Objective: To investigate the acute and long-term outcome of catheter ablation for the treatment of ventricular tachycardia (VT) in patients with arrhythmogenic left ventricular cardiomyopathy (ALVC). Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional study enrolled ALVC patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of VT at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2011 to December 2018 and collected their clinical characteristics and intraoperative electrophysiological examination. Patients were followed up every 6 months after radiofrequency ablation until August 2021. Echocardiographic results and VT recurrence post radiofrequency ablation were analysed. Results: Totally 12 patients were enrolled (mean age: (42±15) years, 11 males(11/12)). The mean of left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVDd) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were (51±5)mm and (65±5)%, respectively. Twelve VTs were induced in 10 patients during the electrophysiological study, and the mean tachycardia cycle length was (293±65) ms. Three-dimensional substrate mapping revealed the diseased area at endocardial site in one patient, at epicardial sites in the other 11 patients (involved endocardial sites in 2 cases) with the basal part near the mitral annulus being the predilection for the substrate (10/11). After the catheter ablation at the endocardial and epicardial sites respectively, the complete procedure endpoint was achieved in all patients (VT cannot be induced post ablation). The median follow-up time was 65 (25, 123) months. One patient was lost to follow-up, and the other 11 patients survived without VT. No significant cardiac function deterioration was detected by the echocardiographic examination ((51±5)mm vs. (52±5)mm, P>0.05 for LVDd, (65±5)% vs. (60±6)%, P>0.05 for LVEF) at the end of follow-up. Conclusion: After radiofrequency ablation, the complete procedure endpoint is achieved in ALVC patients, and the catheter ablation provides long-term ventricular tachycardia control during the long-term follow-up.
Adult ; Cardiomyopathies ; Catheter Ablation ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pericardium/surgery* ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Stroke Volume ; Tachycardia, Ventricular/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome ; Ventricular Function, Left

Objective To assess the feasibility of using 28S ribosomal RNA （28S rRNA） and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit Ⅰ （COⅠ） gene sequences of nine necrophagous Calliphorid flies for the identification of common necrophagous Calliphorid flies, and to provide technical support for postmortem interval （PMI） estimation. Methods Twenty-three Calliphorid flies were collected and identified morphologically, and DNA were extracted from legs. The gene fragments of 28S rRNA and COⅠ were amplified and sequenced, then the sequence alignment was performed with BLAST. The composition of obtained sequences was analyzed and evolutionary divergence rate between species and intraspecies were established. The phylogeny tree was constructed with neighbor-joining method. Results The 23 necrophagous Calliphorid flies were identified to 9 species of 5 genera. The 715 bp from 28S rRNA and 637 bp from COⅠ gene were obtained and the online BLAST result showed more than 99% of similarity. The phylogeny tree showed that the necrophagous flies could cluster well into 9 groups, which was consistent with morphological identification results. The intraspecific difference in 28S rRNA was 0 and the interspecific difference was 0.001-0.033. The intraspecific difference in COⅠ was 0-0.008 and the interspecific difference was 0.006-0.101. Conclusion Combined use of 28S rRNA and COⅠ gene sequence fragments can effectively identify the nine Calliphorid flies in this study. However, for closely related blowfly species, more genetic markers should be explored and used in combination in future.
Animals ; DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics* ; Diptera/genetics* ; Phylogeny ; RNA, Ribosomal, 28S/genetics* ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Species Specificity

Objective To study the mechanism of change of the electrical conductivity （EC） of rat skeletal muscle impregnating solution that occurs with the change of postmortem interval （PMI）. Methods Healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were killed and kept at about 25 ℃. Skeletal muscles were extracted at different PMI--immediate （0 d）, 1 d, 2 d, 3 d, 4 d, 5 d, 6 d, and 7 d, then mixed with deionized water to make impregnating solution with a mass concentration of 0.1 g/mL. The solution's EC and nine common chemicals in it, such as potassium ion, calcium ion, and chloride ion, were determined. Results EC increased gradually with the extending of PMI （P=0.024） during the 7 days after the rats' death. The content of uric acid （P=0.032）, urea nitrogen （P=0.013） and phosphorus （P=0.022） also increased during the extension. However, the content of magnesium ions decreased with extending of PMI （P=0.047）. The correlation between potassium ion, sodium ion, chlorine ion, calcium ion, creatinine and PMI were weak （P>0.05）. Conclusion The molecular basis of skeletal muscle EC change in rats after their death is the changes of uric acid, urea nitrogen, inorganic phosphorus and other chemical components. Furthermore, combine use of various indicators can improve the accuracy of the EC method to infer PMI.
Animals ; Electric Conductivity ; Forensic Pathology ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Postmortem Changes ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVES: To determine the electrical conductivity （EC） of the liver, spleen and kidney of rats at different postmortem intervals （PMIs） within 24 hours for investigating the relationship between EC of different organs and early PMI. METHODS: Totally 45 SD rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and kept at a constant temperature of 25 ℃. Tissues were taken from the liver, spleen, and kidney of rats at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 h. Impregnating solution with a mass concentration 0.1 g/mL was prepared using deionized water. The EC value of impregnating solution with different organs was separately determined. The regression equations of EC and PMI for different organs were established, respectively. The relationship between EC of different organs and early PMI was analysed in deceased rats. RESULTS: The relationship between PMI and EC of the liver and spleen was well fitted with the linear equation. The liver showed the best fitting degree followed by the spleen, while the EC of the kidney showed no significant changes within 24 h. There was a good linear relationship between early PMI and the EC of the liver and spleen. CONCLUSIONS A good linear relationship between early PMI and the EC of the liver and spleen can be found in rats after death, which can be used for the early PMI estimation.
Animals ; Electric Conductivity ; Forensic Pathology ; Liver ; Postmortem Changes ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spleen ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the relationship among electrical conductivity （EC）, total volatile basic nitrogen （TVB-N）, which is an index of decomposition rate for meat production, and postmortem interval （PMI）. To explore the feasibility of EC as an index of cadaveric skeletal muscle decomposition rate and lay the foundation for PMI estimation. METHODS: Healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were sacrificed by cervical vertebrae dislocation and kept at 28 ℃. Muscle of rear limbs was removed at different PMI, homogenized in deionized water and then skeletal extraction liquid of mass concentration 0.1 g/mL was prepared. EC and TVB-N of extraction liquid were separately determined. The correlation between EC (x₁) and TVB-N (x₂) was analyzed, and their regression function was established. The relationship between PMI (y) and these two parameters were studied, and their regression functions were separately established. RESULTS: The change trends of EC and TVB-N of skeletal extraction liquid at different PMI were almost the same, and there was a linear positive correlation between them. The regression equation was x₂=0.14x₁-164.91(R²=0.982). EC and TVB-N of skeletal muscle changed significantly with PMI, and the regression functions were y=19.38x₁³-370.68x₁²+2 526.03 x₁-717.06(R²=0.994), and y=2.56x₂³-48.39x₂²+330.60x₂-255.04(R²=0.997), respectively. CONCLUSIONS EC and TVB-N of rat postmortem skeletal muscle show similar change trends, which can be used as an index for decomposition rate of cadaveric skeletal muscle and provide a method for further study of late PMI estimation.
Animals ; Autopsy ; Electric Conductivity ; Forensic Pathology ; Muscle, Skeletal/pathology* ; Nitrogen ; Postmortem Changes ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVEThis study was to expand the cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) through inducing the differentiation of umbilical blood monomuclear cells (UBMNC) by using various combination of cytokines, and to investigate the functions of expanded CTL.

METHODSThe MNC were isolated by ficoll density gradient centrifugation. Then, the PHA-P, IFN-γ combined with IL-2, IL-15 and other cytokines were used for induction and expansion of the cord blood-derived CTL. The biological function of CTL was examined by phenotype analysis, cytotoxic tests and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.

RESULTSAfter expansion for 15 days, the cell number increased by 1522% ± 137%. The content of CD3(-)CD8(-) cells in uncultured cord blood MNC was 95%, and the CD3(+)CD8(+) CTL cells reached 82.77% in cultured cord blood MNC after expansion for 15 days. The expanded CTL cell showed the cytotoxic activity against K562 and HeLa cell line. The killing rate of MNC was 61.88 ± 1.08%. After expansion, the killing rate could reach to 90% with the average value of 90.33 ± 2.02%. The expanded CTL cells highly expressed some key cytokines, such as granzyme A, granzyme B, GM-CSF, granulysin, IFN-γ, TGF-β, TNF-α and perforin. Compared with the control group, the expression of IFN-γ and TGF-β significantly increased (P < 0.05), and the other factors dramatically increased (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe cord blood-derived CTL can be expanded by different combinations of cytokines. These protocols may provide alternative choices for CTL cell expansion in tumor adoptive immunotherapy.

Cytokines ; Fetal Blood ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Granzymes ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class II ; Humans ; Immunotherapy, Adoptive ; Perforin ; Phytohemagglutinins ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic

OBJECTIVETo study the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and characteristics on molecular biology related to HCV among patients who were enrolled in a Methadone maintenance clinic in Wuhan.

METHODSSerum samples from 332 injection drug users (IDUs) were obtained and anti-HCV IgG was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbrent assay(ELISA), together with 86 anti-HCV positive specimens genotyped. A reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-nPCR) assay using conserved primers deduced from the core-envelopel (C-E1) region of the HCV genome was employed to amplify a 474 bp fragment. Phylogenetic analysis of the C-E1 sequences was conducted by direct sequencing of the RT-nPCR products and alignment with determined by nucleotide sequencing followed by composition of a phylogenetic tree.

RESULTSThere were 313 cases (94.3%) appeared positive anti-HCV IgG in the 332 patients from a Methadone maintenance clinic in Wuhan. It was demonstrated that there were four different subtypes of HCV in that clinic in Wuhan, including 6a--71 cases (82.5%), 3b--7 cases (8.2%), 1a--5 cases (5.8%) and 1b--3 cases (3.5%).

CONCLUSIONInfection of 6a genotype HCV was predominant in patients from the Methadone maintenance clinic in Wuhan, followed by HCV 3b, 1a and 1b.

Adult ; Antibodies, Viral ; analysis ; China ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Genotype ; Hepacivirus ; classification ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Methadone ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Phylogeny ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Substance Abuse Treatment Centers ; Substance-Related Disorders ; drug therapy ; rehabilitation ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo further understand the association of hantavirus (HV) harbored and transmitted in wild brown rats.

METHODSRattus norvegicus (n = 570) were trapped in 10 sites in Beijing. RT-PCR was used to test rodent lung samples for hantavirus infection. Unconditional multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed, with PCR positive as the dependent variable and the characteristics of Rattus norvegicus population as independent variables.

RESULTSThe overall HV prevalence in Rattus norvegicus was 9.1% (52/570). Significant association between HV infection in Rattus norvegicus and some biological characteristics of host population was observed. Adult Rattus norvegicus had a higher HV prevalence than juveniles. Males in the reproduction periods and rats with wounds were more likely to be infected with HV than others.

CONCLUSIONIt was further confirmed that there existed parallel transmission of HV in Rattus norvegicus hosts. Aggression might be the primary mode of HV transmission among male Rattus norvegicus.

Aggression ; Animals ; Animals, Wild ; injuries ; virology ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Hantavirus ; isolation & purification ; Hantavirus Infections ; epidemiology ; transmission ; veterinary ; virology ; Logistic Models ; Lung ; virology ; Male ; Prevalence ; Rats ; injuries ; virology ; Reproduction ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Risk Factors ; Rodent Diseases ; epidemiology ; transmission

OBJECTIVETo investigate hantanvirus infection of captured rodents in Haidian district and Changping district of Beijing and to type hantavirus using molecular technique.

METHODSThe captured mice were classified and the density of distribution was calculated. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique was used to amplify the partial M fragnments of hantaviruse. Several representative positive samples were sequenced and analysed by ClustalX (5.0) and DNAClub software.

RESULTSA total of 414 animals were captured, among which Battus norvegicus was the dominant group. In Haidian district, the median infection rates with hantavirus were 13.14% in Battus norvegicus and 0 in Mus musculus Linnaeus. In Changping district, the average infection rates were 17.46% in Battus norvegicus and 3.57% in Mus musculus Linnaeus. Nucleotide sequences analysis showed that the virus detected all belonged to SEO-type. They clustered with Z37 virus and could be branched into 2 different subclades.

CONCLUSIONThe major hosts of hantavirus in Haidian and Changping district were Battus norvegicus and the epidemic strains in the two districts of Beijing were genotyped as SEO-type. Nucleotide sequence and deduced amino acid sequence from different rodents were highly homologous, while nucleotide mutation had also been observed. Further studies are required to explore the possible virus sequence mutation.

Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; DNA, Viral ; genetics ; Disease Reservoirs ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Hantavirus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Hantavirus Infections ; epidemiology ; veterinary ; virology ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; epidemiology ; veterinary ; virology ; Mice ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Phylogeny ; Rats ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rodent Diseases ; epidemiology ; virology

OBJECTIVEAn epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) hit Beijing, China, between March and July 2003 with an attack rate of 1.9 per 10 thousand. (2,521 cases). To control the epidemic of SARS, a total of 30,173 residents were quarantined either in their residence or in quarantine sites. In order to understand the personal need of being quarantined and to estimate the risk of developing SARS during the quarantine period, a survey on the quarantined residents of Haidian District, Beijing, China was carried out.

METHODS33 precincts in Haidian District divided into five groups (7 in north, 6 in south, 7 in west, 6 in east and 7 in central of Haidian District) according to the location of the precincts were involved. The director of Center of Disease Control and Prevention of Haidian District was asked to select 1 precinct from each group according to the workload of the precinct quarantine officers. From those 5 precincts we obtained lists of all quarantined persons from the precinct quarantine officers. All quarantinees were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire. The SARS patients were diagnosed and verified according to the diagnosis criteria released by Chinese Ministry of Health which was equivalent to the SARS 'probable case' definition of WHO. All SARS cases had been reported to the relative authorities.

RESULTSBy May 23, 2003, 5,186 persons had been quarantined in Haidian district, accounting for 0.23% of all residents. 1,028 of sampled quarantined residents completed the questionnaire. Of those who completed the questionnaire, 2.3% (95% CI: 1.5% - 3.5%) developed SARS while under quarantine. The median quarantine period was 14 days (range 1 day to 28 days). 61% of the quarantinees had a direct contact history with SARS patients, and all secondary SARS patients developed through contact to these quarantinees. The remaining 39% quarantinees who did not have a direct contact history with SARS patients had not developed SARS during the period under quarantine. 37% of the quarantees had direct contact during original patients' symptomatic period with an AR of 6.3%. Persons who looked after the illed SARS patient(s) during their symptomatic period, had an highest attack rate of 31% (95% CI: 20% - 44%). 63% (95% CI: 60% - 66%) of the total quarantined persons did not have direct contact with a SARS patient during his/her symptomatic period, with an attack rate of 0% (95% CI: 0% - 0.73%).

CONCLUSIONOnly those persons having direct contact with ill SARS patients need to be under quarantine. The overall cost for quarantine on SARS prevention could be reduced by as much as 63% if the quarantine program was limited to this group. No evidence was found that SARS patient was infective during the incubation period.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Outbreaks ; prevention & control ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quarantine ; methods ; organization & administration ; psychology ; Risk Factors ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; psychology ; Time Factors