ABSTRACT
A 39-year-old male with a history of cardiac murmur from early childhood was diagnosed as having infectious endocarditis (IE) complicated by discrete subaortic stenosis (DSS). Echocardiography revealed severe aortic regurgitation, subaortic membranous structure and mild mitral regurgitation. The pressure gradient across the subaortic stenosis was 105 mmHg according to continuous Doppler wave ultrasonography. Aortic valve replacement and resection of subaortic membranous tissue and mitral annuloplasty were performed. Postoperative cardiac catheterization demonstrated that the hemodynamic data were remarkably improved, and the patient was free of symptoms. He is currently well at 6 months after the operation.
Subject(s)
Discrete Subaortic Stenosis/complications , Endocarditis, Bacterial/surgery , Adult , Endocarditis, Bacterial/etiology , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
Abstract A 46-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was admitted owing to a sudden severe back pain. She had been receiving corticosteroids throughout the course of long-standing nephritis, and had a family history of dissecting aortic aneurysm. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations of the chest with intravenous contrast revealed a dissecting aortic aneurysm. Surgical replacement of the aortic arch was performed. The histological findings in the thoracic aorta were compatible with cystic medial necrosis. We report this rare case, and review the literature relating to this complication.
Subject(s)
Adenosine Triphosphate/metabolism , Graft Survival/physiology , Hyaluronic Acid/blood , Liver Transplantation/physiology , Alanine Transaminase/blood , Animals , Biomarkers/analysis , Biomarkers/blood , Cyclosporine/therapeutic use , Dogs , Heart Arrest , Hydrocortisone/therapeutic use , Potassium Chloride , Time Factors , Transplantation, HomologousABSTRACT
Bra r 1 encodes a Ca2+-binding protein specifically expressed in anthers of Brassica rapa. In this study, we isolated a genomic clone of Bra r 1 and found sequences similar to Pollen Box core motifs and LAT56/59 box, pollen-specific cis-acting element, in the 5' upstream region of Bra r 1. Reporter gene fusion revealed that the Bra r 1 promoter directs male gametophytic expression in Nicotiana tabacum, Arabidopsis thaliana and B. napus, showing strong expression in mature pollen grains similar to that of endogenous Bra r 1. Genomic DNA of Bra r 1 was introduced into tobacco plants and the highest accumulation of Bra r 1 protein was observed in mature pollen in the same manner as reporter gene expression. Using in vitro-germinated pollen tubes of transgenic tobacco, we firstly demonstrated the subcellular localization of Bra r 1 in pollen tubes. Bra r 1 protein was distributed throughout the pollen tube of transgenic tobacco and slightly intense signals of Bra r 1 were observed in the tip region. In long-germinated pollen tubes, Bra r 1 was detected only in the cytoplasmic compartments while no signals were observed in the empty part of the pollen tube, indicating that cytoplasmic movement toward the tube tip is accompanied by Bra r 1. Hence, we suggest that Bra r 1 is involved in pollen germination and pollen tube growth.
