电子束CT在疑诊冠心病胸痛鉴别诊断中的意义

目的　探讨电子束CT(EBCT)在疑诊冠心病胸痛鉴别诊断中的作用。方法　对 86例以胸痛为主要症状、临床疑诊为冠心病心绞痛者做EBCT检查冠状动脉钙化、冠状动脉造影、平板运动试验和 2 4小时动态心电图检查。结果　冠状动脉造影狭窄组冠脉钙化总积分明显高于无狭窄组 (P <0 0 5 ) ;X综合征患者冠状动脉亦存在不同程度钙化 ,但低于冠状动脉狭窄者 ;冠状动脉无钙化者心绞痛症状不典型 ,平板运动试验阴性 ,冠脉造影正常。结论　结果提示EBCT在冠心病心绞痛的诊断中有较大的意义 ,即无钙化者有可能排除冠心病心绞痛的诊断。     

电子束CT在老年人疑诊冠心病胸痛鉴别诊断中的意义

目的 探讨电子束CT（EBCT）在老年人疑诊冠心病胸痛鉴别诊断中的作用。方法 对62例以胸痛为主要症状、临床疑诊认为冠心病心绞痛的老年患者做EBCT、冠状动脉造影等检查。结果 冠状动脉造影狭窄组冠脉钙化总积分明显高于无狭窄组（P＜0．05）,冠状动脉有钙化但无狭窄者中,大多数患者使用抗心绞痛药物使胸痛发作明显减少;而对冠状动脉无钙化和狭窄者的胸痛均不需抗心绞痛药物治疗。结论 EBCT检查对老年人冠状动脉无钙化者有助于排除冠心病、心绞痛。     

169例心脏瓣膜病冠状动脉造影分析

心脏瓣膜病患者瓣膜置换术前了解冠状动脉形态和变异，对手术时是否同时作搭桥术及术后处理有重要意义，国内对此报道极少。我们对１６９例心脏瓣膜病者术前临床资料和冠状动脉造影结果进行综合分析对比，结果表明：１４．８％的心脏瓣膜病伴发冠心病，其中无症状者占８０％。由于瓣膜病患者常有心电图ＳＴ－Ｔ的非特异性改变（本组达７８．４％），使临床常用的无创性检查不能对合并冠心病作出肯定诊断，必须作冠状动脉造影才能确诊。本研究表明，年龄大于５０岁者，心瓣膜置换术前应常规行冠状动脉造影检查，以减少手术并发症及病死率。     

冠状动脉钙化和CT血管造影与常规危险因素诊断和预测冠心病的对比研究

目的　对比冠状动脉钙化积分 (CCS)、电子束CT血管造影 (EBA)与常规冠心病危险因素诊断和预测冠心病 (一支以上冠状动脉狭窄率≥ 5 0 % )的价值。方法　 10 7例患者同时行常规冠状动脉造影 (CAG)、电子束CT冠状动脉钙化 (非增强扫描 )和电子束CT血管造影 (增强扫描 ) ,以及常规冠心病危险因素分析。EBA采用静脉法单层心电门控增强扫描 ,诊断在断层和三维重建图像上完成。CCS采用Agatston方法完成。电子束CT及常规冠心病危险因素与CAG结果做双盲法对照研究。结果　本组冠心病患者和非冠心病患者分别为 6 5例 ( 6 0 7% )和 4 2例 ( 39 3% ) ,CCS在冠心病组和非冠心病组分别为 5 33 5± 6 0 6 5和 14 2 4± 2 93 6 (P <0 0 0 1)。年龄、体重指数、糖尿病和高胆固醇血症的发病率在冠心病组显著高于非冠心病组 (P <0 0 5 )。冠状动脉钙化阳性 (CCS >0 )诊断冠心病与EBA有相近的敏感性和阴性预测值 (P >0 0 5 )。EBA诊断非钙化性 (CCS =0 )或少量钙化(CCS <10 0 )冠状动脉节段狭窄的特异性和准确性高于CCS且差异有显著性 (P <0 0 1) ;但对于较多冠状动脉钙化病变 (CCS >10 0 )差异无显著性 (P >0 0 5 )。CCS和EBA诊断冠心病的敏感性和特异性分别为 79%和 73% (P >0 0 5 ) ,以及 6 6 %和 88% (P <0 0     

心脏瓣膜病伴发冠心病的流行病学研究

目的探讨心脏瓣膜病(HVD)患者术前行冠脉造影检查的指征。方法回顾性分析我院40岁以上因心脏瓣膜病拟行瓣膜手术的868例患者术前冠脉造影检查资料。结果男性伴发冠心病高于女性,发病的年龄较女性低,在选择瓣膜病患者进行冠脉造影检查时,应充分考虑是否并发有冠心病发病危险因素,不同部位瓣膜病变的冠心病发生率相仿。结论50岁以上尤其是男性心脏瓣膜病患者易合并冠心病,或冠心病引起瓣膜病变,尤其是左房室瓣关闭不全;故50岁以上瓣膜手术的患者术前应常规行冠脉造影;40～50岁心脏瓣膜病患者虽不需常规行冠脉造影,但如具备多个冠心病危险因素(如高血压、糖尿病、严重肥胖、吸烟、家属病史等),或者术前有明显冠心病症状,条件允许也建议行冠脉造影排除冠心病。     

主动脉瓣膜钙化部位与冠状动脉病变部位的关系探讨

目的探讨心脏瓣膜病及冠心病的相关危险因素,并分析主动脉瓣膜钙化部位与冠状动脉病变部位的关系。方法选择因胸痛来我院就诊的住院病人602例作为研究对象,排除相关疾病,入选病人行经胸超声心动图和冠状动脉造影检查。分析瓣膜钙化和无瓣膜钙化病变病人及冠心病和无冠心病病人的危险因素,并对主动脉瓣膜钙化部位与冠状动脉病变部位进行对比研究。结果瓣膜钙化组与非钙化组年龄、男性、高血压、糖尿病、吸烟史及冠状动脉造影阳性比较,差异有统计学意义(P0.05或P0.01)。冠心病组与非冠心病组年龄、男性、高血压、高血脂、糖尿病、吸烟史及心脏瓣膜钙化比较,差异有统计学意义(P0.05或P0.01)。主动脉瓣膜钙化部位与冠状动脉病变部位无关。结论主动脉瓣膜钙化部位不能成为预测冠状动脉病变部位的因素。     

电子束计算机断层摄影术检出冠状动脉钙化诊断冠心病的再评价

目的：评价电子束计算机断层摄影术（ＥＢＣＴ）平扫诊断冠心病的价值。方法：５６８例进行冠状动脉造影的患者，于冠状动脉造影前进行冠状动脉ＥＢＣＴ检查。采用心电触发单层序列平扫。以冠状动脉造影存在１支以上的管径狭窄≥５０％为诊断冠心病标准。结果：５６８例患者中，冠心病患者３７６例，无冠心病患者１９２例。冠心病患者的冠状动脉钙化计分（２８３．８５±５６３．６３）明显高于非冠心病患者（３３．４６±９２．１１，Ｐ＜０．００１）。以ＥＢＣＴ有无冠状动脉钙化判断冠心病的敏感性、特异性及准确性分别为８２．９８％、６６．６７％及７７．４６％。在５０岁以下（不含５０岁，５０岁以下组）的患者，冠状动脉钙化判断冠心病的特异性和阳性预测值较５０岁以上（５０岁以上组）患者高，但敏感性较低；５０岁以下组的患者，左回旋支及右冠状动脉钙化预测冠心病的价值高于前降支钙化。结论：ＥＢＣＴ发现的冠状动脉钙化对冠心病诊断有重要意义，尤其对５０岁以下组的患者，冠状动脉钙化其价值更大     

463例心脏瓣膜病冠状动脉造影分析

目的　观察心脏瓣膜病患者的冠状动脉病变的发生率。方法　对 46 3例心脏瓣膜病患者术前临床资料和选择性冠状动脉造影的结果进行综合分析。结果　心脏瓣膜病并发冠状动脉病变发生率为 16 8% ,其中无症状占 88 3%。结论　年龄大于 5 0岁者 (有冠心病危险因素者提前到 45岁 ) ,心脏瓣膜置换术前应常规行选择性冠状动脉造影检查 ,以减少手术并发症 ,确保瓣膜置换术后复跳成功     

运动试验阳性的女性患者冠脉造影结果分析

目的探讨平板运动试验对女性冠心病的诊断价值。方法对77例平板运动试验阳性的女性患者行冠状动脉造影检查，对结果进行回顾性分析。结果冠状动脉造影阳性48例（62．33％），阴性29例（37．67％）。阳性患者中单支病变10例，双支病变25例，多支病变13例。有胸痛症状者45例，冠状动脉造影阳性40例；无明显症状者32例，冠状动脉造影阳性8例。结论女性平板运动试验结果中，无临床症状者假阳性较多，有危险因素和临床症状者，平板运动试验阳性与冠状动脉造影阳性结果的符合率较高。     

118例确诊冠心病患者平板运动试验结果与冠脉CT病变特征对比分析

目的了解已确诊冠心病患者的平板运动试验（TET）不同结果与冠脉CT病变特征之间的联系。方法选取118例经冠状动脉造影确诊为冠心病的患者为研究对象,按TET结果分为阴性组、可疑阳性组、阳性组,比较三组间冠脉造影结果及冠脉CT斑块病变特征。结果TET阳性者37例（31．4％）,可疑阳性者39例（33．0％）,阴性者42例（35．6％）,冠心病TET假阴性率达35．6％;TET可疑阳性组与阳性组在冠状动脉病变数目、狭窄程度、病变血管发生率及冠脉CT斑块病变性质方面的差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）;TET可疑阳性组冠脉CT非钙化斑块数目比例多于阴性组[21／13（P=0．031）]。结论对平板运动试验阴性和可疑阳性患者,不应轻易否认或排除冠心病诊断,而应结合临床情况进行综合分析。     

Three layer functional model and energy exchange concept of aging process

Relying on a certain degree of abstraction, we can propose that no particular distinction exists between animate or living matter and inanimate matter. While focusing attention on some specifics, the dividing line between the two can be drawn. The most apparent distinction is in the level of structural and functional organization with the dissimilar streams of ‘energy flow’ between the observed entity and the surrounding environment. In essence, living matter is created from inanimate matter which is organized to contain internal intense energy processes and maintain lower intensity energy exchange processes with the environment. Taking internal and external energy processes into account, we contend in this paper that living matter can be referred to as matter of dissipative structure, with this structure assumed to be a common quality of all living creatures and living matter in general. Interruption of internal energy conversion processes and terminating the controlled energy exchange with the environment leads to degeneration of dissipative structure and reduction of the same to inanimate matter, (gas, liquid and/or solid inanimate substances), and ultimately what can be called ‘death.’ This concept of what we call dissipative nature can be extended from living organisms to social groups of animals, to mankind. An analogy based on the organization of matter provides a basis for a functional model of living entities. The models relies on the parallels among the three central structures of any cell (nucleus, cytoplasm and outer membrane) and the human body (central organs, body fluids along with the connective tissues, and external skin integument). This three-part structural organization may be observed almost universally in nature. It can be observed from the atomic structure to the planetary and intergalactic organizations. This similarity is corroborated by the membrane theory applied to living organisms. According to the energy nature of living matter and the proposed functional model, the decreased integrity of a human body's external envelope membrane is a first cause of the structural degradation and aging of the entire organism. The aging process than progresses externally to internally, as in single cell organisms, suggesting that much of the efforts towards the restoration and maintenance of the mechanisms responsible for structural development should be focused accordingly, on the membrane, i.e., the skin. Numerous reports indicate that all parts of the human body, like: bones, blood with blood vessels, muscles, skin, and so on, have some ability for restoration. Therefore, actual revival of not only aging tissue of the human body's membrane, but the entire human body enclosed within, with all internal organs, might be expected. We assess several aging theories within the context of our model and provide suggestions on how to activate the body's own anti-aging mechanisms and increase longevity. This paper presents some analogies and some distinctions that exist between the living dissipative structure matter and inanimate matter, discusses the aging process and proposes certain aging reversal solutions.     

Unusual responses of nocturnal pineal melatonin synthesis and secretion to swimming: Attempts to define mechanisms

Abstract: The effect of swimming at night on rat pineal melatonin synthesis was compared with that of light exposure at night. Rats were forced to swim at 0030 hr (lights out at 2000 hr) and sacrificed by decapitation 15 and 30 min later, immediately after swimming. Other groups of animals were exposed to white light (650μW/cm²) for 15 and 30 min at same time. Swimming caused a rapid and highly significant drop in the melatonin content in the pineal gland; however, the activity of N-acetyltransferase (NAT), the supposed rate limiting enzyme in the melatonin production, was not changed. Despite the drop in pineal melatonin levels, serum concentrations of the indole remained elevated in the rats that swam. In contrast, melatonin levels in the pineal and serum of light exposed rats fell precipitously, accompanied by a significant suppression of NAT activity. Since we anticipated that the strenuous exercise associated with swimming may induce release of artrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) from the heart, which in turn could cause the release of pineal melatonin, in a second study we injected physiological saline intravenously to stretch the cardiac muscle and release ANP. Three milliliters of normal saline was injected during the day into the jugular vein of anesthetized rats that were pretreated with isoproterenol to stimulate pineal melatonin production. Animals were killed 15 min after the saline injection, and pineal NAT activity and pineal melatonin levels were measured. The saline injections caused no alteration in the elevated levels of either NAT or melatonin. These data suggest that the disparity in pineal NAT activity (which was high) and pineal melatonin (which was low), in animals swum at night, may not be caused by ANP which is released during strenuous exercise such as swimming.     

Melatonin and photoperiodic time measurement: Seasonal breeding in the sheep

Abstract: Well-established circadian physiology supports the view that photoperiodic time measurement utilizes the coincidence between the presence of light and a photosensitive phase of a 'biological clock' to alter reproductive status—the so-called external coincidence model of seasonal breeding. In this review, we examine the mechanism whereby photoperiod interacts with presumed suprachiasmatic nuclei activity to allow endogenous melatonin to normally synchronize reproductive activity to the optimal time of year. The Romney Marsh sheep is particularly explored as an experimental model. It is suggested that the on/off activity of seasonal reproduction may be a robust mechanism able to be predictably manipulated by the judicious use of the light/dark cycle and exogenous melatonin, but firmly based on circadian principles.     

Serological survey of HIV and syphilis in pregnant women in Madagascar

Objectives Peripartal transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Treponema pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis, leads to severe consequences for newborns. Preventive measures require awareness of the maternal infection. Although HIV and syphilis testing in Madagascar could be theoretically carried out within the framework of the national pregnancy follow‐up scheme, the required test kits are rarely available at peripheral health centres. In this study, we screened blood samples of pregnant Madagascan women for HIV and syphilis seroprevalence to estimate the demand for systemic screening in pregnancy. Methods Retrospective anonymous serological analysis for HIV and syphilis was performed in plasma samples from 1232 pregnant women that were taken between May and July 2010 in Ambositra, Ifanadiana, Manakara, Mananjary, Moramanga and Tsiroanomandidy (Madagascar) during pregnancy follow‐up. Screening was based on Treponema pallidum haemagglutination tests for syphilis and rapid tests for HIV, with confirmation of positive screening results on line assays. Results Out of 1232 pregnant women, none were seropositive for HIV and 37 (3%) were seropositive for Treponema pallidum. Conclusions Our findings are in line with previous studies that describe considerable syphilis prevalence in the rural Madagascan population. The results suggest a need for screening to prevent peripartal Treponema pallidum transmission, while HIV is still rare. If they are known, Treponema pallidum infections can be easily, safely and inexpensively treated even in pregnancy to reduce the risk of transmission.     

Variabilité des concentrations plasmatiques de l’angiotensinogène et risque d’hypertension artérielle chez le rat transgénique

Aim

Genetic polymorphisms of the human angiotensinogen gene are frequent and may induce up to 30% increase of plasma angiotensinogen concentrations with a blood pressure increase of up to 5 mmHg. Their role for the pathogenesis of human arterial hypertension remains unclear. High plasma angiotensinogen levels could increase the sensitivity to other blood pressure stressors.

Methods

Male transgenic rats with a 9-fold increase of plasma angiotensinogen concentrations and male non-transgenic rats aged 10 weeks were treated or not with NG-Nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester for 3 weeks in their drinking water (n = 3/group). Systolic blood pressure and body weight were measured at baseline and at the end of the study when left ventricular weight and ventricular expression of angiotensin I-converting enzyme and procollagen Iα1 were determined (polymerase chain reaction).

Results

At baseline, transgenic rats had +18 mmHg higher bood pressure and –8% lower body weight compared to non-transgenic rats (P < 0.05) without significant changes for the vehicle groups throughout the study (P > 0.05). NG-Nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester increased blood pressure, left ventricular weight and left ventricular weight indexed for body weight by +41%, +17.6% and +18.6% (P < 0.05) in transgenic and +25%, +5.3% and +6.7% (P > 0.05) in non-transgenic rats compared to untreated animals, respectively. Cardiac gene expression showed no differences between groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Increased plasma angiotensinogen levels may sensitize to additional blood pressure stressors. Our preliminary results point towards an independent role of angiotensinogen in the pathogenesis of human hypertension and associated end-organ damage.     

Morphological and immunocytochemical heterogeneity of cultured pinealocytes from one-week-and two-month-old rats: Planimetric and densitometric investigations

Abstract: In vitro preparations of rat pinealocytes are widely used for biochemical analyses of signal transduction processes. This paper deals with morphological and immunocytochemical features of such preparations. Special attention was paid to the problems of whether pinealocytes represent a heterogeneous cell population and how such heterogeneity may develop during ontogeny. The investigations were performed with cells which were obtained from the pineal organ of one-week-and two-month-old rats, attached to synthetic peptide-coated coverslips or tissue culture chamber slides, and maintained under in vitro conditions overnight. The attached cells were then fixed with paraformaldehyde. These preparations yielded monolayers of spherical cells of different sizes; most cells were isolated, but some of them were aggregated and formed small clusters. On the average, the cells from the one-week-old animals were smaller than the cells from the two-month-old animals. Immunocytochemical demonstration of S-antigen, a pinealocyte-specific marker, showed that the majority of the cells from two-month-old animals were intensely or moderately labelled. Pinealocytes from one-week-old animals were less S-antigen immunoreactive. Only very few cells (less than 1% displayed glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-immunoreactivity. Planimetric investigations of the cell size and semiquantitative densitometric investigations of the intensity of the S-antigen immunoreaction revealed that (i) pinealocytes kept in vitro form a heterogeneous cell population, and that (ii) this heterogeneity increases during postnatal development from one-week-old to two-month-old animals. Two groups of pinealocytes can be distinguished based on their developmental fate: pinealocytes of one group grow dramatically, but show only a moderate increase in S-antigen immunoreactivity, and pinealocytes of the other group retain their size, but display a distinct increment in S-antigen immunoreacti vitv.     

Effects of pinealectomy and melatonin administration on certain indices of ovarian hyperplasia and/or hypertrophy in rats with both ovaries intact or after unilateral ovariectomy

Abstract: In earlier studies from other laboratories it was shown that melatonin decreased ovarian weight in rats and inhibited compensatory hypertrophy of the remaining ovary after unilateral ovariectomy. This study was designed to examine the influence of melatonin on certain indices of ovarian hyperplasia and/or hypertrophy in adult female rats with both ovaries preserved and with either an intact pineal gland or with the pineal gland removed (pinealectomy, PX) or, finally, in sham-PX animals. Similar studies were conducted on rats after unilateral ovariectomy, referring the examined parameters to the remaining intact ovary. The studies included mitotic activity of granulosa layer cells and corpus luteum cells, ovarian weight, ovarian cross-sectional area, cross-sectional area of the granulosa layer of all the Graafian follicles and the cross-sectional areas of the corpora lutea, visible on the ovarian cross-section. On the basis of results, we conclude that: 1) the effect of PX on the processes of ovarian hyperplasia and hypertrophy may vary; analogously, exogenous melatonin administration may influence ovarian hyperplasia and hypertrophy in different ways; 2) PX and exogenous melatonin may, under certain conditions, exert similar biological effects, even synergistic effects; 3) melatonin inhibits ovarian growth processes, while the effects of PX are variable; 4) the results indicate that in experiments performed on rats, with the use of two control groups, i.e., intact and sham-PX, melatonin effects on these two groups may differ.