ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the value of high-frequency echocardiography in assessing cardiac structure and function in a mouse model of myocardial infarction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-five C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into sham-operated group (n=10) and myocardial infarction model group (n=15) established by ligation of the left anterior descending artery. The cardiac structure, regional wall motion and cardiac function of mice were examined with pulsed wave Doppler (PWD), tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), EKV and M-mode echocardiography 3 days before and at 1 week after the operation. The histological changes and myocardial structure of the heart were observed at 1 week after the operation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>High-frequency echocardiography and HE staining detected obvious myocardial infarction in the mice in the model group. Compared with the sham-operated mice, the mice with myocardial infarction showed significant left ventricular expansion, obvious thinning of the ventricular wall, and significantly decreased ventricular systolic function and diastolic function with regional wall motion abnormality and ventricular remodeling.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>s 2D-type echocardiography combined with M-mode, PWD, TDI and EKVTM for allows accurate and sensitive detection of the loci and severity of myocardial infarction to provide important evidence for clinical diagnosis and treatment of myocardial infarction.</p>
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Vascular endothelial cell injury contributes to the pathogenesis of viral encephalitis. This study was designed to investigate the roles of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1) in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in the pathogenesis of viral encephalitis and in the evaluation of the severity and the prognosis of viral encephalitis in children.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>CSF VEGF and VCAM-1 levels were measured using ELISA in 65 children with viral encephalitis and 20 age-matched controls (10 cases of epilepsy and 10 cases of congenital abnormality).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>CSF levels of VEGF and VCAM-1 in the viral encephalitis group in the acute phase were significantly elevated compared with those in the congenital abnormality (P<0.01) and the epilepsy groups (P<0.05). CSF levels of VEGF and VCAM-1 in the viral encephalitis group in the recovery phase decreased significantly and were similar to the levels of the epilepsy group, but remained higher than those in the congenital abnormality group (P<0.05). There was a positive correlation between CSF levels of VEGF and VCAM-1 in the viral encephalitis group in the acute and recovery phases. CSF levels of VEGF and VCAM-1 were positively correlated to CSF protein contents and the degree of MRI abnormality in the viral encephalitis group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>VEGF and VCAM-1 may participate in the pathogenesis of viral encephalitis. Detection of the two parameters may be helpful to the evaluation of the severity and prognosis of viral encephalitis.</p>