Review:Cell therapy in congestive heart failure

Congestive heart failure (CHF) has emerged as a major worldwide epidemic and its main causes seem to be the aging of the population and the survival of patients with post-myocardial infarction. Cardiomyocyte dropout (necrosis and apoptosis) plays a critical role in the progress of CHF; thus treatment of CHF by exogenous cell implantation will be a promising medical approach. In the acute phase of cardiac damage cardiac stem cells (CSCs) within the heart divide symmetrically and/or asym-metrically in response to the change of heart homeostasis, and at the same time homing of bone marrow stem cells (BMCs) to injured area is thought to occur, which not only reconstitutes CSC population to normal levels but also repairs the heart by dif-ferentiation into cardiac tissue. So far, basic studies by using potential sources such as BMCs and CSCs to treat animal CHF have shown improved ventricular remodelling and heart function. Recently, however, a few of randomized, double-blind, pla-cebo-controlled clinical trials demonstrated mixed results in heart failure with BMC therapy during acute myocardial infarction.     

Biochemical Basis of Heterogeneity in Acute Presentations of Propionic Acidemia

Propionic acidemia (PA), an uncommon organic acidemia has varied clinical and metabolic presentation causing difficulty and delay in the diagnosis. We report a case of PA in an infant who presented with failure to thrive, acute encephalopathy due to severe hyperammonemia without acidosis and fungal sepsis. The biochemical basis of severe hyperammonemia is discussed.     

Serum Paraoxonase (PON1) Activity in North-West Indian Punjabi’s with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Human serum paraoxonase-1 (PON1), an enzyme on HDL prevents oxidation of LDL thereby preventing the development of atherosclerosis. Studies done so far have lead to conflicting results. As studies are lacking in North-West Indian Punjabi’s, a distinct ethnic group with high incidence of coronary artery disease, we determined PONase activity in this population. It has been postulated that sudden lowering of serum PONase may lead to precipitation of acute myocardial infarction. We determined serum PONase activity and lipids in 100 patients each of AMI (within 24 h of onset), stable CAD and 100 age and sex matched healthy controls. These were again determined after 6 weeks in AMI patients. The mean serum PONase activity was lowest in AMI patients (23.26 U/ml) followed by stable CAD patients (102.0 U/ml) where as in controls was highest (179.8 U/ml). In patients with AMI, activity was significantly higher at 6 weeks as compared to that after acute event (49.39 %; p < 0.05). Sudden lowering of serum PONase activity in a population which already has lower activity may be one of the risk factors for development of AMI.     

An Alternative Approach for Expressing [Vdot]O2 Max Changes When Comparing Training Programs

The purpose of this study was to examine African American toddlers' cortisol response to acute physical play activity within a full-time subsidized day care environment. Saliva samples were taken from participants (N = 22, ages 26–45.5 months) before and after physical play and control play conditions at the same time of day. ActiheartTM monitors were used to estimate the intensity of the play conditions. Although heart rate and other indicators were significantly higher during physical play, no change in cortisol levels was seen pre- to postphysical play. Further research is needed to better understand the cortisol response observed.     

MTHFR (Ala 222 Val) polymorphism and AMI in patients with type II diabetes mellitus

The prevalent Ala222Val single nucleotide polymorphism of the MTHFR gene has been shown to be associated with type II diabetes. The objective of the present study was to find out whether there is genetic predisposition for development of acute myocardial infarction in type II diabetes mellitus among South Indian Tamil population. PCR-based restriction enzyme analysis was performed in DNA isolated from 120 acute myocardial infarction patients with diabetes mellitus and 100 non diabetic healthy individuals with no documented cardiovascular diseases. The results indicate that the MTHFR 677TT genotype is absent in both case and controls. The MTHFR 677CT genotype was observed among 32 (26.7 %) cases and 20 (20%) controls and the MTHFR 677CC genotype among 88 (73.3%) cases and 80 (80%) controls. The allelic frequencies were in accordance to Hardy Weinberg equilibrium. There was no statistical difference in genotype distribution between cases and controls. In conclusion, we suggest that the analysis of MTHFR genotyping for C677T polymorphism alone need not be considered to find out whether there is genetic predisposition for development of acute myocardial infarction in type II diabetes mellitus among South Indian Tamil population.     

急性乙醇中毒大鼠中枢氨基酸类递质及行为学改变的研究

目的 观察急性乙醇中毒对大鼠海马、小脑氨基酸类神经递质及行为学改变的影响,以探讨急性乙醇中毒对中枢神经系统损害的机制。方法雄性Wistar大鼠48只,随机分为对照组,饮酒后0．5h组,饮酒后1．0h组,饮酒后1．5h组,饮酒后2．0h组,饮酒后4．0h组;实验组60％（v／v）白酒1次灌胃（灌胃体积10ml／kg）,对照组用等量生理盐水灌胃。采用高效液相色谱法和Moms水迷宫法分别检测大鼠小脑和海马中谷氨酸（glutamic acid,Glu）和γ-氨基丁酸（gamma aminobutyric acid,GABA）含量的变化以及逃逸潜伏期（escape latency,EL）的变化。结果实验组大鼠小脑和海马中Glu和GABA含量明显下降（P〈0．01）,小脑中Glu和GABA比值在0．5h和2,0h组明显升高（P〈0．01）．实验组大鼠在饮酒后逃逸潜伏期（EL）值明显延长（P〈0．01）,2．0h组和4．0h组的EL值较其他实验组明显缩短（P〈0．01）。结论急性乙醇中毒引起行为学改变可能与小脑和海马氨基酸类神经递质改变有关。     

Diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction: CK-MB versus cTn-T in Indian patients

The comparative diagnostic efficacy of two cardiac markers: CK-MB and cTn-T, has scarcely been investigated in Indian patients of acute myocardial infarction. The present study was conducted for the same objective. The present study comprised of 59 patients. Males were 44 (75%) and females were 15 (25 %). The age of patients ranged from 32–84 years with mean age of 62.8 yrs. The mean age of males and females were 60 and 63 yrs respectively. All patients presented with history of chest pain with a 12 leads ECG proven MI (ST Elevation, discordant T-waves). CK-MB was estimated in peripheral blood samples at 0,24,48 and 72 hours by an autoanalyzer. Following 12 hours of admission bed side Troponin-T test was done employing cTn-T marker kit. Initially (0 hr), in 50% patients CK-MB was elevated. By end of 24 hours all the patients were CKMB positive and peak level was attained at 24 hrs. Then it tended to decline over next 48 hrs. There were no false positive or negative results. The cTn-T test was positive only in 22 % of ECG positive infarctions. However, the cTn-T positive cases were always accompanied by a higher CK-MB levels. A significantly lower cTn-T positive cases in Indian patients can only be attributed to some difference in amino acid sequence of Indian cTn-T and occidental cTn-T. A larger study from other Indian cardiac centers can either substantiate or contradict our results.     

Acetylation Pharmacogenetics and Renal Function in Diabetes Mellitus Patients

Activities of human hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes N-acetyl transferase (NATS) had earlier been recognized as a cause of inter-individual variation in the metabolism of drugs. Therefore acetylation of many drugs in human exhibit genetic polymorphism. The aim of the study was to investigate if acetylator status predispose diabetic mellitus patients more to the complications of renal disease, One hundred and twenty (120) diabetics consisting of (50) Type 1 (T₁) and 70 Type 2 (T₂) diabetes mellitus patients and 100 healthy individuals as controls were classified as slow or rapid acetylator using sulphamethazine (SMZ) as an in vivo probe. The percentage acetylation, recovery of SMZ, creatinine clearance and presence of urinary albumin were determined. A significant difference (P < 0.05) was observed in the percentage of SMZ acetylated between slow and rapid acetylators in control, T₁ and T₂ subjects. The ratios of slow to rapid acetylators for T₁, T₂ and control subjects were 1:4, 3:2 and 2:3 respectively. No significant differences were observed in the percentage of SMZ recovered in the urine of slow and rapid acetylators that are diabetics. The difference in creatinine clearance of slow and rapid acetylators in T₁ and T₂ were significant (P < 0.05). 29% out of 120 (24.2%) diabetics (T₁ and T₂) exhibited albuminuria out of which 25 (86.2%) had slow acetylator status. These findings suggest that slow acetylator status in diabetes mellitus could be a predisposing factor in the development of renal complications. This underscores the need for a rapid pharmacogenetic testing and therapeutic drug monitoring in such patients. However this inference could be further validated with a larger sample size.     

低分子肝素加丹参注射液治疗急性脑梗塞的疗效观察

目的观察低分子肝素(速避凝)加丹参注射液治疗急性梗塞的疗效.方法对60例起病在48h内的急性脑梗塞患者随机分为治疗组和对照组给予低分子肝素加丹参及普通治疗.结果治疗组较对照组治愈率(P＜0.05)明显提高.结论本疗法疗效理想,应用方便,副反应轻而小,值得临床推广.     

中药退热汤治疗上呼吸道感染154例分析

目的 :了解中药治疗上呼吸道感染的退热效果及毒负作用。方法 :选择急性发热或伴有身冷乏力、咳嗽咽痛头疼及全身酸痛并能坚持服用中药的中青年患者 15 4例为对象 ,对不同意用中药的 197例投以西药作对比观察。结果 :中药组与西药组平均治愈好转时间相比较无显著差异 (P >0 .0 5 )。结论 :西药退热来的快、维持时间短、反跳明显 ,负作用大。中药退热稍慢、但疗效稳固、反跳少负作用小 ,可谓中药治疗上呼吸道感染既经济又实惠、既安全又有效。