Value of intravascular ultrasound, 64 multi-detector computed tomography and quantitative coronary angiography on lesion of coronary artery in unstable angina pectoris patient / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the value of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and assess the value of quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) and 64 multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) on unstable anginas (UAP) risk stratification.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>A total of 61 UAP patients (low risk: 17, middle risk: 33 and high risk: 11) were recruited, 71 vessels were examined by MDCT, QCA and IVUS. Plaque characteristics (soft, fibrous, calcified and mixed plaques) and plaque burden at minimum area (< or = 50%, 51% - 74% and > or = 75%) were detected, calculated and analyzed. Results derived from various detection methods were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Plaque burden detection by QCA was comparable to IVUS results for low and middle risk UAP (r = 0.768 and r = 0.721, respectively; all P < 0.01) but not for high risk UAP (67% + or - 14% vs.75% + or - 16%, P < 0.01) due to significant positive vessel remodeling (remodeling index = 1.21 + or - 0.31). The high negative predict value of MDCT for stenosed coronary vessels (87.8% - 96.3%)was valuable for exclusion of coronary heart disease but MDCT was not able to identify fibrous cap (kappa = 0.235) and lipid core (kappa = 0.245). Extent of remodeling index, external elastic membrane area, minimum lumen area, plaque burden, plaque rupture and thrombosis increased in proportion to increasing risks of UAP patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>QCA is a suitable tool for assessing UAP patients with low and middle vessel stenosis but underestimated the stenosis degree in UAP patients with high vessel stenosis. MDCT is valuable for exclusion vessel disease but not useful for identifying soft and fibrous plaque. Soft plaque with positive remodeling index and minimum lumen area < 4 mm(2) derived from IVUS could correctly identify UAP patients with high degree of vessel stenosis.</p>

Quantitative coronary angiography and intravascular ultrasound assessments on target lesion and reference vessel in patients with diabetes mellitus / 中华心血管病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the accuracy of quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) assessment on target lesion and reference vessel in patients with diabetes mellitus with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) measurements as golden standard.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>QCA and IVUS were performed in 52 diabetes mellitus patients [35 males, mean age (62.3 +/- 7.1) years]. Regression equation was ascertained with the IVUS derived plaque burden as dependent and QCA derived vessel stenosis as independent variable. The measurement results derived from the two modalities on proximal and distal reference vessels were compared.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The regression equation (constant = 0.8286, P = 0.001) of plaque burden and vessel stenosis derived from two modalities were significantly correlated (r = 0.691, P < 0.001) but QCA overestimated the stenosis severity (57.9% +/- 15.5% vs. 53.5% +/- 12.9%, P < 0.01). Target vessels negative remodeling index in these patient was 0.87 +/- 0.23. QCA significantly underestimated the proximal and distal reference segments vessel diameters [(0.81 +/- 0.24) mm, (0.64 +/- 0.17) mm, all P < 0.05] as compared to IVUS results.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Due to the significant negative vessel remodeling, QCA overestimated the stenosis severity and underestimated the reference segments vessel diameters in patients with diabetes mellitus.</p>

Elevation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta and interleukin-6 levels in aortic intima of Chinese Guizhou minipigs with streptozotocin-induced diabetes / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Large animal models with toxin-mediated pancreatic damage have been used extensively in researches with respect to diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diabetic complications. The present study aimed to establish Chinese Guizhou minipig models with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes and characterize the animal models by analyzing inflammatory cytokine levels in aortic wall, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and interleukin-6 (IL-6).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-two male Chinese Guizhou minipigs (age, 4 to 6 months; weight, 20 kg to 30 kg) were divided into STZ-induced diabetic group (n = 12) and control group (n = 10). STZ (125 mg/kg) was administrated to induce hyperglycemia and afterwards insulin was used to control fasting blood glucose levels below 10 mmol/L. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed before and one month after STZ administration and serum concentrations of alanine transaminase, asparagine transaminase, albumin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, lipids and white blood cell count were measured before and six months later. Animals in both groups were euthanized after six months and pancreas was examined immunohistochemically for islet beta cells. Aortic intima of diabetic minipigs and controls was analyzed for TNF-alpha level in tissue conditioned medium by Western blot. TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 mRNA levels in aortic intima were assayed by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Significant elevation in serum glucose levels was observed one month and six months after STZ induction (P < 0.001) and markedly increased OGTT values were noted, compared with baseline data. The normal pancreas had many irregular sized islets and small clusters of islet beta cells, while in pancreas of diabetic minipigs islet beta cells almost disappeared. No statistical difference was notified in serum concentrations of biochemical examinations before and six months after STZ induction. Western blot demonstrated dramatically increased TNF-alpha level in aotic intima conditioned medium, and significant elevation of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 mRNA levels was revealed by RT-PCR.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The present study has established Chinese Guizhou minipig models with STZ-induced diabetes. Inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6) significantly elevated in aortic intima of diabetic minipigs.</p>

Isolation and characterization of a novel strain of Natrinema containing a bop gene / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

A novel member of extremely halophilic archaea, strain AJ2, was isolated from Ayakekum Lake located in Altun Mountain National Nature Reserve of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in China. The strain AJ2 requires at least 10% (w/v) NaCl and grows 10% to 30% (optimum at 20%). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequence comparison revealed that strain AJ2 clustered to three Natrinema species with less than 97.7% sequence similarities, suggesting AJ2 is a novel member of Natrinema. A bacteriorhodopsin-encoding (bop) gene was subsequently detected in the AJ2 genome using the polymerase chain reaction technique. The cloning and sequencing of a 401 base pairs fragment indicated the deduced amino acid sequence of bop from AJ2 is different from that reported for bacteriorhodopsins. This is the first reported detection of a bop gene in Natrinema.

Effect of insulin on the synthesis and secretion of adrenomedullin in rat aortas in vitro / 中国康复理论与实践

@#ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of glucose and insulin on the synthesis and secretion of adrenomedullin (ADM) by rat aortas in vitro.MethodsThe rat aortas were cut into pieces and divided into several equal groups. All the groups were incubated in K-H buffers including different levels of glucose,insulin and insulin+glucose for 3 hours,the group incubated in K-H buffer without glucose was used as control. To determine ADM in K-H buffers and tissues using RIA method.ResultsADM levels in insulin groups (100.0 μIU/ml,200.0 μIU/ml) and insulin+glucose groups were higher than that in control (P<0.05),the ADM levels in glucose groups and low level insulin group (20.0 μIU/ml) were not significantly difference compared with the control. ConclusionHigh levels of insulin can stimulate the synthesis and secretion of ADM.