AIMTo elucidate the independent or combined effects of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha) on cardiomyocytes and investigate the relationship between hypertrophy and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes.

METHODSCultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were stained with FITC-conjugated phalloidin and eosin to detect the cardiomyocyte hypertrophy evidenced by increased sarcomeric structure and cell size. Cardiomyocytes were stained with Hoechst 33258 to detect apoptotic nuclei showing features of condensation and fragmentation.

RESULTSCardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by ET-1 or PGF2, shown a dose dependent effect. The area of cardiomyocytes treated by 10 nmol/L or 100 nmol/L of ET-1 for 24 h increased 68% or 84% as compared with control, respectively. The area of cardiomyocytes exposed to 10 nmol/L or 100 nmol/L of PGF2alpha for 24 h increased 28% or 106% as compared with control, respectively. The ET-1 and PGF2alpha had a synergic effect on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, but not superimposed effect. The area of cardiomyocytes increased 80%, 122%, 96%, and 199% in 10 nmol/L ET-1 plus 10 nmol/L PGF2, 10 nmol/L ET-1 plus 100 nmol/L PGF2alpha, 100 nmol/L ET-1 plus 10 nmol/L PGF2alpha, and 100 nmol/L ET-1 plus 100 nmol/L PGF2alpha group, respectively. There were no changes in apoptotic rate of cardiomyocytes treated by ET-1 or PGF2alpha alone for 48 h. The apoptotic rate of cardiomyocytes also didn't increase in ET-1 plus PGF2alpha treatment for 24 h groups, but significantly increased in ET-1 plus PGF2alpha treatment for 48 h groups. ET-1 or PGF2alpha could induce an increase in apoptotic rate of hypertrophic cardiomyocytes. There was a positive relationship between hypertrophic extent and apoptotic rate in cardiomyocytes.

CONCLUSIONThe cardiomyocytes treated by ET-1 or PGF2alpha alone only show hypertrophy, but treatment of ET-1 plus PGF2alpha for 48 h induces apoptosis of cardiomyocytes.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Dinoprost ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Endothelin-1 ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Bronchopulmonary Sequestration ; classification ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Infant ; Lung ; diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Radiography ; Respiratory System Abnormalities ; diagnosis ; surgery

Objective To explore the danger of lead exposure in newborns who accepted the blood stored in blood bank for blood change treatment.Methods The lead level of blood was examined before and after blood change treatment for 37 neonates with hyperbilirubinemia who accepted 53 cases blood stored in blood bank during Jun.to Dec.2006.The level of blood lead was measured by graphite stove atom absorb spectrum method.Results The average lead level of 53 cases blood stored in blood bank was 101.02 ?g/L,which had attained the level of lead poisoning.There were 15 cases(28.5%) whose blood lead levels was very high(≥100 ?g/L),3 cases whose blood lead level ≥200 ?g/L.After blood change treatment,the percentage of the blood lead level ≥100 ?g/L rose from 2.9% to 19.0%.The average level of blood lead after blood change treatment was higher than before(P

OBJECTIVETo identify mouse acute pneumonia model induced by influenza virus adapted strains (FM1 strain) using RT-PCR, gene clone and sequence analysis and pathological examination of lung tissues.

METHODSAcute pneumonia was induced by intranasal drip of FM1 strain. The lungs were collected after 3, 5 and 7 days. RT-PCR was used to detect the viral load. Amplified PCR products were cloned and sequenced. Pathological and histological changes to the lungs were observed.

RESULTSThere were no abnormalities in the alveoli, alveolar sacs and alveolar septa and no inflammatory cell infiltration was found in normal mice. In the model group, we found disappearance of alveoli, alveolar sacs, alveolar ducts and alveolar septa, thickening of the alveolar septal and bronchiolar walls, and infiltration of inflammatory cells after 3, 5 and 7 days of influenza virus (IV) infection. Compared with the normal group, pathological changes at various time points were significantly increased (P<0.01). Viral nucleic acid can be detected in the lung tissue of the model group at various time points, and the pathological changes of the lung tissue were positively correlated with viral load. Sequence analysis demonstrated that there was 99.1% consistency between RT-PCR products of lung tissues in the model group and the known IV cDNA sequence (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSGene clone and sequence analysis may be used to identify acute mouse pneumonia model induced by FM1 strain.

Acute Disease ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; DNA, Complementary ; chemistry ; Disease Models, Animal ; Female ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; Lung ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Pneumonia, Viral ; etiology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

The chemical structures of P1 A was identified by complete acid hydrolysis, partial acid hydrolysis, periodate oxidation-Smith degradation, methylation analysis, IR and NMR. The results showed that P1 A had a backbone consisting rhamnose, mannose, glucose and galactose. The side chain possessed arabinose and xylose. 1-->, 1-->6 and non-reducing terminal linkages existed in polysaccharide P1A, but there are doubling amount of 1-->2 and 1-->4 linkages. Oxidable linkage of P1 A accounted for 45%, and inoxidable linkage of P1A accounted for 55%. Mannose, glucose and galactose were mainly linked by 1-->2 linkage. Rhamnose, arabinose and xylose were mainly linked by 1-->2 and 1-->4 linkages. PlA contained beta-Glc(1,6)-,beta-Gal(1,3)-,beta-Man(1,4)-beta-Rha,-Glc(1,4)-, Glc(1)-,-Gal(1,4)- and Man(1)-.
Acanthaceae ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Molecular Structure ; Molecular Weight ; Polysaccharides ; chemistry

Cardiac hypertrophy is an adaptive process to an increased hemodynamic overload. However, the adaption may lead to the fragility of myocardium facing pathological stimuli. In the present study, experiments were designed to explore the susceptibility of hypertrophic myocardiocytes to apoptotic stimuli and the role of protein kinase Cdelta (PKCdelta) during the transition from hypertrophy to apoptosis. Endothelin-1 (ET-1)-treated cardiomyocytes were used as model of cardiac hypertrophy. Angiotensin II (Ang II) was used as an apoptotic stimulus. Cell surface area was measured to determine the extent of hypertrophy. The apoptotic rate in cardiomyocytes was detected by Hoechst 33258. (1) Cell surface area was increased by 42.5% and 67.3% following 1 nmol/L and 10 nmol/L ET-1 treatment, respectively, as compared with serum-free cultured myocytes. So the mildly and moderately hypertrophic myocyte models were set up. (2) Apoptotic rates in serum-free cultured, mildly and moderately hypertrophic myocytes after Ang II treatment were (15.54+/-1.32) %, (20.65+/-1.40) % and (29.33+/-3.52) %, respectively. It is suggested that hypertrophic myocytes are more susceptive to apoptotic stimulus. (3) Rottlerin, a specific inhibitor of PKCdelta depressed apoptotic rates induced by Ang II to (15.88+/-2.25) % in mildly hypertrophic myocytes and to (15.01+/-1.37) % in moderately hypertrophic myocytes; but rottlerin did not affect apoptotic rate induced by Ang II in serum-free cultured myocytes. These results suggest that inhibition of PKCdelta can reduce Ang II-induced apoptosis of hypertrophic cardiomyocytes and that PKCdelta is possibly involved in the apoptotic process of hypertrophic cardiomyocytes.
Angiotensin II ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; physiology ; Cardiomegaly ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Cell Enlargement ; drug effects ; Endothelin-1 ; pharmacology ; Heart Failure ; physiopathology ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; cytology ; pathology ; Primary Cell Culture ; Protein Kinase C-delta ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To explore the clinical value of procalcitonin (PCT)in the disease severity and prognosis of patients with sepsis,and the relationship between PCT and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱscore (APACHEⅡscore).Methods Clinical data (including the value of PCT,the count of the white blood cell WBC and the percent of neutrophils percentage Neut%,APACHEⅡ score,et al,within 24 hours after admission)of 109 sepsis patients admitted to the emergency department (including the general ward and emergency intensive care unit EICU)and infections department of our hospital from January 1st 2013 to December 31st 2014 were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were divided into several groups according to the patients condition (the sepsis group,the severe sepsis group and the septic shock group),the clinical outcomes (the survival group and the dead group ),and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome MODS (the MODS group and the non-MODS group),comparing the differences of all markers in each group;to analyze the correlation between PCT and APACHEⅡ score;to assess the value of PCT,APACHE Ⅱ score and APACHE Ⅱ score +PCT for prognosis and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome of patients with sepsis;to have a understanding of the independent effect of PCT on the prognosis andthe factors of prognosis in patients with sepsis.Results The value of PCT,APACHEⅡ score in sepsis group was lower than the severe sepsis group and the septic shock group,also the severe sepsis was lower than the septic shock group,and each group was significantly different (P <0.05).Compared with the septic shock group,the count of WBC of sepsis group was significantly lower (P <0.05).Also the dead group compared with the survival group,the APACHEⅡ score was significantly increased (P <0.01),but the values of PCT,WBC,Neut% were not significantly different.The values of APACHEⅡ score,WBC, Neut%,PCT in the non-MDOS group were significantly lower than those in the MODS group (all P <0.05).The relationship between the values of PCT and APACHEⅡ score was significantly correlated (rs=0.403,P <0.01 ).Using the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC ) for evaluating the prognosis,the area under curve (AUC)of PCT,APACHE Ⅱ score and the PCT +APACHE Ⅱ score respectively were 0.617,0.899,0.917,and the last two were significantly better (all P <0.01),also the cut-off,sensitivity and specificity of PCT,APACHE Ⅱ score were respectively (3.40 ng/mL, 88.24%,38.04%),(20 scores,94.12%,81.52%).As the same to evaluating MODS,the AUC of PCT,APACHEⅡ score and APACHE Ⅱ score +PCT respectively were 0.824,0.796,0.871,the assessed value between PCT and APACHEⅡ score,between PCT and APACHEⅡ score +PCT were not significantly different;also the cut-off,sensitivity and specificity of PCT,APACHEⅡ score respectively were (7.26 ng/mL,88.24%,63.79%), (17 scores,64.71%,87.93%).The COR and AOR of PCT for the prognosis were respectively 1.008,1.014,and gender and APACHE Ⅱ score were the two independent risk factors for the prognosis in patients with sepsis.Conclusions The value of PCT and APACHEⅡ score could evaluate the severity of illness in sepsis patients,and the three were positive correlations.APACHEⅡ score,APACHEⅡ score +PCT had a significantly higher prognostic value than PCT,and PCT could not be a independent marker.But for assessing the MODS in patients with sepsis,the assessed value of PCT,APACHEⅡ score,APACHEⅡ score +PCT were medium.Gender and APACHEⅡ score were the two independent risk factors for the prognosis in patients with sepsis.

This study attempts to discuss the correlation between UGT1A1*28 as uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase gene promoter and coding region Gly71Arg gene polymorphism with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia of neonates in Wuhan.A total of 168 neonates were divided into the hyperbilirubinemia group (case group,n=108) and healthy neonates group (control group,n=60).Their DNA was obtained through blood extraction.The gene exon mutation of UGT1A1 was detected by Sanger sequencing,which revealed the relationship between UGT 1A 1*28 and Gly71Arg polymorphism with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia of neonates.The results showed that:(1) The frequency of UGT1Al*28 allele mutation in the case group and the control group was 9.3％ and 10％ respectively,with the difference being not significant between the two groups (P＞0.05).(2) The frequency of Gly71Arg allele mutation in the case group and the control group was 35.1％ and 21.7％ respectively,with the difference being significant between the two groups (P＜0.01).(3) The serum bilirubin level of Gly71Arg mutant homozygous and heterozygous subgroups (n=66) in the case group was 302.7±31.4 μmol/L,which was significantly higher than 267.3±28.5 μmol/L of the wild subgroup (n=42) (P＜0.01).It was suggested that the occurrence of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia of neonates in Wuhan was not associated with UGT 1A1*28 gene polymorphism,but closely with the Gly71Arg gene polymorphism.Meanwhile,the Arg allele mutation was related to the degree of jaundice.

Objective To investigate the management of pregnancy and cardiovascular complications in women with Marian syndrome(MFS).Methods From October 1994 to September 2006, 30 patients with MFS undergoing cardiovascular surgery were studied retrospectively.Results In the labor of 46 offsprings given birth by 30 women,5 cases(11%)were performed elective cesarean section because of the existence of aortic complication,and 12(26%)were diagnosed as MFS.The gestation in two patients was terminated due to deterioration of aortic abnormalities during their third trimester,and they received surgical treatment with Bcntall procedure.Two developed acute aortic dissection during labor and post delivery respectively.With the manipulation of anticoagulation peripartum,one who had the implantation with mechanical prosthesis went through pregnancy and delivery uneventfully.The average duration between delivery and cardiovascular surgery was(15?9)years.Conclusions Vaginal delivery can be done safely in patients with the MFS who do not have or have mild cardiovascular system abnormalities,aortic dissection,or other important cardiac abnormalities,cesarean section should be the preferred method of delivery.Women with MFS are at increased risk for dissection and congestive heart failure during pregnancy and should be counseled before pregnancy about these risks,as well as the inheritance of the condition.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the relationship between myocardial energy expenditure (MEE) level and cardiac function in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients.

METHODSA total of 99 CHF patients were divided into 3 groups according to the LVEF (HFNEF > or = 50%, n = 37; HFREF1 35.1% - 49.9%, n = 30; HFREF2 < or = 35%, n = 32) or the New York Heart Association (NYHA II, n = 26; III, n = 42; IV, n = 31) criteria. Thirty patients with cardiovascular disease and without CHF served as controls. Routine examinations including serum CRP (ELISA) and plasma NT-proBNP (chemiluminescence sandwich ELISA) were made on the next morning after admission; echocardiography was performed on the third day after admission. LVMW, LVMWI, RWT, LVIDd, LA, LV, LVEF, LVFS, E/A, EDT, IVRT, Tei index and MEE were measured or calculated.

RESULTSMEE was significantly higher in HFREF patients than in controls (P < 0.01) and similar between HFNEF patients and controls (P > 0.05). MEE increased in proportion to decrease of LVEF and increase of NYHA grades in CHF patients (all P < 0.05). Bivariate analysis confirmed that MEE was significant correlated with LVMW, LVMWI, RWT, LVIDd, LA, LV, LVEF (r = -0.540, P < 0.01), LVFS (r = -0.454, P < 0.01), E/A, EDT, IVRT, Tei index, NYHA grades, CRP and NT-proBNP.

CONCLUSIONMEE derived from standard echocardiographic measurements is an effective indicator for myocardial bioenergetics and significantly correlated with cardiac function in CHF patients, especially in CHF patients with reduced LVEF.

Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Chronic Disease ; Echocardiography, Doppler ; Energy Metabolism ; Female ; Heart Failure ; diagnostic imaging ; metabolism ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Ventricular Function, Left