Objective To assess the effect of 5-azacytidine (5-AZ) on the expressions of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and β-myosin heavy chain (β-MHC) genes in cultured rat bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). Methods Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and adult rat BMSCs were isolated and cultured. BMSCs were incubated with 5-AZ and (or) myocardiocytes culture medium. RT-PCR was used to measure the expressions of cardiac ANP and β-MHC genes. Results Normally cultured rat BMSCs didn't express cardiac ANP or β-MHC. After inducing by 5-AZ, rat BMSCs expressed ANP or β-MHC. The myocardiocytes culture medium enhanced expression of β-MHC, but didn't affect the expression of ANP. Conclusions The 5-AZ induces the rat BMSCs to express either cardiac ANP or β-MHC, and the former could be enhanced by cardiomyocytes culture medium.

Objective To investigate the clinical results of bilateral transpedicular kyphoplasty for the osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures with single balloon. Methods From March 2002 to February 2004, percutaneous bilateral transpedicular kyphoplasty with single balloon was performed in 15 patients, who presented with painful vertebral compression fractures. In the group, there were 6 vertebrae of 6 males and 11 vertebrae of 9 females, and the average age of the patients was 70.5 years with a range of 62 to 82 years. 17 osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures, which involved 8 T12, 7 L1, 1 T8 and 1 T11, were treated. Osteoporosis was identified in all cases by the measurement of lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) and the evaluation of radiographs. The average BMD was 0.603 g/cm2. CT scan showed the posterior vertebral wall intact in all patients, and MRI displayed low signal on T1WI and high signal on T2WI of the vertebral fractures. Results All patients experienced dramatic pain relief after the procedures. The mean pain score (VAS) decreased significantly from 8.3 preoperatively to 2.1 after operation. The mean vertebral body height restoration was 54.2%?34.1% on the anterior border, 60.5%?35.4% in the middle portion, and 40.7%?32.3% on the posterior border respectively. And the sagittal alignment was improved significantly, as the average correction of the Cobb's angle reached 9.5?. No cement leakage was found on X-ray, except one with less cement at the anterior vertebral edge, but no clinical symptom occurred. All the patients were available at the final follow-up, the mean period was 10.5 months (range, 2-48 months). Conclusion Bilateral transpedicular kyphoplasty with single balloon not only can provide effective pain relief and vertebral height restoration, but also can improve the sagittal alignment significantly. Its clinical outcome was satisfactory.

Objective:Surgery intervention and its effect on pregnancy heart disease were explored. Meth-ods:Retrospective review of 34 cases of pregnancy heart disease who needed surgery intervention from Jan, 2000 to Dec,2007 was done. Results:17 patients had percutaneous balloon mitral valve (PBMV) dilatation, the area of mitral valve enlarged markedly postoperatively ( P <0.01 ). 9 patients had open chest surgery un-der extracorpory circulation,7 of them had re-replacement mechanical valve due to mechanical valve throm-bosis. One patient had left atrium mucomamectomy. One patient had Wad's sinus breakout and repairmen. 5 patients had Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for supraventricular tachycardia. 3 patients had int-racardiac device (ICD) for Ⅲ grade atrioventicular block. 22 patients had cardiac function as grade Ⅲ～Ⅳ and postoperatively recovered to grade Ⅰ～Ⅱ . All 34 patients were alive after treatment, 23 fetus were alive (67.6%), and no adverse results were found during the follow-up. Conclusions:When patients who had pregnancy heart disease need surgery intervention, individualized treatment plan should be made by multidis-cipline experienced doctors according to different heart disease and cardiac function.