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Objective To evaluate the one-year clinical outcomes in patients with the vulnerable plaque sealing with drug-eluting stents for the treatment of intermediate coronary stenosis. Methods 327 patients with an-giographically intermediate lesions(diameter stenosis 50%~70%)with the vulnerable plaque which were detected by 64 slice coronary CT were prospectively enrolled. Patients were divided into medical therapy group (n = 160) and sirolimus-eluting stent group group(n=160). The incidences of one-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE)was evaluated(cardiac death,myocardial infarction ,revascularization). Results The MACE tended to be lower in the sirolimus-eluting stent group than medical therapy group(3.13%vs. 10%,log-rankχ2=6.62,P=0.01). The incident of cardiac death and myocardial infarction were lower in the sirolimus-eluting stent group than medical therapy group(1.25%vs. 5.63%,log-rankχ2=4.61,P=0.03). Conclusion The treatment of the siroli-mus-eluting stent can reduce MACE for the paitents with the vulnerable plaque of intermediate coronary stenosis than medical therapy only.
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Objective To investigate the predictive value of pregnancy-associated plasmaprotein-A (PAPP-A) and GRACE risk score for death and nonfatal myocardial infarction (combined endpoint) in AMI patients.Methods All AMI patients hospitalized in our department during July 2011 to July 2015 were included consecutively in this prospective study.Plasma PAPP-A were measured at admission.GRACE risk score was acquired with the application of GRACE risk score calculator.Patients were followed up for at least 1 year for any nonfatal myocardial infarction or MACE.Kaplan Meier survival study was analysed according to PAPP-A and GRACE score risk stratification respectively.A cutoff value of 3.0 ng/ml of PAPP-A was chosen from pilot work in this cohort.Results A total of 220 patients were enrolled in the study.The death and nonfatal myocardial infarction during follow-up were significantly higher in patients with PAPP-A≥3.0 ng/ml compared to patients with PAPP-A<3.0 ng/ml (15.7% vs.6.0%, log-rank χ2=5.684, P=0.017).The area under ROC curve of PAPP-A was 0.796(95%CI 0.696-0.896, P<0.01) and the ROC curve of PAPP-A GRACE risk stratification was 0.715 (95%CI 0.567-0.863,P<0.01).Subgroup analysis showed that death and nonfatal myocardial infarction during follow-up was significantly higher in patients with PAPP-A≥3.0 ng/ml compared to patients with PAPP-A<3.0 ng/ml in intermediate and low risk group by GRACE risk stratifcation (log-rank χ2=14.63,P<0.001).Conclusions PAPP-A could predict mortality and nonfatal myocardial infarction in patients with AMI.PAPP-A combined with GRACE risk score can better predict outcome than GRACE risk score alone in intermediate and low risk patients by GRACE risk stratifcation.
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Objective To evaluate the one-year clinical outcomes in patients with the vulnerable plaque sealing with drug-eluting stents for the treatment of intermediate coronary stenosis. Methods 327 patients with an-giographically intermediate lesions(diameter stenosis 50%~70%)with the vulnerable plaque which were detected by 64 slice coronary CT were prospectively enrolled. Patients were divided into medical therapy group (n = 160) and sirolimus-eluting stent group group(n=160). The incidences of one-year major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE)was evaluated(cardiac death,myocardial infarction ,revascularization). Results The MACE tended to be lower in the sirolimus-eluting stent group than medical therapy group(3.13%vs. 10%,log-rankχ2=6.62,P=0.01). The incident of cardiac death and myocardial infarction were lower in the sirolimus-eluting stent group than medical therapy group(1.25%vs. 5.63%,log-rankχ2=4.61,P=0.03). Conclusion The treatment of the siroli-mus-eluting stent can reduce MACE for the paitents with the vulnerable plaque of intermediate coronary stenosis than medical therapy only.
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Aims: To provide a soil quality assessment frame work and threshold limits for assessing soil quality in Ultisol of subtropical China region. Study Design: Selected minimum data set for soil quality assessment and threshold limits for the study were total carbon, nitrogen, soil pH and phosphorus, biomass carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, maize grain and fresh potato tuber yields. Soil data (2000-2010), maize grain and fresh potato yield data (2000-2009) from a long term experiment under the Institute of subtropical Agriculture, China were analyzed using the SAS statistical package and means were graphically compared to determine threshold limits for selected data set and fitted into a soil quality model. Place and Duration of Study: The key Laboratory for Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Changsha, Hunan China long-term experimental site in Taoyuan county, conducted from the year 2000 to 2010. Methodology: Soils samples at the experimental fields were obtained from depths 0-20 cm using an auger at each replicate in triplicates and homogenized to obtain a composite sub sample, air-dried, sieved through 2.0 mm to obtain samples for analysis in the Laboratory. Parameters analyzed for were organic carbon concentration, measured by the combustion method using an automated C/N analyzer (Vario MAX CN, Elemental Co., Germany) while total nitrogen was by the Kjeldahl method of ISSCAS (1978). Microbial carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus levels were determined using the chloroform-fumigationextraction method (Jenkinson and Powlson, 1976; Vance et al., 1987; Brookes et al., 1982) and adopting the conversion factors 0.45 (Wu et al., 1990), 0.45 (Brookes et al., 1985), and 0.29 (Wu et al., 2000) respectively for the C, N and P. Extractable N and Olson P were taken from values obtained from the non fumigated soil samples. Data obtained were statistically analyzed using the SAS package for ANOVA and significant means were separated using the Duncan’s New Multiple Range Test (DNMRT). Treatment means were also matched graphically to delineate critical threshold limits between classes for each parameter. Soil quality was assessed by using the Parr et al. (1992) equation; SQ =ƒ(SP,P,E,H, ER,BD,FQ, MI); where SQ= soil quality, SP= soil properties, P = potential productivity, E=environmental factor, H= health (human/animal), ER= erodibility, BD= biodiversity, FQ= food quality and MI= management input. A score scale of 1 to 5 was used in the assessment of parameters in the model; where 1 is best and 5 is the worst condition. However, E, H, ER, FQ and MI were each scored 1.0 because the long-term experiment has an environmental component, health factor, biodiversity, food quality and management input components that are being optimally managed. Therefore SQ= f(SP, P) was used to assess quality of the Ultisol at the uplands and slope land locations. Results: At the uplands, the practice of maize-rape/marsh residue+NK (8.54gkg-1 C, 1.0 gkg-1 N and 5.67 mgkg-1 P) treatments could be rotated with Maize-rape/nil fertilizer (7.51 gkg-1 C, 0.87 gkg-1 and 0.39 mgkg-1 P) to encourage improved soil quality by allowing for more years with soil carbon sequestration, nitrogen and phosphorus credit than years of depletion and discourage soil degradation. At the slope lands, treatments that combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizer materials [Sweet potato-rape/NP+straw (7.18 gkg-1 C, 0.88 gkg-1 N and 0.38 mgkg-1 P) and Peanut-broadbean/NP+straw (6.81 gkg-1 C, 0.86 gkg-1 N and 0.38 mgkg-1 P)] improved soil quality significantly over time by sequestering significantly higher total carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus better than sole inorganic fertilizer [Sweet potato-rape/NPK (6.52 gkg-1 C, 0.81 gkg-1 N and 0.38 mgkg-1 P)]. Conclusion: Ultisol at the upland positions had better quality (SQ1) than those at the slope (SQ2) positions. Threshold limits for nutrients, pH and yield of maize and Fresh Potato tubers in the subtropical China region Ultisol was developed.
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Objective To investigate the dynamic changes of cardiomyocyte apoptosis and Caspase-12 activation after coronary microembolization (CME) in rats. Methods The CME models were produced by injection of 42 μm microspheres (3000/0.1 ml) into the left ventricle during clampinduced ascending aorta occlusion for 10 seconds in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (CME group).The sham-operation group was injected with saline instead (S group). The survivors were randomly divided into five groups: 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h and 4 weeks (n=10, each), respectively. In addition,10 rats were designed as normal control group. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. The expressions of Caspase-3, 12 and procaspase-3 and 12 were detected with Western-blot analysis. The activity of Caspase-12 was determined with fluorometric assay kit. Results (1)Compared with the shamoperation group and normal control group, the apoptosis rates of cardiomyocytes in CME group were significantly increased at each time point respectively (all P＜0.05). Apoptotic cardiomyocytes were found mainly in the border zones and infarct foci. The apoptosis rates of cardiomyocytes at 3 h, 6 h,12 h, 24 h and 4 weeks after CME were (1.76±0.68)%, (3.17±1.26)%, (1.34±0.12)%,(1.07±0.65)% and (0.30±0.13)%, respectively. The apoptosis rates of cardiomyocytes increased at 3 h after CME, peaked at 6 h after CME (all P＜0.05), and then gradually decreased with lowest value at 4 weeks (all P＜0.01). (2)Compared with sham-operation group and normal control group,the relative activation level of Caspase-3 and 12 in CME group increased remarkably (all P＜0.05).The time courses of Caspase-3 and 12 expressions corresponded well to those of cardiomyocyte apoptosis after CME. Conclusions The amount of cardiomyocytes apoptosis is significantly increased after CME. Caspase-12 may be involved in the apoptosis of cardiomyocyte after CME.