Altered microRNA expression in the ischemic-reperfusion spinal cord with atorvastatin therapy.

We explored the neuroprotection by atorvastatin in the ischemia/reperfusion model of rat and its microRNA-related mechanisms. At first, we uncovered a previously unknown alteration in temporal expression of a large set of microRNAs following spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). The target genes for the differentially expressed microRNAs include genes encoding components that are involved in the inflammation, apoptosis, and neural damage that are known to play important roles in IRI.

The clinical experience of double-orifice tricuspid valve.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Double-orifice tricuspid valve (DOTV) is an extremely rare congenital anomaly. By analysing the feature of its diagnosis and surgical treatment, we want to summarise the clinical experience of treating DOTV.

Materials And Methods: Review two cases of DOTV treated by us between August 2009 and December 2011.

Microduplication of 3p25.2 encompassing RAF1 associated with congenital heart disease suggestive of Noonan syndrome.

Noonan syndrome (NS) is a clinically variable and genetically heterogeneous disorder with congenital heart defects (CHD), short stature, and craniofacial dysmorphisms. Gain-of-function mutations in RAF1 can cause NS and the highly related NS with multiple lentigines (previously known as LEOPARD syndrome). Here we report on a 15-year-old male with NS phenotype: short stature, heart defects, low posterior hairline, facial malformations, malformed left ear with sensorineural hearing loss, widely spaced nipples, and unilateral upper limb anomaly.

Overexpression of DNA damage-induced 45 α gene contributes to esophageal squamous cell cancer by promoter hypomethylation.

Background: Environmental factors-induced dysfunction of esophageal squamous epithelium, including genomic DNA impairment and apoptosis, play an important role in the pathogenesis of esophageal squamous cell cancer. DNA damage-induced 45α (GADD45α) has been found promoting DNA repair and removing methylation marker, Therefore, in this study we will investigate whether GADD45α expression is induced and its mechanism in esophageal squamous cell cancer.

Methods: Two human esophageal squamous cell lines (ESCC), ECA109 and KYSE510 were cultured in RPMI-1640 medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS).

Taurine inhibits serum deprivation-induced osteoblast apoptosis via the taurine transporter/ERK signaling pathway.

Taurine has positive effects on bone metabolism. However, the effects of taurine on osteoblast apoptosis in vitro have not been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the activity of taurine on apoptosis of mouse osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells.

Intercountry prevalences and practices of betel-quid use in south, southeast and eastern Asia regions and associated oral preneoplastic disorders: an international collaborative study by Asian betel-quid consortium of south and east Asia.

Health risks stemming from betel-quid (BQ) chewing are frequently overlooked by people. Updated epidemiological data on the increased BQ use among Asian populations using comparable data collection methods have not been widely available. To investigate the prevalence, patterns of practice and associated types of oral preneoplastic disorders, an intercountry Asian Betel-quid Consortium study (the ABC study) was conducted for Taiwan, Mainland China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Increased connective tissue growth factor expression in a rat model of chronic heart allograft rejection.

Background/purpose: Chronic rejection limits the long-term success of cardiac transplantation and the underlying cause of the disease is unknown. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is considered as a mitogenic and chemotactic factor for fibroblasts, and is associated with cell proliferation and collagen synthesis. We evaluated the expression of CTGF in a rat model of heart allograft chronic rejection.

[Relationship between the expression of heat shock protein 25 and selenium binding protein 1 with ischemia/reperfusion lung injury in vivo: experiment with rats].

Objective: To analyze the differential expression proteins of rat ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) lung tissues in vivo and normal lung tissues by comparative proteome analysis, and to study the mechanism of donor lung I/R injury.

Methods: Forty male SD rats were randomly divided into 2 equal groups: I/R group undergoing mimic orthotopic left lung auto-grafting and harvesting of the left lung five hours after the operation, and control group undergoing isolation of the left hilus of lung and then harvesting of the left lung. The differential proteins in the left ventricle of transplanted heart were separated by means of immobilized pH gradient-based two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), and searched through Matrix Science software system.

The orthotopic left lung transplantation in rats: a valuable experimental model without using cuff technique.

Advances in the field of clinical lung transplantation must rely on observations made in animal models. In this study, we introduced a new procedure in the rat, orthotopic left lung transplantation without using the cuff technique, in which the donor pulmonary artery, pulmonary vein, and membranous parts of the bronchus were anastomosed continuously in the lumen using a mattress suture under a surgical microscope; meanwhile, a second, low-pressure perfusion through the pulmonary artery and turnover of the vascular stump were made, which also made the vessel anastomosis easy. Transplantations were completed in 68 rats (89.

[NUSS procedure by video-assisted thoracoscopy for correction of pectus excavatum].

Objective: To review the management of NUSS procedure by video-assisted thoracoscopy for the correction of pectus excavatum in 18 patients, and to prevent and treat some complications.

Methods: Eighteen patients with severe pectus excavatum underwent NUSS procedure by video-assisted thoracoscopy from December 2006 to September 2007.

Results: The operation time ranged from 30 to 70 min ( average 45 min).

Expression of connective tissue growth factor in acute heart allograft rejection in rats.

Objective: To detect the expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in acute heart allograft rejection in rats and to investigate the relationship between CTGF expression and cardiac allograft fibrosis.

Methods: Sixteen Wister rats served as donors and another 16 Sprague-Dawely (SD) rats served as recipients. Intra-abdominal heterotopic heart transplantation was performed.

[Retrospective study on clinical application of biovalves in 52 cases].

Objective: To summarize the clinical application of bioprosthetic valve replacement.

Methods: Fifty two patients, aged 13-73(52.4+/-14.

[Integrated mediastinal pleura upon aortic arch and left cervical anastomosis in radical operation for esophageal carcinoma].

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of remaining integrated mediastinal pleura upon the aortic arch and performing the anastomosis at the left cervix in radical operation for esophageal carcinoma.

Methods: Ninety-eight patients with esophageal carcinoma were treated with the operation mentioned above. Among them, 56 patients had cancer in the middle, 12 in the upper-middle, 24 in the lower-middle segments, and 6 had double-primary tumors, with carcinoma length of (5.

[Connective tissue growth factor and pulmonary allograft fibrosis in rats].

Objective: To investigate the role of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in pulmonary allograft fibrosis in rats.

Methods: The lungs of 20 Wistar rats were transplanted into 20 Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats. Ten allograft lungs were harvested 1 week postoperatively (acute rejection group,AR); the other 10 allografts were harvested 6 weeks postoperatively (chronic rejection group,CR); and ten normal Wistar rats served as a control group(normal lung, NL).

[Experience in treatment of Eisenmenger's syndrome by heart-lung transplantation].

Objective: To summarize the experience in treatment of Eisenmenger's syndrome by heart-lung transplantation (HLT).

Methods: Two cases of congenital heart disease with Eisenmenger's syndrome, aged 20 and 22, underwent bicaval orthotopic HLT. Modified St.

[Structural and hemodynamic study of right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction with valved bovine jugular vein conduit in the canine model by color Doppler echocardiography].

Objective: To observe the structural and hemodynamic changes after the reconstruction of right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) with valved bovine jugular vein conduit (BJVC) in the canine model by color Doppler echocardiography (UCG).

Methods: BJVC was used in the reconstruction of RVOT of 32 canines. UCG was used to observe the structure of the right ventricle and RVOT.

Surgical treatment of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection.

Objective: To summarize the surgical treatment of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 49 patients with TAPVC as follows: 37 patients with supra-cardiac type in which 35 received anastomoses between the rear wall of the left atrium and the common pulmonary vein and the other 2 received anastomoses between the rear edge of the left atrium roof and the common pulmonary vein; another 12 patients with cardiac type who were incised the upper edge of coronary sinus, connected the common junction of pulmonary veins with the left atrium to form a new left atrium, and repaired the atrial septal defect with a pericardial patch.

Results: Forty-six patients recovered and 3 patients died.

[Multifactor analysis of postoperative mechanical ventilation supporting time in infants with congenital heart diseases].

Objective: To analyze the multiple factors affecting the postoperative mechanical ventilation supporting time in infants less than 10 kg with simple congenital heart diseases and to seize time by the forelock of extube and improve the outcome of surgical treatment.

Methods: Data of 231 infants less than 10 kg with atrial septal defect(ASD),ventricular septal defect, and combining patent ductus arteriosus were retrospectively analyzed. The multivaricate stepwise logistic regression statistics were done for the predisposing factors affecting the ventilative supporting time.

Cardioprotective effect by tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 through late preconditioning in unstable angina patients.

Background: It has recently been demonstrated that upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines plays an important role in induction of the late preconditioning in rodent models. The aim of this study was to determine if there was a late preconditioning effect caused by higher proinflammatory cytokines in unstable angina patients.

Methods: TNFalpha and IL-6 levels in plasma before surgery were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Pro-inflammatory cytokines may induce late preconditioning in unstable angina patients.

Late preconditioning can be induced by a wide variety of stimulus, including non-pharmacological and pharmacological. Thus, late preconditioning is a universal response of the heart to stress and it requires the simultaneous activation of multiple stress-responsive genes. Recently, compelling evidence has evolved that the up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines plays an important role in induction of the late phase of ischemic preconditioning in rodent models.

[Protective effects of ulinastatin on the lung injury during cardiopulmonary bypass].

Objective: To determine the protective effects and mechanism of ulinastatin on the lung injury during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Methods: Thirty patients with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) were divided into 2 groups randomly. The ulinastatin group (Group U, n = 15) received 1 x 10(4)U/kg ulinastatin intravenously before the CPB and the same amount of ulinastatin was added into the primary solution.

[Prosthetic valve replacement in pediatric patients: analysis of 105 cases].

Objective: To summarize the experience in prosthetic valve replacement in pediatric patients.

Methods: The clinical data of consecutive 105 children, 63 male and 42 female, aged 13 +/- 3 (1.5-16), with the underlying diseases of rheumatic heart disease (n = 55), congenital heart diseases (n = 43), and infective endocarditis (n = 5), with the preoperative cardiac function of class II (n = 36), or class III or IV (n = 69), who underwent prosthetic valve replacement, including replacement of mitral valve (n = 58), aortic valve (n = 28), tricuspid valve (n = 5), mitral and aortic valves (n = 13), and mitral and tricuspid valves (n = 1), and tricuspid valvuloplasty (n = 26), from May 1984 to May 2004, were respectively analyzed.

[Lung protection of continuous pulmonary artery perfusion with oxygenated blood during cardiopulmonary bypass].

Objective: To determine the lung protection of continuous pulmonary artery perfusion with oxygenated blood during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Methods: Thirty patients undergoing mitral valve replacement were randomly divided into the control group (n=15) and the lung perfusion group (n=15). The patients in the lung perfusion group were perfused oxygenated blood continuously to the pulmonary artery during CPB.