA group, transfection group and combined treatment group was significantly longer than in the control group (P＜0.05) and that in the combined treatment group was the longest, up to (20. 50 ± 5. 61) days. On the postoperative day 1 and 3, Blastocyst MHC gene mRNA expression level in the transfection group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P＜0.05). On the postoperative day 7, the degrees of rejection and coronary intimal hyperplasia in the combined treatment group were the lightest. On the postoperative day 7 the number of Tregs in the CsA group and the combined treatment group was significantly increased as compared with that in the control group (P＜0.05), but that of CD3 + CD8+ T cells in the CsA group and the combined treatment group was less than that in the control group (P＜0.05). Conclusion Blastocyst MHC gene transfection in mouse transplanted cardiac allograft can extend its survival time through upregulation of Treg and downregulation of CD3 + CD8 + T cells in the mice. The combination of Blastocyst MHC gene and CsA may exert the synergic effects.

Objective Cervical heterotopic heart transplantation model was established in different inbred strains of mice with modified cuff technique. Inbred male Balb/c mice and C57BL/6 mice were selected as donors and recipients, respectively. Mice were randomly assigned into four groups: control group (the donor hearts were perfused through coronary artery with 200 μl, 0℃～4℃ St. Thomas Ⅱ solution during 2 to 3 min, then they were immersed in it for 15 min), CsA group ( the donor hearts were perfused with the same method as for the control's and intraperitoneal injection of CsA 5 mg· g-1 · d -1 was given after surgery ), H2-B1 transfection group (the donor hearts were perfused through coronary artery with 200 μl, 0℃ -4℃ St. Thomas Ⅱ solution contained with 30 μg H2-Bl plasmid vectors during 2 to 3 min, then they were immersed in it for 15 min ), and H2-B1 + CsA group ( the donor hearts were perfused with St. Thomas Ⅱ solution contained H2-Bl gene plasmid and intraperitoneal injection of CsA was given after surgery as mentioned above. ). At 1,3 and 7 days after transplantation, three allografts were harvested at each time points in all of the groups, respectively, for pathological examination and analysis of CD40 expression with immunohistochemistry assays. The expression of Th1/Th2 cytokines were also determined with flow cytometry. The survival time of rest allografts were observed. Results Histological features for rejection were observed more apparent in the grafts of control group than those in other groups, especially those in H2-Bl + CsA group. The expression of CD40 in H2-Bl + CsA group and CsA group was lower significantly than that of the control group ( P ＜0.01 ), so was the expression of CD40 in the H2-Bl group as compare with that of the control group (P ＜0.05). No significant difference between H2-Bl group and CsA group (P ＞0.05 ) at 7 days was observed. The expression of IL-2, TNF-α (Th1 cytokines) in control group was much higher than that in other groups, and the expression of IL-4 ( Th2 cytokine) in control group was much lower ( P ＜0.05 ). The level of IL-4 in CsA group increased significantly at 3 days ( P ＜ 0.05 ), with a peak level at 7 days after transplantation (P＜0.01). The survival time of grafts was significantly prolonged in CsA group (P＜0.01), H2-Bl group (P＜0.05) and H2-Bl+CsA group(P＜0.01). Conclusion Treating the donor hearts with H2-Bl plasmid vectors at the time of transplantation may suppress rejection in the heart allografts and prolong the survival time through some presumed mechanisms such as preventing upregulation of CD40 expression, relucing the production of IL-2 and TNF-α, increasing the production of IL-4, and as a result, inducing immune tolerance, as well as improving the function of transplanted heart grafts.