Plastome Evolution, Phylogenomics, and DNA Barcoding Investigation of (Aeridinae, Orchidaceae), with a Focus on the Systematic Position of .

is an orchid genus containing about 70 species in tropical and subtropical Asia with high morphological diversity. The phylogenetic relationships among this genus have not been fully resolved, and the plastome evolution has not been investigated either. In this study, five plastomes of were newly reported, and sixteen plastomes of were used to conduct comparative and phylogenetic analyses.

Knowledge, attitudes, and influencing factors of cancer patients toward approving advance directives in China.

Purpose: Many cancer patients do not have advance directives (ADs), which may lead to unwanted excessive or aggressive care when patients have lost decision-making capacity. The aim of this study was to investigate knowledge and attitudes of approving ADs and explore factors associated with willing to designate ADs among cancer patients in China.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interview method investigating 753 in-patients with cancer in two cancer centers.

[Low Intensity Anticoagulation Therapy for Chinese Population with Heart Valve Replacement--3 000 Cases Follow-up].

Objective: To investigate the effect of low-intensity anticoagulation therapy for Chinese population with heart valve replacement.

Methods: From January 2011 to March 2012, 3 000 patients with heart valve replacement in Fuwai Hospital and West China Hospital were followed-up for 1 year, the method and intensity of postoperative anticoagulation, as well as the complications were studied and analyzed.

Results: The rate of follow-up was 88.

A novel "box lesion" minimally invasive totally thoracoscopic surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation.

Introduction: Minimally invasive surgical ablation is an emerging alternative method to catheter ablation and the full surgical maze procedure for nonpharmacologic treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). We present a totally thoracoscopic "box lesion" radiofrequency ablation procedure in patients with paroxysmal or persistent AF.

Materials And Methods: From June 2011 to October 2012, 14 patients with lone paroxysmal (n = 7) or persistent AF (n = 7) were enrolled in this study.

Tricuspid valve obstruction and right heart failure due to a giant right atrial myxoma arising from the superior vena cava.

Myxomas are the most common primary cardiac tumors. The cardiac myxomas are mostly diagnosed within the atria, and only a few such tumors are reported to have arisen from atrioventricular valves or pulmonary vessels. The authors here present a case of 59-year-old Chinese woman who was hospitalized for exacerbating symptoms of tricuspid stenosis and right heart failure.

Quality of life, physical diseases, and psychological impairment among survivors 3 years after Wenchuan earthquake: a population based survey.

Background: Few research studies have addressed the long-term effects caused by catastrophes, and no study has ever explored the life quality, physical diseases, and psychological impairment of earthquake survivors at the same time. This study seeks to reveal survivors' quality of life, physical diseases, and mental health.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted through multi-stage sampling approach three years after the Wenchuan earthquake.

[Effects of myocardial platelet rich plasma injection on rats with acute myocardial infarction:(99)Tc(m)-MIBI gated SPECT imaging evaluation results].

Objective: To observe the effect of direct myocardial injection of platelet rich plasma (PRP) on cardiac function, ventricular remodeling and myocardial perfusion.

Methods: Myocardial infarction was induced in 30 Fisher rats by left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) ligation. One week after LAD ligation, rats in control group (n = 15) received 0.

Cardiocerebral resuscitation vs cardiopulmonary resuscitation for cardiac arrest: a systematic review.

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of cardiocerebral resuscitation (CCR) vs cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of controlled trials and observational studies. We searched Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; MEDLINE; Embase; and Chinese databases such as VIP, CNKI, WANFANG, and CBM from their inception to September 2010.

Protective effects of adenosine in rabbit sinoatrial node ischemia-reperfusion model in vivo: control of arrhythmia by hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN)4 channels.

Disturbance of cardiac rhythm is one of the consequences of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. Many researchers have prompted considerable interests in developing therapeutic approaches for its control. In present study, we want to determine whether that adenosine pre- and postconditioning have protective effects on sinoatrial node ischemia/reperfusion injury on morphology, arrhythmia score, serological markers (CK-MB and cTnT), SOD activities, MDA levels and expression of HCN4 channels in SA node cells.

Chest injuries associated with earthquakes: an analysis of injuries sustained during the 2008 Wen-Chuan earthquake in China.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to analyze the patterns, therapeutic modalities, and short-term outcomes of patients with chest injuries in the aftermath of the Wen-Chuan earthquake, which occurred on May 12, 2008 and registered 8.0 on the Richter scale.

Methods: Of the 1522 patients who were referred to the West China Hospital of Sichuan University from May 12 to May 27, 169 patients (11.

Challenges for rear hospital care of Wenchuan earthquake casualties: experience from West China Hospital.

To review the challenges and countermeasures in the hospital care for Wenchuan earthquake casualties and draw lessons for the protective response in the future. Medical records and laboratory findings of the victims admitted in West China Hospital (WCH) were retrospectively analyzed. Related data were compared between beforemath and aftermath of the earthquake and between WCH and frontier county hospitals.

Anticancer mechanism of peptide P18 in human leukemia K562 cells.

Studies on the anticancer mechanism of peptide P18 in human leukemia K562 cells revealed that P18 causes the death of most K562 cells by depolarizing plasma membrane potential and enhancing membrane permeability, rather than activating the classical apoptosis pathway. The mechanistic studies indicate that disrupting plasma membrane is an effective approach to kill cancer cells and help design more effective peptide analogues in future cancer therapies.

Fluorescence studies on a designed self-assembling peptide of RAD16-II as a potential carrier for hydrophobic drug.

The self-assembling peptide, RAD16-II (Ac-RARADADARARADADA-NH2), has been shown to have many great applications in nanotechnology and tissue engineering. But few studies have been carried out to study the application of self-assembling peptides as a drug carrier. We used hydrophobic drug pyrene as a model and liposome vesicles to mimic bilayer membranes to study the ability of RAD16-II in drug encapsulation and transfer to lipid vesicles.

Designed amphiphilic peptide forms stable nanoweb, slowly releases encapsulated hydrophobic drug, and accelerates animal hemostasis.

How do you design a peptide building block to make 2-dimentional nanowebs and 3-dimensional fibrous mats? This question has not been addressed with peptide self-assembling nanomaterials. This article describes a designed 9-residue peptide, N-Pro-Ser-Phe-Cys-Phe-Lys-Phe-Glu-Pro-C, which creates a strong fishnet-like nanostructure depending on the peptide concentrations and mechanical disruptions. This peptide is intramolecularly amphiphilic because of a single pair of ionic residues, Lys and Glu, at one end and nonionic residues, Phe, Cys, and Phe, at the other end.

[The expression of GATA-4 and Nkx2.5 gene in the transformation of Rattus mesenchymal stem cells into cardiomyocytes].

Objective: To investigate the expression of the transcriptive factors, GATA-4 and Nkx2.5 gene, in the course of induction of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into cardiomyocytes, and analyze its molecular biological mechanism.

Methods: Rattus Mesenchymal Stem Cells were cultured in vitro and 3rd generation cells were induced in 10 micromol/L 5-azacytidine, troponin I was checked with immunohistochemistry and Western blot, GATA-4 and NkX2.

Risk factors of earthquake inpatient death: a case control study.

Introduction: At 2:28 p.m. on 12 May, 2008, a devastating earthquake measuring 8.

[Tricuspid valve replacement and anticoagulation therapy: a report of 70 cases].

Objective: To evaluate the operative indication, the choice of valve prostheses, and the method of anticoagulation therapy of tricuspid valve replacement (TVR).

Methods: From May 1998 to January 2008, 70 patients underwent TVR. There were 59 cases of rheumatic heart diseases.

Strategic supporting role of a regional state-level hospital during medical rescue after Wenchuan earthquake.

Shortly after the Wenchuan earthquake, the administrative leaders of West China Hospital accurately defined the role of the hospital during the medical rescue work as the treatment center for seriously wounded people, the support center for local hospitals and clinics in the disaster areas in Sichuan Province, and the logistics support center for medical teams from other provinces. Integrated leadership of management and efficient multidepartment co-ordination and co-operation were emphasized. The hospital was immediately transformed from regular mode into a double-track emergency mode.

De novo design of a bolaamphiphilic peptide with only natural amino acids.

A new self-assembling bolaamphiphilic peptide has been designed and synthesized using only natural amino acids. This simple peptide is composed of two lysines connected by 4-8 alanines to maintain the characteristics of the traditional bolaamphiphiles. Based on an irregular secondary structure, it can self-assemble into nanospheres, nanorods, or nanofibers with lengths up to micrometers.

Increased N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide level predicts atrial fibrillation after surgery for esophageal carcinoma.

Aim: To evaluate the value of plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level for predicting postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients undergoing surgery for esophageal carcinoma.

Methods: NT-proBNP levels were measured in 142 patients 24 h before and 1 h after surgery for esophageal carcinoma. All patients having a preoperative cardiac diagnosis by electrocardiogram (ECG), remained under continuous monitoring for at least 48 h after surgery, and then underwent clinical cardiac evaluation until discharge.

Temperature and pH effects on biophysical and morphological properties of self-assembling peptide RADA16-I.

It has been found that the self-assembling peptide RADA 16-I forms a beta-sheet structure and self-assembles into nanofibers and scaffolds in favor of cell growth, hemostasis and tissue-injury repair. But its biophysical and morphological properties, especially for its beta-sheet and self-assembling properties in heat- and pH-denatured conditions, remain largely unclear. In order to better understand and design nanobiomaterials, we studied the self-assembly behaviors of RADA16-I using CD and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements in various pH and heat-denatured conditions.

[Construction of an in vitro carotid artery bifurcation model].

Objective: To construct a solid carotid artery bifurcation model with general applicability that simulates the real shape.

Methods: The diameter of the carotid artery was measured using ultrasonic cardiograph. A modified carotid artery model was constructed according to the tuning fork model geometry with the geometry size being rectified.

[Effect of Huajiao volatile oil on Cu2+ -induced oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein in vitro].

Objective: To evaluate the effect of Huajiao volatile oil on copper mediated low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidative modification.

Methods: LDL was isolated by ultracenfugation from normal human plasma. The extent of LDL peroxidation was measured in terms of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) expressed as malondialdehyde (MDA) equivalents.

[Antiatherogenic effect of Huajiao volatile oil on experimental atherosclerosis in guinea pigs].

Objective: To investigate the antiatherogenic effect of Chinese medicine Huajiao volatile oil and its possible mechanisms.

Methods: Atherosclerotic guinea pig models were duplicated by feeding high lipid forage. Thirty-six guinea pigs were randomly divided into three groups: control group, model group and Huajiao volatile oil group.