OBJECTIVEFor heart functional parameters, we commonly used normal range. The reference values and predict formulas of heart functional parameters and their relationships with individual characteristics are still lack.

METHODSLeft ventricular (LV) volumes (end-diastolic volume and end-systolic volume), stroke volume (SV), ejection fraction (EF) and cardiac output (CO) were measured by cardiac CT angiography (CAT) in 1 200 healthy Caucasian volunteers, men 807 and women 393, and age 20-90yr. The results are analyzed by high-accuracy three-dimensional imaging technology, and then measured the dynamic changes of the volumes of each atriam and ventricule during their contractions and relaxations. The gender, age, height and weight were analyzed by multiple linear regression to predict LV functional parameters.

RESULTSExcept the LVEF was lower in man than in women (P < 0.001), all other LV functional parameters of EDV, ESV, SV, FE and CO were higher in man (P < 0.001). Multiple linear regression indicated that age, gender, height and weight are all independent factors of EDV, ESV and SV (P < 0.001). CO could be significantly predicted by age, gender and weight (P < 0.001), but not height (P > 0.05). The predict equation for CO (L x min(-1)) = 6.963+0.446 (Male) -0.037 x age (yr) +0.013 x weight (kg).

CONCLUSIONAge, gender, height and weight are predictors of heart functions. The reference values and predict equations are important for noninvasive and accurate evaluation of cardiovascular disease and individualized treatment.

Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Body Height ; Body Weight ; Cardiac Output ; Female ; Heart ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reference Values ; Sex Factors ; Stroke Volume ; Ventricular Function, Left ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association of C-erb B-2 expression with angiogenesis in nasopharygeal carcinoma.

METHODSSeventy-seven specimens of nasopharygeal carcinoma were examined immunohistochemically for protein expressions of C-erb B-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and the microvessel density (MVD) was determined by immunostaining of the endothelial cells for factor VIII-related antigen (F8).

RESULTSPositive C-erb B-2 immunostaining was observed in 36.36% (28/77) of the nasopharygeal carcinoma tissues, which had a VEGF positivity rate of 32.48% (25/77). High positivity rate of C-erg B-2 was associated with high positivity rate of VEGF and high MVD (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of C-erb B-2 may contribute to angiogenesis in nasopharygeal carcinoma.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma ; blood supply ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; blood supply ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neovascularization, Pathologic ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the association of spermatogenic arrest with the expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) in human testes.

METHODSWe examined the testicular biopsy specimens of 120 infertile men by HE staining, detected the expression of ERalpha in the specimens of those with spermatogenic arrest by the two-step immunohistochemical method, and compared the results with those of 10 healthy men.

RESULTSOf the 120 specimens from the infertile men, 31 (25.8%) met the diagnostic criteria of spermatogenic arrest. In the testis tissue of normal men, ERalpha expressed in Sertoli, myoid and Leydig cells, but not in spermatogenic cells, while in the testis tissues of those with spermatogenic arrest, ERalpha expressed lowly in Sertoli, myoid and Leydig cells, with statistically significant differences in immunostaining intensity between the two groups (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAndrogen receptor (AR) and ERalpha may play a coordinating role in facilitating spermatogenesis. Spermatogenic arrest may be related to a complex series of disorders in cell signal transduction involving AR, ERalpha and HSP90.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Estrogen Receptor alpha ; metabolism ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; etiology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Spermatogenesis ; Testis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEWe investigate the magnitudes of waveform changes of arterial blood gas (ABG) in patients with heart failure.

METHODSFive patients with heart failure were selected, continuous collecting radial artery blood and measured PaO2, PaCO2, pHa and Sao2. We selected two typical breaths cycles of waveform changes of ABG from each patient for data analysis. Comparison of the adjacent highest and lowest values to verify the presence of a periodic waveform changes of ABG, and in addition, we used t test to analysis the range of waveform changes of ABG in patients with heart failure and patients with normal cardiac function and compared whether the difference between them.

RESULTSThe 5 patients (2 surgical and 3 ICU) with heart failure, were 4 male and 1 female, (69 ± 7)year, (169 ± 10) cm, (75 ± 19)kg, LVEF = (38 ± 3)%. The heart beat numbers for full blood into the blood sampling pipe were 17 ± 2, and all covered more than 2 breath cycles. There were significant changes of PaO2, PaCO2, [H+]a and SaO2 (P < 0.05). The magnitudes of changing PaO2, PaCO2, [H+]a and Sao2 were (7.94 ± 2.02)mmHg, (1.18 ± 0.56)mmHg, (0.54 ± 0.17)nmol/L and (0.21 ± 0.07)%, and they were (6.1 ± 1.5)%, (3.2 ± 1.5)%, (1.5 ± 0.5)% and (0.2 ± 0.1)% from their mean respectively. Even these magnitudes fo all ABG parameters were trendily lower than those of patients with normal cardiac function, but only PaO2 and [H+]a were significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONUsing this simple continuous beat-by-beat arterial blood sampling method, we obtained a clear evidence of periodic waveform of ABG parameters following by breath cycle in patients with heart failure, but the magnitude trendily be decreased.

Aged ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Female ; Heart Failure ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Monitoring, Physiologic ; methods

OBJECTIVESTo summarize the experience of surgical repair of ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm to right atrium and to compare the difference between through right atrium repair and transaortic combined with right atrium approach.

METHODSBetween January 2004 and December 2009, 53 patients with ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm to right atrium underwent surgical repair. There were 35 male and 18 female, aged from 15 to 63 with a mean of (33 ± 9) years. Repair through right atrium had undergone in 40 patients (group I), while transaortic combined with right atrium approach in 13 patients (group II). Surgical results between the two group and group were compared in cardiopulmonary bypass time, clamp aorta time, mechanical ventilation time, ICU time and postoperative stay time.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences between two groups in cardiopulmonary bypass time [(86 ± 29) min vs. (96 ± 30) min], clamp aorta time [(59 ± 29) min vs. (71 ± 25) min], mechanical ventilation time [(9 ± 4) h vs. (16 ± 23) h], ICU time [(35 ± 23) h vs. (35 ± 23) h], postoperative stay time [(7.1 ± 0.9) d vs. (7.7 ± 2.8) d] (P > 0.05). Follow-up was performed from 1 to 64 months, with a mean of (32 ± 21) months. There was no death during follow up. One needed operation due to severe aortic valve regurgitation. One combined with coronary artery disease used medication. Heart function (NYHF) of the other patients were I and II degree during follow up.

CONCLUSIONSSurgical repair of ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm to right atrium shows good result. There is no significant difference between through right atrium repair and transaortic combined with right atrium approach.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aorta ; surgery ; Aortic Rupture ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Atria ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Sinus of Valsalva ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDSinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SVA) is a rare cardiac anomaly, and SVA with discrete membranous subaortic stenosis is even rarer. The aim of the study was to make sure the incidence of SVA with discrete membraneous subaortic stenosis in SVA and their surgical results. We retrospectively analyzed 234 patients receiving surgical repair of SVA and reported the incidence of ventricular septal defect, aortic regurgitation, and discrete membranous subaortic stenosis. We also reported seven cases of SVA combined with discrete membranous subaortic stenosis and their surgical results.

METHODSBetween January 1999 and December 2009, seven patients of SVA with discrete membranous subaortic stenosis underwent surgical repair of SVA and resection of subaortic discrete membrane. There were six male and one female patients. The mean age was (33.71 ± 13.25) years (range 16 - 52 years). Associated cardiovascular lesions were aortic regurgitation (n = 7), ventricular septal defect (n = 5), coarctation of aorta (n = 1), bicuspid aortic valve (n = 1), patent ductus arteriosus (n = 1), and aortic valve stenosis (n = 1). The aortic valve was replaced in four patients and valvuloplasty was done in three. The other co-existing anomalies were corrected at the same time. All the seven patients were followed up from 18 to 125 months (mean (63.14 ± 39.54) months). Among 234 SVA patients who underwent surgical repair, the number of cases with coexisting ventricular septal defect, aortic regurgitation, and discrete membranous subaortic stenosis was 129, 108, and 7, respectively.

RESULTSThere was neither early death after operation nor late death during the follow-up period. All the seven patients were in the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classes I and II. There was no recurrence of discrete subaortic membrane during the follow-up period. The incidence of ventricular septal defect, aortic valve incompetence, and discrete membranous subaortic stenosis among 234 SVA patients was 55.13%, 46.15%, and 2.99%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSSurgical repair of SVA with discrete membranous subaortic stenosis showed good mid-term results. Resection of discrete subaortic membrane should be done actively while repairing SVAs. Long-term results need to be followed up.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Discrete Subaortic Stenosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sinus of Valsalva ; pathology ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Objective: To explore the incidence and risk factors of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) for in-hospital atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. Methods: A total of 303 in-hospital AF patients were studied. Based on MMSE score evaluation, the patients were divided into 2 groups: Non-VCI group, n=216 and VCI group, n=87. The incidence of VCI was assessed and different cognitive functions were studied by uni- and multivariate regression analysis. Results: Compared with Non-VCI group, the patients in VCI group had the elder age, higher proportion of CHA2DS2-VASC score ≥ 2, more with persistent/permanent AF, more combining diabetes and heart failure (HF), more had increased systolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, pulse pressure, left atrial (LA) diameter and serum creatinine; less male and decreased left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, P<0.05 and P<0.001. The occurrence rate of VCI for in-hospital patients was 40.3％, with age and CHA2DS2-VASC score increasing, the incidence of VCI was elevating and the occurrence rates in female was higher than male, the patients with persistent/permanent AF was higher than paroxysmal AF, P<0.05 and P<0.001. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that age (OR=-0.1135, 95％ CI -0.1708 to -0.0562, P=0.0001), female (OR=-1.2528, 95％ CI -2.2056 to -0.3000, P=0.0105), education [primary school level (OR=3.2193, 95％ CI 1.844-4.5940, P<0.0001),middle school and above level (OR=5.9104, 95％ CI 4.6055-7.2154, P<0.0001)], HF (OR=-1.9357, 95％ CI -3.5522 to-0.3192, P=0.0196), stroke (OR=-1.6349, 95％ CI -2.7517 to -0.5181, P=0.0044) and LA diameter (OR=-0.1252, 95％ CI-0.1962 to -0.0541, P=0.0006) were related to VCI occurrence in hospitalized AF patients. Conclusion: The incidence of VCI was high in hospitalized AF patients; elder age, female, lower education, HF, stroke and enlarged LA diameter were the risk factors for VCI occurrence in AF patients.

This study was purposed to investigate whether phenylhexyl isothiocyanate (PHI) can reduce p16 gene methylation level or not. The myeloma U226 cell line was cultured with PHI of 0, 5, 10 micromol/L for 72 hours, then DNA was extracted. Hydrosulfite was used to treat the genome DNA of healthy adult, PCR amplification was carried out by using this DNA as template. The gene chip detecting methylation changes of 3 CpG in promoter region of p16 gene was constructed by designing a pair of probes which contain one methylated and one unmethylated probes. This pair of probes was used to detect 3 consecutive sites of CpG island in p16 gene. The standard curve was constructed by using gene chip after the methylated and unmethylated DNA were mixed at different ratio. Then treated samples of U266 cells were dotted on gene chip, obtained results were compared with standard curve to get the quantitative results. The results indicated that the probes on chip had excellent reproducible ability and precision, the methylation level of p16 gene in U266 cells treated with 0, 5 and 10 micromol/L of PHI was determined as 78.2%, 61.7% and 54.8%, respectively. It is concluded that the PHI can reduce the methylation level of p16 gene in U266 cells.
Cell Line, Tumor ; CpG Islands ; DNA Methylation ; Down-Regulation ; Genes, p16 ; Humans ; Isothiocyanates ; pharmacology ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis

Objective To evaluate the effects of socioeconomic status on the distribution of cardiovascular risk factors and clinical treatments of patients with acute myocardial infarction in Beijing.Methods In Beijing, a prospective, muhi-center, registration study was carried out which including 800 patients who were consecutively hospitalized for ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction within 24 hours after event attack in 19 different hospitals in Beijing between November, 2005 and December, 2006.Indicators of socioeconomic status included self-reported personal income (＜500, 500-2000,＞2000 RMB/month), educational attainment (≤ 12 and ＞ 12 years) and status of medical insurance (yes/no).According to categories of education, patients were categorized into two groups of lower socioeconomic status and higher socioeconomic status. Differences of cardiovascular risk factors and clinical treatments were compared across the two groups respectively. Results Proportion of diabetes and hyperlipidemia in patients with higher socioeconomic status was much higher than that of patients with lower socioeconomic status (P＜0.05, P＜0.01 respectively). Patients with lower socioeconomic status were more likely to be smokers (P ＜0.05). The rates of receiving coronary angiography and PTCA were much lower in patients with lower socioeconomic status. Medical insurance and income were the most important two socioeconomic factors determining the use of PTCA. Conclusion Compared to patients with lower socioeconomic status,patients with higher socioeconomic status had higher rates of hyperlipidemia and diabetes but lower smoking rate among cardiovascular risk factors. The rates of receiving interventional therapies were much lower in patients with lower socioeconomic status.

A series of novel benzimidazole and benzothiazole derivatives were designed and synthesized as inhibitors of SIRT1-SIRT3. The target compounds were synthesized from potassium O-ethyldithiocarbonate through a three-step route. The structures of the obtained compounds were elucidated by ¹H NMR and HR-MS. Of all compounds, six showed potent SIRT2-inhibitory activities with IC₅₀ values ranging from 2.8 to 21.2 μmol·L^-1. Among them, compound 10c displayed the most potent SIRT2-inhibitory activities (IC₅₀ = 2.8 μmol·L^-1), with more than 35-fold selectivity over SIRT1 and SIRT3 (IC₅₀>100 μmol·L^-1).