心肌的细胞成形治疗

干细胞心内移植治疗又称心肌的细胞成形治疗,是治疗缺血性心脏病和心力衰竭等心肌细胞缺失疾患的新技术。常用的干细胞来源有：骨骼肌母细胞、胚胎干细胞和骨髓间充质干细胞。骨骼肌母细胞不能与受体心肌细胞成功地整合;胚胎干细胞由于伦理学问题将限制其在临床上的应用;骨髓间充质干细胞来源丰富、易分离、易操作,可能将成为理想的治疗干细胞来源。     

骨髓间充质干细胞及其在缺血性脑血管病中的应用

骨髓间充质干细胞是骨髓中的一群非造血干细胞，具有较强的自我更新能力和多向分化潜能，在体外不同诱导条件下可分化为骨细胞、神经细胞和平滑肌细胞等多种细胞。骨髓间充质干细胞已应用于缺血性脑血管病的治疗研究。文章对骨髓间充质干细胞及其在缺血性脑血管病中的应用做了综述。     

骨髓间质干细胞的生物学特性及在缺血性卒中的应用

目前,缺血性卒中的治疗手段较为有限,在细胞治疗领域,一系列基础和临床研究表明,骨髓间质干细胞对缺血性卒中有治疗作用.文章就骨髓间质干细胞的生物学特性及治疗缺血性卒中的最新进展做了综述.     

骨髓间充质干细胞在缺血性脑血管病治疗中的应用

缺血性脑血管病的病死率和致残率均很高,给社会和家庭带来了巨大负担。但目前在临床上无论是药物治疗还是外科手术治疗效果均不理想。最近的研究发现,骨髓间充质干细胞具有多向分化潜能,能跨胚层分化为神经细胞,其作为神经干细胞的来源,用于缺血性脑血管病的治疗具有广阔的前景。     

脂肪组织来源干细胞治疗缺血性心脏病的研究进展

干细胞移植治疗心血管疾病尤其是缺血性心脏病取得了令人鼓舞的结果,但既往研究主要集中于胚胎干细胞和骨髓间充质干细胞的研究。近年来,人们发现脂肪组织来源干细胞（ASCs）与其他组织来源干细胞相比具有来源广、取材创伤小、具有多向分化潜能、增殖能力强等优点,故近几年来ASCs在心血管疾病治疗上的作用受到越来越多的重视。本文对ASCs细胞生物学特性以及ASCs作为种子干细胞在缺血性心脏病、心肌细胞再生方面的基础和临床研究进展作一综述。     

骨髓间充质干细胞及其在肾病中的进展

骨髓间充质干细胞是一种成体干细胞,是组织工程的重要种子细胞之一。它来源丰富,取材方便,不但具有自我更新和多向分化的性质,还具有明显的可塑性特性。研究显示骨髓间充质干细胞可应用于多种疾病的治疗。本文就骨髓间充质干细胞的性质、分离方法、可塑性及其在肾脏中的应用做一简要综述。     

间充质干细胞来源的外泌体在心肌梗死治疗中的研究进展

心肌梗死的高发病率和高死亡率严重危害了人类健康.近年来,间充质干细胞被广泛用于心肌梗死和缺血性心力衰竭的治疗中.研究表明,间充质干细胞移植更多依赖旁分泌作用改善心脏功能,而外泌体被认为是重要的旁分泌介质.现综述近年来间充质干细胞来源的外泌体在心肌梗死治疗中相关作用机制的研究进展和应用前景.     

骨髓间充质干细胞在缺血性脑血管病治疗中的应用

缺血性脑血管病的病死率和致残率均很高，给社会和家庭带来了巨大负担。但目前在临床上无论是药物治疗还是外科手术治疗效果均不理想。最近的研究发现，骨髓间充质干细胞具有多向分化潜能，能跨胚层分化为神经细胞，其作为神经干细胞的来源，用于缺血性脑血管病的治疗具有广阔的前景。     

骨髓间充质干细胞移植治疗缺血性卒中的方法学研究进展

目前缺血性卒中的治疗措施较为有限,在生物治疗研究领域,骨髓间充质干细胞(BMSC)是最有潜力的种子细胞。综合临床前研究方法学的进展,文章主要对BMSC的细胞类型、细胞移植的时间窗、细胞移植途径、移植细胞后体内追踪技术以及治疗效果评价等方面的最新进展做了综述。     

骨髓间充质干细胞移植治疗心血管疾病的研究进展

目前用于心肌细胞移植的干细胞主要有胚胎心肌细胞及骨髓间充质干细胞.与前者相比,骨髓间充质干细胞具有取材方便、自身移植无免疫排斥反应、无医学伦理道德争议等优势,可能成为一种理想的治疗心肌损伤的移植细胞.本文就近年来应用骨髓间充质干细胞移植治疗相关心血管疾病的研究进展作一综述.     

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.     

The immunoneuroendocrine role of melatonin

Abstract: A tight, physiological link between the pineal gland and the immune system is emerging from a series of experimental studies. This link might reflect the evolutionary connection between self-recognition and reproduction. Pinealectomy or other experimental methods which inhibit melatonin synthesis and secretion induce a state of immunodepression which is counteracted by melatonin. In general, melatonin seems to have an immunoenhancing effect that is particularly apparent in immunodepressive states. The negative effect of acute stress or immunosuppressive pharmacological treatments on various immune parameters are counteracted by melatonin. It seems important to note that one of the main targets of melatonin is the thymus, i.e., the central organ of the immune system. The clinical use of melatonin as an immunotherapeutic agent seems promising in primary and secondary immunodeficiencies as well as in cancer immunotherapy. The immunoenhancing action of melatonin seems to be mediated by T-helper cell-derived opioid peptides as well as by lymphokines and, perhaps, by pituitary hormones. Melatonin-induced-immuno-opioids (MHO) and lymphokines imply the presence of specific binding sites or melatonin receptors on cells of the immune system. On the other hand, lymphokines such as -γ-interferon and interleukin-2 as well as thymic hormones can modulate the synthesis of melatonin in the pineal gland. The pineal gland might thus be viewed as the crux of a sophisticated immunoneuroendocrine network which functions as an unconscious, diffuse sensory organ.     

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.     

Response of rat pineal melatonin to calcium, magnesium, and lithium is circadian stage dependent

Abstract: Herein we documented the response of pineal melatonin production to electrolytes known to be effective on pineal function in view of a possible circadian stage dependence. We studied the release of melatonin by perifused rat pineal glands at 2 different circadian stages corresponding to the middle of the light and dark periods, i.e., respectively, 7 and 19 HALO (Hours After Light Onset, L:D = 12:12). The initial efflux rates were, as expected, much higher in the perifusates of glands removed from rats sacrificed during the dark phase than of those removed during the light phase. After 3 hr of perifusion, melatonin release reached similar levels which were found constant up to the 8th hr of perifusion, whatever the circadian stage. Perifusion of the glands with physiological concentrations for the rat of calcium (5.2 mmol/1) and magnesium (1.34 mmol/1) resulted in a stimulatory effect on the pineal glands removed from rats sacrificed in the middle of the dark period (19 HALO), whereas no effects were observed on the pineal glands removed from rats sacrificed during the light (7 HALO). Lithium (0.28 and 0.55 mmol/1) was ineffective on melatonin release in pineal glands removed 7 and 19 HALO. Our results show differences in the initial efflux rates of melatonin and in the response of perifused pineal glands to calcium and magnesium according to the circadian stage.     

Changes in connexin43, the gap junction protein of astrocytes, during development of the rat pineal gland

Abstract: The abundance of gap junctions between rat pineal astrocytes formed by connexin43 (Cx43) was studied during development. Levels and distribution of Cx43 were measured by immunoblotting and indirect immunofluorescence, respectively. The amount of Cx43 in cells located within the gland was low until about the 7th postnatal day and increased to adult values between the 14th and 21st days postpartum. Although astrocytes, recognized by their vimentin immunoreactivity, were scarce before birth, they were abundant by the 7th postnatal day suggesting that the low levels of Cx43 found at this age corresponded to a low expression of this protein. Localization of the immunoreactivity to Cx43 and vimentin showed a close correlation, indicating that mature or immature pineal astrocytes form gap junctions made of Cx43. Since Cx43 levels attained their adult values at about the time the innervation and the functional state of the gland reached maturity (2–3 weeks after birth), it is proposed that astrocyte gap junctions are involved in the function of the adult rat pineal gland.     

Conservative management of perforated duodenal diverticulum： A case report and review of the literature

Duodenal diverticula are a relatively common condition. They are asymptomatic, unless they become complicated, with perforation being the rarest but most severe complication. Surgical treatment is the most frequently performed approach. We report the case of a patient with a perforated duodenal diverticulum, which was diagnosed early and treated conservatively with antibiotics and percutaneous drainage of secondary retroperitoneal abscesses. We suggest this method could be an acceptable option for the management of similar cases, provided that the patient is in good general condition and without septic signs.     

Language of CTO interventions – Focus on hardware

The knowledge of variety of chronic total occlusion (CTO) hardware and the ability to use them represents the key to success of any CTO interventions. However, the multiplicity of CTO hardware and their physical character and the terminology used by experts create confusion in the mind of an average interventional cardiologist, particularly a beginner in this field. This knowledge is available but is scattered. We aim to classify and compare the currently used devices based on their properties focusing on how physical character of each device can be utilized in a specific situation, thus clarifying and simplifying the technical discourse.