OBJECTIVETo evaluate the application of two-dimensional ultrasound speckle tracking imaging (STI) in assessment of myocardial torsion and left ventricular function for patients with chronic pulmonary heart disease (CPHD).

METHODSThirty six patients with CPHD and 38 normal subjects were enrolled in the study,and STI examinations were performed. The left ventricular short-axis views (mitral level,apical level) were observed,the rotation angles of the standardized time point were measured at each short-axis views and the corresponding left ventricular torsion angles were calculated. Simultaneously, the basal rotation peak, apical rotation peak, left ventricular twist peak, end-systolic basal rotation value, end-systolic apical rotation value and end-systolic left ventricular twist value were recorded. The correlations of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) with left ventricular torsion peak, end-systolic left ventricular twist value in patients were analyzed.

RESULTSCompared to normal controls, the basal rotation peak, apical rotation peak, left ventricular twist peak, end-systolic basal rotation value, end-systolic apical rotation value and end-systolic left ventricular twist value were significantly lower (P<0.01) in CPHD patients. The LVEF was highly correlated with left ventricular twist peak and end-systolic left ventricular twist value in CPHD patients (r=0.967, 0.952,P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONSTI is sensitive to detect left ventricular myocardial torsion change; left ventricular torsion peak and end-systolic left ventricular twist value can be used to assess the left ventricular function in patients with CPHD.

Aged ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart Ventricles ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Heart Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; Torsion Abnormality ; diagnostic imaging

Objective With the purpose of further improving blood safety and providing the reference basis for a strategy suitable for large-scale routine screening of irregular antibodies in blood service,the irregular antibodies in blood samples from donors in Shanghai area were investigated.Method Irregular blood antibodies were screened in 824 072 blood donors through combined method of saline medium and microplate papain.Result 1 246 samples of blood donors were detected with irregular antibodies among the total 824 072 samples which indicate the positive rate of 1.51‰.Conclusion Screening of irregular antibodies in blood samples from donors can effectively reduce or avoid hemolytic transfusion reactions.The combined method of saline medium and microplate papain is an effective method for large-scale routine screening of irregular antibodies in blood service.

Through study on the correlation between atractylodis lactones ingredient content and climatic factors, we research regionalization from climatic of five main producing provinces of the country, in order to provide a scientific basis for atractylodis' conscious cultivation. By sampling from 40 origins which from five main producing provinces of the country, we use SPSS to analysis variation of atractylodis lactones ingredient content in different conditions of climatic factors and the effect of each factors. Then according to the relationship between atractylodis lactones ingredient content and climatic factors, we use ArcGIS to conduct ecological suitability regionalization based on climatic factors. The most suitable climatic condition for cultivation of atractylodis: the wettest month precipitation 220-230 mm, the warmest average temperature 25 degrees C, the average temperature of driest season 10 degrees C.
Atractylodes ; chemistry ; growth & development ; China ; Climate ; Ecology ; Ecosystem ; Seasons ; Temperature

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the left ventricular systolic asynchrony in patients with uremic myocardiopathy (UM) using tissue synchronization imaging (TSI).

METHODSUltrasound system with TSI and Q-analyze software were used. Thirty-five patients with UM were enrolled in the study,and thirty normal subjects were included as the control group.

RESULTThe total and mean time to peak velocity (Tc) corrected by the heart rate of all segments in UM group were longer than those in the control group (P<0.05), and the time to peak velocity of most segments in UM group was also longer (P<0.05). Delayed time to peak velocity was found in 175 (175/420) segments in UM group and left ventricular systolic asynchrony was detected in 65.7% (23/35).

CONCLUSIONTSI can detect the ventricular systolic asynchrony in patients with uremic myocardiopathy and provide reliable parameters for clinical management.

Adult ; Cardiomyopathies ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Case-Control Studies ; Echocardiography ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Systole ; physiology ; Uremia ; complications ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology

BACKGROUNDChronic heart failure is a significant cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This study tested the hypothesis that restrictive filling pattern may provide useful prognostic data for identifying patients with chronic heart failure at high risk of all-cause cardiac death.

METHODSNinety patients with chronic heart failure [70 men and 20 women, mean age (58.1 +/- 11.6) years] were investigated and followed for (18.8 +/- 7.9) months. During this period, 14 patients died of progressive pump failure, 12 patients underwent heart transplantation, 5 patients died suddenly, and 2 patients died of acute myocardial infarction. A new criterion, the restrictive filling index (RFI), was designed to subgroup patients into a restrictive and a nonrestrictive group.

RESULTSPatients with restrictive filling pattern had a more severe left ventricular dysfunction and a higher cardiac mortality. Analysis by the Kaplan-Meier method revealed that patients in the RFI > or = 1 and RFI < 1 groups had a cardiac events-free survival rate of 52% versus 94% at 1 year, and 27.5% versus 92% at 2 years, respectively. The multivariate Cox proportional hazard model selected RFI as the most powerful prognostic factor (chi(2) = 8.8017, P = 0.0030) for all-cause cardiac death.

CONCLUSIONThese results indicate that RFI is a simple, noninvasive, and specific clinical predictor for adult chronic heart failure patients who are at a high risk for all-cause cardiac death.

Chronic Disease ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Heart Failure ; diagnostic imaging ; mortality ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Left ; physiopathology

Objective To investigate the efficacy of dexmedetomidine on sedation in post-cardiac surgery patients with NIV intolerance.The changes of respiratory function and hemodynamics of the patients as well as non-invasive ventilation (NIV) failure rate were also under evaluation.Methods Thirty-five post-cardiac surgery patients with NIV intolerance and hypoxemia were enrolled in this prospective study.All patients were sedated with dexmedetomidine.NIV was standardized according to the uniform protocol.The main outcome was NIV success (avoiding endotracheal intubation) or NIV failure (requiring endotracheal intubation or die).The cardiorespiratory parameters (BP,HtR and RR) and artery blood gas analysis were prospectively recorded before and after sedation.The respiratory function and hemodynamics changes in both groups (NIV success group and NIV failure group) were then evaluated.Factors independently associated with NIV failure were identified using a logistic regression model.Results Twenty out of 35 patients (57.14％) survived while 15 (42.86％) patients failed NIV.After 1 h and 4 h of NIV with dexmedetomidine sedation,respiratory rate in both groups were decreased compared with baseline,especially in NIV success group.The PaO2/FiO2 was also improved after 1h and 4h of NIV treatment compared with baseline.The improvement was more significantly in NIV success group.The heart rate was decreased compared with baseline with no differences between two groups.There were no significant changes on PaCO2 and mean arterial pressure (MAP) during the treatment.The respiratory and hemodynamics variables identified as predictors of NIV failure were included in a multivariate logistic regression.RR ＞ 23 time/min (OR =3.2,95％ CI:2.043 ～ 4.301,P ＜ 0.01) 1 h after NIV,RR ＞ 20 time/min (OR =2.1,95％ CI:1.659～3.231,P=0.025) 4 h after NIV,PaO2/FiO2 ＜178 mmHg (OR=2.4,95％CI:1.892 ～ 3.287,P ＜0.01) 1 h after NIV and PaO2/FiO2 ＜ 185 mmHg (OR =1.7,95％ CI:1.243 ～ 2.365,P =0.041) 4 h after NIV independendy predicted NIV failure.Conclusions Dexmedetomidine might be considered as an effective and safe sedative for post-cardiac surgery patients with NIV intolerance.Early identification of predictors of NIV failure may facilitate early intervention.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Constriction, Pathologic ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Renal Veins ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Stents ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo apply echocardiography in diagnosis of isolated noncompaction of ventricular myocardium (INVM) in adults.

METHODSSix patients with INVM underwent echocardiographic examination using HP5500 ultrasound system with the frequency of 2 approximately equals 4 MHz, and the observation was focused on ventricularmyocardium and endocardium at one-third of the apex.

RESULTSAll 6 patients showed typical echocardiographic images characterized by an altered structure of the ventricular myocardium with extremely thickened, hypokinetic segments consisting of two layers: a thin, compacted epicardium and an extremely thickened endocardium, resulting in an extremely thickened ventricular wall.

CONCLUSIONEchocardiography should be the first choice to be applied in diagnosis of INVM, which is a distinct entity of specific cardiomyopathy in adults.

Adult ; Cardiomyopathies ; congenital ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Echocardiography, Doppler, Color ; Female ; Heart Ventricles ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardium ; pathology

AIMTo determine if the diagnostic ultrasound and self-made microbubbles could be used to increase gene transfection and expression in cardiac myocytes by means of the ultrasound-mediated microbubbles destruction.

METHODSThe perfluoropropane-exposed sonicated dextrose albumin(PESDA) microbubbles were made and mixed with indicated volume reporter gene encoding beta-galactosidase prior to gene transfection. Gene transfection into the cultured cardiac myocytes was performed by exposure to the various intense diagnostic ultrasound (1.3 MHz) in the presence of the gene-attached microbubbles. The calcium phosphate precipitation gene transfection was carried out alone or in combination with ultrasound-mediated destruction microbubbles. The cells were harvested 48 h after transfection and beta-galactosidase expression was detected by in situ staining and quantitive assay.

RESULTSCardiac myocytes exposed to ultrasound with PESDA induced significantly increase in gene expression (60-fold compared with naked plasmids transfection, P < 0.01). Moreover, it was found that the reporter gene expression not only related with ultrasound intension but also with the microbubbles concentration. In combination with calcium phosphate precipitation gene transfection, ultrasound-mediated destruction microbubbles resulted in more intense gene expression even 6 hours after calcium phosphate precipitation gene transfection.

CONCLUSIONThe ultrasonic destruction of gene-loaded microbubble is a highly effective gene transfer method, and it not only acts on the gene entry into cells, but also on the intracellular exogenous DNA expression.

Animals ; Gene Expression ; Genes, Reporter ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; Plasmids ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Transfection ; methods ; Ultrasonics

Objective:To investigate the anti-proliferation effect of 4-(N)-stearoyl gemcitabine-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid nanoparticles(GemC18-PLGA-NPs) on Lewis lung cancer cells(LLC) in vitro.Methods: Lewis cells were incubated with GemC18-PLGA-NPs,free GemC18,gemcitabine HCl(GemHCl) or GemC18-free blank nanoparticles(PLGA-NPs) respectively and cell viability was determined using an MTT assay after 24,48 or 72 h of incubation.The apoptosis rate after 48 and 72 h of incubation were measured by flow cytometry.Results:GemC18-PLGA-NPs,GemC18,and GemHCl all significantly inhibited the growth of LLC cells, and the survival rate of GemHCl group was lowest,GemC18-PLGA-NPs group had the highest survival rate.The cell survival rate of GemC18-PLGA-NPs after 72 h was significantly higher than that of GemHCl (P<0.05) at the concentration of 1 μmol/L,indicating that it had a significant drug release effect.PLGA-NPs group produced trifle inhibition on the Lewis cells without correlation to time or concentration.Conclusion:GemC18-PLGA-NPs have significant anti-proliferation effect on mouse Lewis lung cancer cells in vitro.