Is circumferential pulmonary vein isolation preferable to stepwise segmental pulmonary vein isolation for patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation?

BACKGROUND: Stepwise segmental pulmonary vein isolation (SPVI) and circumferential pulmonary vein isolation (CPVI) have been developed to treat patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), but the preferable approach for paroxysmal AF (PAF) has not been established. METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred and ten patients with symptomatic PAF were randomized into a stepwise SPVI group (n=55) or CPVI group (n=55). Systemic SPVI combined with left atrial linear ablation tailored by inducibility of AF was performed in the stepwise SPVI group. Circumferential linear ablation around the left and right-sided pulmonary veins (PVs) guided by 3-dimensional electroanatomic mapping was performed in the CPVI group. The endpoints of ablation are non-induciblity of AF in the stepwise SPVI group and continuity of circular lesions combined with PV isolation in the CPVI group. After the initial procedures, atrial tachyarrhythmis (ATa) recurred within the first 3 months in 23 of the 55 patients (41.8%) who underwent stepwise SPVI and in 20 of the 55 patients (36.4%) who had CPVI (p=0.69). Repeat procedures were performed in 7 patients from the stepwise SPVI group and 5 from the CPVI group (p=0.76). During the 3-9 months after the last procedure, 46 patients (83.6%) from the CPVI group and 43 (78.2%) from the stepwise SPVI group did not have symptomatic ATa while not taking anti-arrhythmic drugs (p=0.63). Severe subcutaneous hematoma or PV stenosis occurred in 3 patients. CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of stepwise SPVI is comparable to that of CPVI for patients with PAF.     

The Chinese Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory: the development of a short form

Aims and objectives. To examine the validity and reliability of the short form of the Childbirth Self‐Efficacy Inventory in a clinical Chinese pregnant population. Background. Childbirth self‐efficacy has become an important psychological construct for both childbirth educators and researchers because pregnant women's perception may influence the meaning and consequences of childbirth. Assessment done by the original Childbirth Self‐Efficacy Inventory limits the scientific rigor for generating additional research into the construct, as its items were repetitive and its structure is lengthy. Methods. This prospective study investigated 293 Chinese pregnant women in their third trimester of pregnancy. The women completed the short form of the Childbirth Self‐Efficacy Inventory, the Chinese Self‐efficacy Scale and the socio‐demographic questionnaire in an interview room of the study hospital. The re‐testing of the scale on the participants was carried out two weeks later in the same clinic. Results. Factor analysis and item‐subscale correlations supported the conceptual dimensions of the short form of the Chinese Childbirth Self‐Efficacy Inventory. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for both subscales were over 0·9. The convergent validity with the Chinese Self‐Efficacy Scale was reflected by a moderate correlation for the two subscales. The efficacy expectancy subscale differentiated primigravid from multigravid women (t = 2·83, P < 0·01, CI = ?2·33 to 2·34). Conclusions. The reliability and validity information presented in this paper supports the use of the short form of the Childbirth Self‐Efficacy Inventory as a research instrument in measuring the childbirth self‐efficacy among the Chinese population. Further validation of the measure is warranted. Relevance to clinical practice. The reliable short form of the Childbirth Self‐Efficacy Inventory could be used in routine clinical practice in maternity care services to provide a point of reference for future research and development in both childbirth education and clinical practice.     

Molecular cloning and characterization of a Ca2+/calmodulin-insensitive adenylyl cyclase from rat brain.

Biochemical, immunological, and molecular cloning studies have suggested the existence of multiple forms of adenylyl cyclase (EC 4.6.1.1). An adenylyl cyclase cDNA clone (type II) was isolated from a rat brain library and found to encode a protein of 1090 amino acids that was homologous to but distinct from the previously described Ca2+/calmodulin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase from bovine brain. Expression of the type II cDNA in an insect cell line resulted in an increased level of adenylyl cyclase activity that was insensitive to Ca2+/calmodulin. Addition of activated Gs alpha protein to type II-containing membranes increased enzyme activity. The mRNA encoding the type II protein was expressed at high levels in brain tissue and at low levels in olfactory epithelium and lung. The existence of multiple adenylyl cyclase enzymes may provide for complex and distinct modes of biochemical regulation of cAMP levels in the brain.     

原代培养大鼠肝细胞分离方法比较研究

目的:探索原代培养大鼠肝细胞的最佳分离方法。方法:对比观察不同的肝细胞分离技术的培养效果。培养前,以4％台盼蓝染色判定肝细胞活性,培养48h后,观察肝细胞贴壁及生长状况。结果:①灌流消化法优于剪切消化法;②在多种灌流消化法中,经门静脉灌流消化法优于经胆总管灌流消化法及经腹主动脉灌流消化法;③在门静脉灌流的基础上,0.1％胶原酶Ⅰ37℃热消化10～15分钟,效果最好,而0.25％胰蛋白酶消化10～12分钟次之,用含EDTA的D-Hank液直接灌流分离法效果极差。结论:原代培养肝细胞的得率及活性与不同分离法包括灌流途径、灌流液、消化时间等有关。     

小鼠胰星状细胞的分离培养及鉴定

目的:建立简单易行的小鼠胰星状细胞(PSCs)原代培养方法,为胰腺纤维化研究提供可靠的体外细胞模型.方法:采用植块法结合酶消化法进行培养,即在无菌条件下取小鼠正常胰腺组织,经过剪碎、胰蛋白酶消化后植入培养瓶中贴壁培养,并予限制性条件培养基进行纯化,通过倒置生物显微镜对传代前后所培养细胞进行形态学、自发荧光及油红染色脂滴的观察,并结合细胞免疫化学和免疫荧光等方法来鉴定小鼠PSCs.结果:小鼠原代PSCs培养3-4 d后油红染色阳性,并能观察到自发荧光现象;传代后的细胞形态主要表现为体积较大,伪足发达,呈"星芒状"或"乌贼样";细胞免疫荧光染色和细胞免疫化学染色显示α-平滑肌肌动蛋白(α-SMA)表达阳性.结论:植块与酶消化结合法分离小鼠胰腺星状细胞,简单实用、成功率高,能够满足体外实验的要求.     

Ultrasensitive detection of uric acid in serum of patients with gout by a new assay based on Pt@Ag nanoflowers

A ultrasensitive assay for the determination of uric acid (UA) based on Pt@Ag nanoflowers (Pt@Ag NFs) was constructed. H₂O₂ was formed by the reaction of uricase and UA and produced the hydroxyl radical (˙OH). The system was catalyzed by Pt@Ag NFs to change the color of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) from colorless to blue, and the morphology and chemical properties of Pt@Ag NFs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Under the optimized conditions, a linear relationship between the absorbance and UA concentration was in the range of 0.5–150 μM (R² = 0.995) with a limit of detection of 0.3 μM (S/N = 3). The method can be applied to detection of UA in actual samples with satisfactory results. The proposed assay was successfully applied to the detection of UA in human serum with recoveries over 96.8%. Thus, these results imply that the UA assay provides an effective tool in fast clinical analysis of gout.

A ultrasensitive assay for the determination of uric acid (UA) based on Pt@Ag nanoflowers (Pt@Ag NFs) was constructed.     

囊虫病患者血清sIL－2R、TNFα、IL－6和IL－8的测定及临床意义

本文检测了３０例囊虫病患者血清中可溶性白细胞介素２受体（ｓＩＬ－２Ｒ）、肿瘤坏死因子（ＴＮＦα）、ＩＬ－６和ＩＬ－８的水平。结果显示，患者血清中ｓＩＬ－２Ｒ量为４４７．１２±１１３．３７ｕ／ｍｌ，ＴＮＦα为０．６６±１２ｎｇ／ｍｌ，ＩＬ－６为０．１７５±０．０２３ｎｇ／ｍｌ，ＩＬ－８为０．６１２±０．０７２ｎｇ／ｍｌ，均显著高于正常组。初步分析了这些细胞因子的水平与疾病的关系。     

心痛灵滴丸预适应对兔心肌缺血再灌注损伤保护作用的研究

目的：探讨心痛灵滴丸预适应对兔心肌缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用。方法：采用冠状动脉粥样硬化(AS)家兔在体心肌缺血再灌注损伤模型，观察心痛灵滴丸预适应对兔心肌组织形态结构和脂质过氧化的影响。结果：心痛灵滴丸预适应能减轻缺血再灌注时心肌组织及细胞超微结构的形态学损伤，能显著提高兔血清超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性，降低血清丙二醛(MDA)含量，而且能加强缺血预适应对兔心肌缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用。结论：心痛灵滴丸预适应能诱导缺血预适应样心脏保护作用，其机制可能与清除氧自由基、抑制脂质过氧化反应有关。