Clinical analysis of radiofrequency transcatheter ablation for treatment of tachyarrhythmia in 261 children / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency catheter ablation(RFCA) treatment for children with tachyarrhythmia of various types.Methods Two hundred and sixty-one cases with tachyarrhythmia who received RFCA at Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University from Aug.2000 to Dec.2012 were selected.All electrocardiogram(ECG) and echocardiography data were obtained.All of the 261 patients underwent electrophysiological study and RFCA.The clinical data of the pediatric patients with tachyarrhythmia after RFCA in Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University were retrospectively analyzed and the curative effect and the complication rate of RFCA treatment for children with tachyarrhythmia of various types were investigated.Results (1)Among the 261 cases,4 cases had tachyarrhythmia associated with tachycardia induced cardiomyopathy,and 1 case had tachycardia associated with heart failure.(2)One hundred and forty-six cases had atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia(AVRT) ;74 cases had atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia(AVNRT) ;32 cases had idiopathic ventricular tachycardia(IVT) ;6 cases had atrial tachycardia(AT) ;and 3 cases had atrial flutter(AF).Ten children with tachyarrhythmia associated with organic heart disease received RFCA successfully.(3) The average operation time was (101.23 ±51.37) minutes and the average X-ray exposure time was(21.85 ± 17.10) minutes.(4)The total successful rate of RFCA was 98.08％ (256/261 cases),1 case(0.38％) suffered from pneumothorax after operation,and recovered after treatment.There was no serious complications nor deaths of all the patients.(5) Twenty-two cases recurred,and the total recurrence rate was 8.43％ (22/261 cases),time to relapse was 3 days to 5 years,and the average time was 7 months.There were 9 cases in IVT(9/32 cases,28.13％),7 cases in AVRT(7/146 cases,4.79％),4 cases in AVNRT(4/74 cases,5.41％),2 cases in AT(2/6 cases,33.33％).Eighteen cases received successful RFCA for second time,and 4 cases had good effect after drug control.Conclusions (1) RFCA in pediatric patients of tachyarrhythmia is relatively convenient,and this therapy can be performed safely and effectively that can cure certain tachyarrhythmia.(2) AVRT is the common type of tachyarrhythmia in children,followed by AVNRT,IVT,AT and AF.(3) The total recurrence rate of RFCA in children is low,but is relatively high in IVT and AT.(4) The success rate of RFCA is the same in children combined organic heart disease.

The Ubiquitin-Proteasome System and F-box Proteins in Pathogenic Fungi

The ubiquitin-proteasome system is one of the major protein turnover mechanisms that plays important roles in the regulation of a variety of cellular functions. It is composed of E1 (ubiquitin-activating enzyme), E2 (ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme), and E3 ubiquitin ligases that transfer ubiquitin to the substrates that are subjected to degradation in the 26S proteasome. The Skp1, Cullin, F-box protein (SCF) E3 ligases are the largest E3 gene family, in which the F-box protein is the key component to determine substrate specificity. Although the SCF E3 ligase and its F-box proteins have been extensively studied in the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, only limited studies have been reported on the role of F-box proteins in other fungi. Recently, a number of studies revealed that F-box proteins are required for fungal pathogenicity. In this communication, we review the current understanding of F-box proteins in pathogenic fungi.

A simple and effective method for total RNA isolation of appressoria in Magnaporthe oryzae / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Appressorium formation is an important event in establishing a successful interaction between the rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae, and its host plant, rice. An understanding of molecular events occurring in appressorium differentiation will give new strategies to control rice blast. A quick and reliable method to extract total RNA from appressorium is essential for studying gene expression during appressorium formation and its mechanism. We found that duplicate film is an efficient substratum for appressorium formation, even when inoculated with high density conidia. When inoculated with conidia at 1x10(6) ml(-1), the percentages of conidium germination and appressorium formation were (97.98+/-0.67)% and (97.88+/-0.45)%, respectively. We applied Trizol before appressorium collection for total RNA isolation, and as much as 113.6 microg total RNA was isolated from the mature appressoria at 24 h after inoculation. Functional analysis of two genes, MNH6 and MgATG1, isolated from the cDNA subtractive library, revealed that the quantity of RNA was good enough to construct a cDNA (complementary DNA) library or a cDNA subtractive library. This method may be also applicable for the appressorium RNA isolation of other pathogenic fungi in which conidia differentiate into appressoria in the early stages of host infection.

Cloning, sequencing and expression analysis of the NAR promoter activated during hyphal stage of Magnaporthe grisea / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

The promoter of NAR gene in Magnaporthe grisea was isolated and sequenced. The promoter sequences contained the "TATA" box, the "CAAT" box, and binding sites for fungal regulatory proteins. Programs that predict promoter sequences indicated that promoter sequence lies between locations 430 and 857 of the NAR promoter fragment. GFP expression under the NAR promoter and NAR transcript analysis revealed that this promoter is activated primarily at the mycelial stage in the rice blast fungus and could be used to express native or extrinsic genes in the mycelia of the rice blast fungus.

Atorvastatin inhibits scavenger receptor A and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expressions in foam cell / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of atorvastatin on expressions of scavenger receptor A and secretion of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in foam cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>THP-1 cells were induced to differentiate into macrophages by PMA and treated with 0.1% BSA (control), ox-LDL (100 mg/L) or ox-LDL plus atorvastatin (5, 10, 20 micromol/L) for 24 hours. MCP-1 concentration in cell substratum was measured by ELISA. Scavenger receptor A expression was observed under fluorescent microscope after incubated with DiI-Ac-LDL. The relationship between concentration of MCP-1 and the activity of scavenger receptor A was also analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared to the control cells, MCP-1 concentration in ox-LDL treated cells was significantly increased after 6 hours, peaked at 12 hours and was still significantly increased after 24 hours (all P < 0.05 vs. baseline). The activity of scavenger receptor A was also significantly increased in ox-LDL treated cells (P < 0.01 vs. control). The activity of scavenger receptor A proteins correlated positively to the concentration of MCP-1 in ox-LDL treated cells (r = 0.683, P < 0.01). Atorvastatin significantly attenuated these changes in a dose-dependent manner.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Scavenger receptor A and MCP-1 expressions were significantly increased in the course of monocyte lines THP-1 differentiating into macrophages and foam cells. The anti-atherosclerosis effect of atorvastatin might be partly achieved by inhibiting the secretion of MCP-1 and expression of scavenger receptor A in foam cells.</p>

Relation between the angiotensin II type 2 receptor polymorphism and essential hypertension in men / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of the angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AGTR2) gene, and to determine whether the AGTR2 polymorphisms are associated with essential hypertension in a male Chinese population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Direct DNA sequencing was performed in 20 subjects. 96 male hypertensive patients and 107 normal controls were included to assess the contribution of the SNP of AGTR2 gene to hypertension.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Seven SNP of the AGTR2 gene were identified, of which 4 were reported for the first time. A case-control study including two polymorphisms (A1675G and T1334C) showed a significant increase in the A1675 allele frequency among male hypertensive subjects as compared with normotensive subjects (49.0% vs 34.6%, P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The AGTR2 A1675G polymorphism might be involved in the development of essential hypertension in male Chinese.</p>

Association of angiotensin II receptor type 1 gene single nucleotide polymorphism with Chinese essential hypertension complicated with coronary heart disease / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To identify the genetic variants of angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1) gene in a population of Han ethnicity in east China and to determine whether the AT1 gene polymorphisms are associated with essential hypertension (EH) and coronary heart disease (CHD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was performed in 20 subjects by a direct DNA sequencing. All 213 EH patients, 171 patients of EH with CHD and 200 controls were genotyped by three detected SNPs.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Eight positive SNPs were detected in the promoter, exon and 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of AT1 gene. A case-control study by using a frequent SNP (A-153G) in the promoter region, showed a significant increase in allele frequency of G-153 in the subjects of EH complicated with CHD (17.8% vs 11.5% for normal controls, P < 0.05). The SNP A1166C, which has been widely studied, manifested no difference in the three groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>A polymorphism in the promoter region (A-153G) of AT1 gene might be involved in the development of EH and CHD in Han ethnicity population in east China.</p>

Association of angiotensin I converting enzyme 2 gene polymorphism with essential hypertension in Chinese / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To identify the genetic variants of angiotensin I converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) gene in a Chinese population and to determine whether the ACE2 gene polymorphisms are associated with essential hypertension (EH).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seven hundred and forty-five patients with EH and 362 normal blood pressure controls were included in the study to assess the contribution of polymorphism of ACE2 gene. Direct DNA sequencing was performed to detect the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 20 subjects who were randomly selected from the EH patients.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>One SNP named G8790A located in the 4th base of the third intron was found in the 20 patients. The genotyping data indicate that the A allele frequency in male EH patients complicated with cardiac incompetence(55%) is significantly different from that in the control group(43.3%)(P<0.01). The A allele frequency in female patients with cardiac incompetence (56.1%) is higher than that in the controls (50.5%), but the difference does not reach statistical significance.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The G8790A polymorphism may be related to the essential hypertension with cardiac incompetence in Chinese population. Additional investigation will be need to confirm the association.</p>

Representative appressorium stage cDNA library of Magnaporthe grisea / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

A mature appressorium cDNA library of rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe grisea, was constructed in a lambdaTriplEx2 vector by SMART cDNA library containing 2.37x10(6) independent clones about 100% of which harbor foreign cDNA inserts with average size of 660 bp. Of 9 randomly selected clones, 2 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) sequences did not have homologous EST sequences of M. grisea in GenBank. The appressorium cDNA library is suitable for gene expression analysis and function analysis of the late stages of appressorium formation and the early stages of penetration of M. grisea.